Three Films for Pride Month
In the celebratory spirit of Pride Month, here is a list of films which embrace queer identity and tell its audience what it means to be different. To many, especially LGBTQ+ youth, queerness imposes a strange feeling of loneliness, of not belonging. There is a sense that you or the lifestyle you lead is not normal, and that society punishes you for being an outlier – a theme which countless queer films explore. Queer culture has historically always revolved around extravagance, fashion and taboo however it must be celebrated in the same explosive spirit and creativity it bears its roots to. Therefore, the following list will contain three films that exalt queerness, gaiety, flamboyance, and style.
Please note that some of these films may contain mature themes intended for an older youth audience.
1. But I’m a Cheerleader (2000)
Directed by Jamie Babbit / 85 mins / Rom-Com, Comedy, Satire / 13+
Starring Natasha Lyonne as Megan. a blonde highschool cheerleader, the film is set on the premise that Megan’s parents, under suspicion that their daughter is a lesbian, send her away to a conversion therapy bootcamp. The naïve Megan, who knows nothing of homosexuality, becomes introduced to other homosexual ‘misfits’ and through hilarious and bizzare excercises, is taught to ‘become straight’. Ironically enough, throughout the narrative trajectory, Megan meets a beautiful lesbian girl, Graham (Clea DuVal), and becomes increasingly infatuated by her. Caught between the imposition of heterosexuality and the calling of true love, But I’m a Cheerleader depicts a gay teenager reaching self-acceptance, and also criticses the great farce that is ‘conversion therapy’. It pertains to the conventions of a romantic comedy and can be viewed without too much emotional labour.
2. Pink Flamingos (1972)
Directed by John Waters / 92 mins / Comedy, Drama, Exploitation
Pink Flamingos might just be the most iconic film in all of gay cinema, and fans even describe it to be a “religious movie” because of its excellence and significance. It’s a fascinating and never-seen-before controversial depiction of queer identity. A fat drag queen, Divine, is named to be the “filthiest person alive” — a title she takes immense pride in. Her equally eccentric and lovably tight-knit family fight to take revenge on a Baltimore couple whose attempts to overthrow Divine from her prized title spark conflict. This simple premise is exploded in a wonderful, shocking, but often hilarious adventure of Divine — who is truly a character exuding confidence and pride. This fact is ultimately communicated to its viewership suggesting that you don’t have to force yourself to conform to the rigid expectations of society in order to be loved. Divine’s family is proof that your idiosyncrasy, uniqueness, and confidence is what makes you lovable.
*Viewer discretion is advised as this film deals with subversive themes, and may be shocking at first viewing.*
3. The Boys in the Band (2020 remake)
Directed by Joe Mantello / 122 mins / Drama
Based on Matt Crowley’s play ‘The Boys in the Band’, an off-Broadway hit in 1968, the 2020 Netflix remake tells a story of a group of gay men, gathered for a birthday party. It takes place in a pre-Stonewall and pre-AIDS setting, which provides context for the internalised self-loathing these male characters all exhibit in some way. Underneath the theatrics of gay linguistics, they are sensitive and wounded personalities which yearn to ‘be accepted’. Throughout the diegesis of the film, in which a game of ‘calling someone you’ve loved’ is proposed, various recollections of homosexual love affairs, crushes, betrayals, drama, and confrontations ensue. Because it is a play-adaptation, the film is very dialogue-heavy and mostly takes place in one apartment, but I’ve found this film to be incredibly funny and touching throughout.
