Film Gay and Lesbian Stereotypes

Film

GAY AND LESBIAN STEREOTYPES IN FILM AND SOCIETY

The movie But I'm a Cheerleader... (Babbit, 1999) deals with the issues of alternate sexual identities and the degree to which individuals who deviate from the socially assigned characteristics associated with definitions of masculinity and femininity in society. Meagan, the protagonist, also illustrates that gender-stereotypical behavior exist on a very wide spectrum rather than the black or white definitions linked to gender.

In some respects, Meagan's parents could represent society and the manner in which social and cultural preconceptions distort the ability of many people to perceive people for who they are as individuals, to the extent they focus on comparatively superficial aspects of behavior, irrespective of whether or not those behavioral characteristics are necessarily manifestations of homosexuality. In the case of Meagan's parents, their preoccupation with her possible lesbian tendencies obscures the rest of their relationship with their daughter, in effect, ignoring everything else about her that is unrelated to her sexual inclination.

The film also seems to deal with the concept of latent homosexuality and possibly, the issue of psychological over compensation to suppress natural homosexual tendencies. In that regard, the head of the camp is something of a dichotomy in that her outward appearance of femininity contrasts her assertiveness and her masculine sentiments, such as "foreplay is for sissies."

To be fair, some public expectations are grounded in reality, particularly with regard to deliberate choices of clothing style and behavioral mannerisms that fall into the realm of social mimicry, such as is observed in many social groups. It is said that in the 1960s, many commercial airline pilots from the Northern states adopted a Southern twang to their speaking voices, unconsciously mimicking the legendary pilot of the era, Chuck Yeager. Similarly, many urban youth adopt speech patterns and clothing common to gang members without any criminal affiliation. The homosexual community is also associated with characteristic mannerisms that, in fairness, do project homosexuality.

There is nothing necessarily prejudiced or closed minded about making assumptions that those who adopt mannerisms and clothing or hairstyle choices that generally denote a specific orientation (whether to crime or homosexuality), are likely to be associated with that orientation. In many cases, the external behavior and manner of dress helps individuals communicate information (such as their sexual orientation) about themselves to the world. But the converse is not true. Specifically, when we make assumptions about people knowing nothing else about them other than their sexual orientation, it is inappropriate. First, sexual orientation is not necessarily associated with any other behaviors; if anything, the mannerisms and style of dress generally associated with homosexuality are matters of preference, choice, and social modeling (or mimicry). Second, to the extent any other behaviors are more often evident in homosexuals, many individuals are exceptions to those generalizations. In other words, most baseball players chew tobacco, but that does not mean that all tobacco chewers play baseball or that all baseball players chew. Second, to the extent that other mannerisms and preferences are statistically linked to sexual identity biologically, their appearance does not necessarily mean that the individual is even aware of his or her sexual identity already. Meagan, is confronted with accusations at a time when she is not yet even fully aware of what her preferences are.