JACKSON, Miss. – Gay activist and former NSYNC star Lance Bass is the executive director of a documentary that explores what life is like in Mississippi for people growing up gay.
“I thought if anyone could change people’s minds, it could be me,” said Bass in the documentary “Mississippi: I Am.” Bass came out in 2002 after NSYNC, broke up; but admits “I knew I was gay all my life. But, I knew I had to hide it.”
He said he was inspired to produce the documentary after Constance McMillen, 18, sued her school district because she wasn’t allowed to take her girlfriend to her Itawamba County High School prom in 2012. “I was really tired of it. I needed to find out what is going on. What is the miscommunication in my own state of Mississippi?” In the film, Bass attends a same sex prom with a group of teenagers hoping to change the way people see them.
Bass said things are changing in Mississippi. And he credits youth of the state, who know understand people need to and should be allowed to be themselves.
The full documentary is available on itunes. But view the trailer here:
http://youtu.be/0CqaDqf84sI