How Are Homosexuality Represented In Films

The films that I have chosen to focus on and compare, highlight the way homosexuality has been represented in films throughout the years and how it has been shaped as society changes what is viewed as being normal and socially acceptable. My aim is also to highlight the things that have remained the same about how homosexuality is represented even in the society we live in today. This is why I have chosen films that have been made during different times in order to compare them and come to an accurate conclusion as to whether the representation has changed.

Next Slide: Representation in Films

Presenter:

“Sexual desire on TV is represented as being predominantly heterosexual; that is presented as the norm” (Joyce, 2009) (Item 15) says Andrea

(Benshoff, 2005) (Item 4) During this time period, male characters were always overly masculine, making the idea of homosexuality very difficult to comprehend. Films that included characters that cross-dressed (gay characters) were represented as being comedic and characters that were not taken seriously in the eyes of the audience. These types of characters were not important roles but simply supporting roles that were intended purely to amuse the

During the 1950’s, it was hard to tell the difference between homosexuals and heterosexuals by the way they acted, and if there were homosexual characters present, it was unheard of for them to have passionate scenes of the love between homosexuals in a film. During these times, gay characters were represented as being evil and vindictive as well as untrustworthy and dangerous. (Benshoff, 2005) (Item 4) By the 1980’s during the AIDS pandemic, rumours began to spread about gay sexual intercourse being the main cause of AIDS. This shone a negative light on gay people by scaring the public and encouraging gay behaviour to stop. This led to homosexuals being rejected from society during the 1980’s and represented in a negative light in films.

Next Slide: Basic Instinct (1992) (Item 1)

Presenter:

As my focus film, I chose to use Basic Instinct as it shows an interesting and different representation of lesbian’s in the early 1990’s. Basic Instinct is a 1992 erotic thriller film, directed by Paul Verhoeven. The film follows a police detective, Nick Curran, as he investigates the murders of men. While looking into the prime suspect of the case, Catherine Tramell, she infatuates Curran and their relationship intensifies. Tramell is a bi-sexual enigmatic writer