Freak Show

In James St. James’s Freak Show it focuses on Billy Bloom, an out of the closet drag queen that has no shame. He is willing to walk the walk and talk the talk. There are no secrets when it comes to Billy. As a result he is consistently harassed and teased and his life is almost taken away from him. Things quickly change after that when Flip Kelley the star football player decides to become Billy’s protector. From there this hidden romance develops. Encouraged by Flip, Billy becomes more and more outrageous and fabulous. Flip as he leads Billy on keeps his mantra of being the straight football star. When Billy makes the first move a group of tourist gets the shock of their lives and Flip distances himself from Billy. As a result Billy becomes depressed but decides one day to change the image of the school and run for homecoming queen. This grows Billy’s confidence and makes the school a little more friendly for people who are different. However, through this entire run Flip is not involved. It is not until the end where Billy is almost raped and Flip comes into the picture again. He purposely missed the game winning football play at the homecoming game so he could be with Billy. As a result it shows that star athletes cannot be gay. Flip has to be a non-celebrity to be with Billy. Flip’s journey is much more interesting. It shows the stress that comes with being gay. He could not be accepted for who he is. He had to be anonymous for his journey to continue.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

In Rachel Cohns and David Levithan's Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist it focuses on the relationship that blossoms between Nick and Norah. Now why is this in the blog about the portrayal of gay men, it is their because of a background character named Dev. Dev loves attention and has no problem getting any man he wants. This is a common theme in literature about gay men. The partier who converts men. He coverted their drummer and the drummer left forever. However, Dev has redeeming qualities and it was the speech he gave about the Beatles as seen below from the film. Dev while the partier is also deep. However he does show the stereotype that gay men want to convert their straight counterparts.

Hero

In Perry Moore’s Hero we are introduced to Thom Creed. Thom is just your everyday son of two super heroes who has the power to heal himself and others. Thom is one thing more he is gay. Throughout this entire book he does everything he can to hide it because he knows it would bring shame to his father. Thom gets to try out for the League of Superheroes and makes the probationary team. Thom also has to hide himself here to because he knows if he comes out he would be all but kicked out of the league. It was not until truth and justice were on the line for Thom to come out to the world. He made this decision when the league accused an innocent man of being the criminal mastermind. This man was Thom’s first kiss and decided truth and justice was more important than keeping himself hidden. Thom knew his life would forever change. But he answered the most important question, is it more important to be true to yourself of hides yourself and hopes you are never figured out. We see that Thom loses his part in the league and we see his father drift away from him. Now things change in the end but only after the super heroic feats he performed.

It is only then that Thom is accepted. Thom is accepted to save the League's reputation. What message does that send? I have to be heroic to be accepted. It is quite negative and a reflection of how you have to be better than anyone else to be accepted.

Below is Perry Moore and Stan Lee discussing Hero.

Les Chansons D'Amour

Similar to Grande Ecole, Christophe Honore’s Les Chansons D'Amour also focuses on the story is being gay a choice and what leads up to it. Ismael was a married man who was in an open relationship with a third woman. Their love is passionate and grows and grows. However, Ismael’s wife dies and this sends Ismael in a downward spiral. He becomes depressed and it is one night where Ismael spends a night with a brother of a friend Erwann. There lust blossoms but Ismael tries to separate himself and Erwann. These changes in the end when Ismael is dropped off at Erwann’s apartment and he and Erwann have a passionate night together. What would have happened if Ismael’s wife never died? Would Ismael’s journey still take place?

Grande Ecole

In Robert Salis’s Grande Ecole the journey is much more difficult for Paul. Before leaving for school he always identified himself as straight. He did not know another life out there. Paul’s roommate Louis-Annault is the first guy that Paul was attracted to. This leads to the jealousy of Agnes his girlfriend. This jealousy leads to a bet between Agnes and Paul. If Agnes sleeps with Louis-Annault first, Paul has to give up Louis-Annault and move in with Agnes and Agnes would walk away if Paul sleeps with him first. Things get complicated when Paul falls in love with a worker, Mercir. This journey for Paul leads to many complicated questions. Is being gay a switch you can turn on and off or are you born gay. This journey also makes Paul rethink is life. No true resolution is given and that leaves this journey open for the audience to make up its mind.

This film also focus on is being gay a choice. In the end Paul loses it all. He punished for his infatuation with Mercir and Louis-Annault.

The trailer does contain adult content beware.

Dare

In Adam Salky’s Dare Ben is a nerdy technician for the high school play who has a crush on Johnny the lead and a jock. Ben finally works up the nerve to ask Johnny if he needed somebody to run lines with because Johnny has been struggling. Johnny accepts and brings Ben over to his house. When the alcohol begins the truth begins to come out. Ben goes on the offensive and begins to overtly flirt with Johnny. They are together in a trance that is eventually broken by unannounced guest. Ben took the risk that eventually broke his heart. This is another aspect of the journey. What would have happened if those unannounced guest did not show up. What would happen if Ben did not have the guts? This is one of the many things the journey takes.

Le Marais

In Gus Van Sant’s "Le Marais" from Paris Je T’aime the journey focuses on a miscommunication. The customer is attracted to the print shop worker and begins to tell him how he feels about him in French. Unbeknown to him the print shop worker knows little French. The man is pouring his feelings out to him and what separates them is language. This represents the silence that many homosexuals feel. They lack acceptance and therefore are silenced. This journey affects the outcome of both of these men’s lives.

Latter Days

C. Jay Cox's Latter Days examines the way the Mormon church treats members who are gay. Aaron goes off to Los Angeles for his mission trip. He lives with four other missionaries and is expected to live there for two years. What he did not expect was meeting Christian. Christian is a flamboyant, out gay man. Aaron tries to fight his feelings for Christian because he knows the shame it would bring upon his family. When his secret finally comes out he is forced to move back to his hometown in Idaho. There he forced to go to a rehabilitation center and is excommunicated from the church. This film shows the hypocrisy of the Mormon Church and the problems its GLBT members face.

This is one of the few things I saw with a happy ending. However, getting up to the happy ending we see the hypocrisy of the Mormon Church. We see Aaron punished by his family for being gay. All of this in an ending which seemed too perfect. How Aaron survived his ordeal I do not know but at least this film had a happy ending.

Billy Brown

In Mika's "Billy Brown" acceptance is not found until he goes off to "an island off the coast of Mexico." Billy is married with two kids and a dog. His life changes when he finds a man and begins to have an affair. When this gets too much for him to handle this is when Billy decides to leave for Mexico. It is there where he finds a man who understands where he is in life. This journey allowed Billy to find acceptance which is a path that some need to take.

Like many of the things I found this song tackles the coverup. Billy Brown is gay but has a wife, two kids, and a dog. It is not until he goes to Mexico and leaves his life behind he is accepted. He has to give up everything to be happy.

Y Tu Mama Tambien

Y Tu Mama Tambien directed by Alfonso Cuaron is different from the rest because it does not feature characters that are per say gay. There is a gay sex scene in the film. This story is the moving journey of three characters all on this path looking for acceptance. They look for acceptance in many ways trying to find each other. Tenoch and Julio were childhood friends getting ready to go off to university. They team up with Luisa and take a road trip looking for Heaven’s Mouth. This movie is a sexual examination of how the human spirit works. This journey forced them to make decisions they were not necessarily ready to make and the implications which follows.

The problem with it shows that being gay is a switch you can flip on and off and the end result is the loss of a friendship. Tenoch and Julio after their sexual encounters lost contact with each other. They are punished for their one night stand.

Below is the trailer

Dance Recover Repeat

The journey to acceptance was a rough one for Calvin in Alasdair Duncan's Dance Recover Repeat. Calvin had a few close friends but was still trying to find himself and where he belonged. This changed when an e-mail was sent to him with an amateur porn picture of a boy with empty eyes. This boy became an obsession for Calvin until they randomly meant at a party. Calvin grows attached to Anthony and becomes needy on him. These changes one day when Anthony shows him this documentary about how quickly life goes away and how Anthony lives his life without attachment. This forces Calvin to make important decisions. He begins to drift away like Anthony and eventually makes a decision that shows that acceptance was not his answer.

This book is a perfect fit in being punished for being gay. Anthony already believes his life is hopeless and he sends Calvin down the same path. While this book is one of the best I've read in a while it still comes off as a negative portrayal. Life cannot be lived normally because they are gay. They are reserved to enjoying their younger years and dying alone.

Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to look at the portrayal of the coming out experience. The reason it is called Portrayal/Betrayal is because I've notice many of the experiences lack reality. They portray being gay as a switch you can turn on or off, or they punish the character who is gay for being gay. The most egregious though is forcing people to give up their lives because gay. I hope people will understand that while coming out is a varied experience the media usually shows it as a punishment.