Alabama Bound, lesbians in the deep south, living in limbo

Living in Limbo advocates LGBTQ equality in the Deep South through the arts and humanities. We strive to change minds and hearts through education and empathy by telling the stories of LGBTQ individuals and families who face social and legal limbo in a state that offers no legal protections.

Living in Limbo: Lesbian Families in the Deep South, photographs by Carolyn Sherer, is a ground breaking photography exhibition comprised of 40 photographs of lesbian families in Alabama. The exhibition, hosted by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) in Birmingham, Alabama, attracted nearly 17,000 visitors from across the country during its ten-week exhibit in the spring of 2012. The exhibition is now being traveled by the BCRI across the nation, and was so moving to some that it became the inspiration for a documentary.

Alabama Bound

Alabama Bound: Lesbian Families in the Deep South, A Living in Limbo Documentary is a feature length documentary, produced by Michele Forman and directed and co-produced by Carolyn Sherer and Lara Embry, currently in production, which follows the lives of several lesbian families in Alabama, illustrating real life stories of pain, perseverance, strength and humor. It reveals a powerful, diverse community living with both frustration and hope. The film honors the diversity of race, socioeconomic background and age groups that form the rich texture of this community.

Family Matters:

LGBTQ Youth Perspectives

Family Matters: LGBTQ Youth Perspectives, photographs by Carolyn Sherer highlights LGBTQ youth in the Deep South and the challenges and triumphs they face in society with and without the support of their families. The exhibition was initially hosted by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in the spring of 2014 and then displayed at BAO's Magic City Acceptance Center. It now travels to locations in North America and is currently on display at the Jewish Community Center in Birmingham, AL. This project is made possible in part by a grant from the Alabama Humanities Foundation, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information about Family Matters please contact Amanda Keller, at BAO.