Surviving the Silence

Country: United States

Category: Documentary, Military Film, Social Impact Film

Synopsis: Years before Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Colonel Patsy Thompson was forced to expel Army hero Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer for being a lesbian. The way Thompson, a closeted lesbian, handles the military trial, however, leads to Cammermeyer’s re-instatement via federal court and eventual change in military policy. While Cammermeyer’s memoir was adapted as a 1995 television movie by Barbra Streisand, Thompson’s story remained a secret. Thompson and her wife Barbara Brass candidly share how they wrestled with heart-wrenching choices, hiding their relationship, struggling to protect their love while preserving Patsy's career – and, emerged to become vibrant activists later in life.