To University student Maria Kitsinis, homosexuality is portrayed as something to laugh at or pity in mainstream film.
The subject of homosexuality is hidden beneath the surface–covered up by sub-plot after sub-plot.
“Society is still not accepting of homosexuality,” Kitsinis said. “Many times people think that seeing it in film is just a bad influence, or it’s used as a warning.”
While films which indicate lesbian relationships are not rare, films that deal with the subject are, according to Kitsinis.
At last nights’ event sponsored by Vision, though few were in attendance, everyone agreed that homosexuality is mostly used in mainstream film as an erotic device.
“It is very rare to see a butch lesbian, or even a butch male,” Mikelle Smith, a junior at the University, said. “Women are definitely objectified and eroticized in TV and film.”
According to Smith, a gay or lesbian film should be one that really tackles the issue. Not a film that depicts the stereotypical “sissy” gay male or the lesbian woman as a killer or monster–or even to women making out she said.
“If we [producers and directors] make it ‘hot’, then lesbians and guys will watch the movie too,” Kitsinis said of using lesbianism to make money.
Her belief is that homosexuality love is not taken seriously. Many mainstream films avoid true love for its female homosexuals like the plague.
“Some people might consider a film, a gay film, if homosexuality is a sub-plot,” Jess Faulk, a University graduate student said. “I think it depends on the context, but I don’t believe that a mainstream film can show a real gay or lesbian film.”
It is the mainstream films like “Saved” with Mandy Moore, “Mean Girls”, with Lindsay Lohan, or even the hit television show “Will and Grace” that University graduate student Nicky Damania believes feeds the image of homosexuality.
“You see all these stereotypes, good stereotypes, that all come together that people watch,” Damania said. “Any type of media attention, negative or positive, is a good thing.”
Gay and lesbian film must give a realistic portrayal of all types of homosexual relationships, Faulk believes.
It is exploring conflicts homosexuals face, relationships with friends as well as heterosexuality. It is exploring conflicts between religion and sexuality or gender and sexuality. Diving into the emotions of a homosexual character, it is not just a sub-plot to them. Most believe that mainstream film does not have as much freedom as independent filmmakers in portraying subjects such as homosexuality.
“You can’t just go to Woodland mall theatre and watch a gay film,” Kitsinis said. “You have to go to film festivals or places that carry more independent films, even as the subject is more and more academic.”
It was a common belief that today’s mainstream films can be used as a stepping stone for what most independent filmmakers have been portraying of homosexuality for years–exploring gay and lesbian relationships to its capacity.
“I think it is easier to look back in retrospect and say, ‘yeah that was good in the long run’ but it is hard to see a bad character, or negative stereotype,” Faulk said. “In the long run if it leads to more and more characterization that is good, and you can say,” okay I see how that is a stepping stone.
“It’s like saying, okay I just watched a gay film, and I’m okay with it.”
