The Celluloid Closet

When watching this movie I really did not know how to feel. Growing up and watching the films that were discussed I never realized that the butch lady was homosexual. The word gay did not come to my vocabulary until the age of 13. So watching movies like Mrs. Doubtfire I never looked at the makeover artist as gay. But looking back I do agree that the idea of the word gay was one that was feared by critics of movies. I remember one instant in a movie theater with my mother; she would cover my eyes when a trailer would come on with two members of the same sex kissing. I never understood why till now.

People are uncomfortable with the idea of something that they can not relate to. So when the movie producers had restrictions on what they were allowed to show in their movies it was only because the big wigs could not identify with these homosexuals and feared them.

One of the most interesting concepts about this film was when they discussed that homosexuals were portrayed as the victimizers, the enemy. How could the movie industry get away with these types of stereotypes?

I believe that the movies had a huge impact on the way society views gays. What do you think would have happened if gays were portrayed in a positive light? Would they allow same-sex marriages? Would there be less or no gay bashing? Would this society be able to except things that are different than them if the movies would just show people in a positive light?