I went to see LOVE, SIMON in theaters and it was an unforgettable experience. I sobbed like a baby and I loved the film, and even more because I went with my friends who were finally seeing themselves and their stories represented on the screen.

Now that LOVE, SIMON is available on Digital, 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD (as of June 12), I received a copy, courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and was able to watch it with my teen daughters.

Keep reading and you’ll be able to add LOVE, SIMON to your Digital collection on Movies Anywhere with my giveaway! you can also buy it on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-rayTM and DVD!

LOVE SIMON is a great love story and EVERYONE DESERVES A GREAT LOVE STORY. But let’s get serious. It’s 2018 and this is the first time there’s a gay male lead in a major motion picture!

But I remember 1997. Ellen was on the cover of Time Magazine saying “Yep, I’m gay” and she was called “Ellen Degenerate.” Her show had very high ratings and yet, it was canceled. She lost her career and the actors and crew that “worked at Buy The Book” lost their jobs. When Oprah played the therapist in the coming out episode of Ellen’s onscreen character, Ellen Morgan, she got hate mail telling her to “go back to Africa!” and Laura Dern (who you may know from Star Wars), didn’t get work for over a year because she played Ellen Morgan’s love interest, even though she’s always been heterosexual.

So okay, we’ve come a long way, and LOVE, SIMON shows that. LOVE SIMON is relatable and heartfelt. Simon is a typical 17-year-old who hasn’t come out yet and is struggling with his identity and with finding out the identity of the anonymous classmate he’s fallen for online. It bothered me that if you were gay in a movie, it was a stereotype, a negative depiction, or something to do with AIDS… seriously!? I pray LOVE, SIMON marks the end of portraying being gay as a lifestyle.

When I talk about representation in the media, I advocate for quality representation, for stories that tell the truth about who we are. I remember watching The Oprah Show when Ellen was interviewed about her coming out. I was very into it at the time because I was gay. There were very angry (and ignorant) people saying to her “This is your business, our kids don’t need to see it.“

My kids do. They need to see all people, because all people matter. Everyone in this Earth is a child of God and deserves love, kindness, and acceptance… oh… and support. Let’s not forget support, because support means ACTION.

I loved watching LOVE, SIMON with my daughters. They know my story and my struggles. Coming out back then wasn’t hard for me, it was harder to face the hatred, the rejection, and the discrimination that I didn’t see coming.

Maybe that’s why coming out to my daughters was so hard, because now I knew that you’re always wondering if people will accept you, like you, or still want to be part of your life. They had lots of questions… and lots of love for mom… and I pray we all have questions and love, for others who come out too.

Coming out is an act of courage for everyone, and LOVE, SIMON teaches us that in a beautiful way.

My daughters were impacted by how secrecy is driven by pain and fear and we can all relate to those feelings no matter whom we love.

My dear friend Enricoh asked me: How would you react if one of my girls came out to me as being gay or bisexual or the other names that fall under LGBTQ? I am certain that I’ll just want them to be healthy and happy. That’s what I’ve wanted for them ever since they were in my belly and I will want that until the day I die.

We all laughed, cried, and were oohing and awwing, and we loved the plot and the cast. Some moments were emotional and some others were just so painful! 

The cool part is that the in-home release allows us to pause, watch over and over again and enjoy some amazing Special Features.

LOVE, SIMON Special Features

• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes:
  • “The Adaptation” – Learn how the touching book Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli was adapted into Love, Simon
  • “The Squad” – Love, Simon’s cast members are some serious #squadgoals. Take a look into how the filmmakers developed, casted and perfected Simon’s squad.
  • “#FirstLoveStoryContest” – Everyone deserves a great first love story! Watch one lucky fan tell audiences about their first love story.
  • “Dear Georgia” – Join the filmmakers as they show you the iconic filming locations in Atlanta.
  • “Dear Atlanta” – The book takes place in Atlanta and the film was also shot there! Learn the many reasons why production chose this great city!
• Gallery
• Audio Commentary by Director Greg Berlanti, Producer Isaac Klausner and Co-Screenwriter Issac Aptaker

Enter the giveaway for a chance to get your very own digital copy of LOVE , SIMON, a $14.99 value. To be a winner, you must be over 18 years old, and you can be anywhere in the world. Entries will be verified and authenticated and winner must claim prize within 48 hours of being notified. No purchase is necessary. YAY!

LOVE SIMON is rated PG-13 in the US and has a run time of 110 minutes. All versions have both audio and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, which is awesome if you have a bilingual family.

Watch LOVE SIMON with your family today! Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt and follow Love Simon on social at @LoveSimonMovie. You can use #LOVESIMON to join the conversation.

[ela]