Parents' Guide to We Live Here: The Midwest

Movie NR 2023 53 minutes
We Live Here: The Midwest movie poster: Scene from the film features Katie Chiaramonte (left) and Nia Chiaramonte who are a White LQBTA+ married couple from Iowa holding hands and walking down a street, wearing casual attire, and credits for the film are in purple, black, and green letters

Common Sense Media Review

Sabrina McFarland By Sabrina McFarland , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Stories of LGBTQ+ families in gender-identity docu; peril.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

  • We Live Here: The Midwest Trailer
  • Still from We Live Here: The Midwest: Seated and facing the camera are Jenn Richmond (left) and Debb Richmond who are a White LGBTA+ couple from Minnesota, wearing casual attire
  • till from We Live Here: The Midwest: Seated and facing the camera are Russell Exlos-Raber (left) and Mark Exlos-Raber who are a White LGBTA+ married couple from Ohio, wearing causal attire
  • Still from We Live Here: The Midwest: Embracing each other while standing on farmland in Nebraska are Mario Foreman-Powell (left) and Monte Foreman-Powell, a Black and married LGBTA+ couple, wearing casual attire

Parent and Kid Reviews

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What's the Story?

In WE LIVE HERE: THE MIDWEST, LGBTQ+ families speak about their experiences as U.S. heartland region residents. Their shared stories include the challenges of revealing true gender identity to relatives, joy as an LGBTQ+ parent, and the increasing levels of discrimination.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

Director Melinda Maerker presents an insightful and important documentary about a timely topic. "Many LGBTQ+ families were reluctant to be interviewed," says the lesbian filmmaker of We Live Here: The Midwest. "They feared recrimination from their jobs, schools, and neighbors. And yet, some were willing to share their stories."

"There's nothing different about who we are," says Courtney Skeeba, a Kansas farmer, lesbian, and parent. "The Midwestern culture has an overall resistance to change." Russell Exlos-Raber, a gay Ohio educator, mentor, and creator of safe spaces for LGBTQ+ kids, believes "change is difficult for people." And, notes Russell's husband Mark, a finance manager, "we need to work as a country on communication. Not just in small towns, everywhere."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the courage of the cast in We Live Here: The Midwest. How do they also demonstrate communication, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

  • In the film, Nia Chiaramonte of Minnesota believes that the state doesn't want queer individuals to live here. Why do you think there is an increasing backlash against LGBTQ+ kids and adults?

  • How does the documentary make you think about LGBTQ+ families?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

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We Live Here: The Midwest movie poster: Scene from the film features Katie Chiaramonte (left) and Nia Chiaramonte who are a White LQBTA+ married couple from Iowa holding hands and walking down a street, wearing casual attire, and credits for the film are in purple, black, and green letters

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