"She loves everything about her son...except who he is."
Prayers for Bobby - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
I will not have a gay son.
— Mary Griffith
Context:
Mary says this to Bobby during a heated argument after he has moved away and is trying to live his life. It is a pivotal, devastating moment that underscores his alienation. He recalls these words just before he takes his own life.
Meaning:
This is the ultimate expression of Mary's rejection and the line that haunts Bobby. It signifies the point where her religious dogma completely overrides her maternal love, creating an impossible ultimatum for her son.
I know now why God didn't heal Bobby. He didn't heal him because there was nothing wrong with him.
— Mary Griffith
Context:
Mary has this epiphany after months of soul-searching, attending PFLAG meetings, and speaking with Reverend Whitsell. It is the turning point that allows her to move from guilt to activism.
Meaning:
This line represents the climax of Mary's transformation. It is her profound realization that her son was not sick, sinful, or broken. It signifies her complete rejection of her former beliefs and her full acceptance of Bobby for who he was.
Before you echo 'amen' in your home or place of worship, think. Think, and remember, a child is listening.
— Mary Griffith
Context:
Mary delivers this line during a speech to a city council meeting where she is advocating for a gay rights ordinance. Her words are a culmination of her tragic experience, transformed into a plea for compassion and awareness.
Meaning:
This is the powerful closing statement of Mary's public speech. It serves as the film's central message and a direct warning to other parents. It highlights the profound and often unseen impact that homophobic rhetoric, especially when cloaked in religion, has on vulnerable children.
Homosexuality is a sin. Homosexuals are doomed to spend eternity in Hell... These are all the things I said to my son Bobby when I found out he was gay.
— Mary Griffith
Context:
This is part of the same public speech at the city council meeting. She begins by laying out the exact religious condemnations she used against Bobby, showing the audience the root of the tragedy before explaining her change of heart.
Meaning:
This quote, from the opening of her speech, is a stark and painful confession. Mary publicly admits to the harmful words and beliefs she forced upon her son, taking full responsibility for the destructive impact of her intolerance.