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Sexuality In The Film Pariah Directed By Dee Rees

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Overview of the Film The film Pariah written and directed by Dee Rees is about Alike Freeman, a 17-year-old African American female exploring her sexuality as a lesbian. Alike knows she is a lesbian, but is not sure where she belongs or how to tell her family. Throughout the movie she is trying to find ways to embrace her sexuality, as well please her family and friends. Alike does not have support from her parents, which makes being true to who she is much harder. Overall, Alike is not sure about how to express herself, and is concerned about upsetting the people in her life. The main characters in the film along with Alike are: Laura; Alike’s best friend, Audrey and Arthur Freeman; Alike’s parents, and Bina; Alike “friend” (Rees 2011). Audre …show more content…

Alike prefers to wear men’s clothes, but wears women’s clothes to please her family. Often, she would change her clothes based on the setting. In one scene, Alike went to a lesbian club dressed in her preferred clothing, and on her way home changed into something her mother would find acceptable. In another scene, she went to school wearing female clothes, and then changed in the bathroom into men’s clothes. Alike and her mother do not have the best relationship. Her mother notices that she gravitates towards men’s clothing, and Mrs. Freeman discourages her by making rude comments, and buying her the clothes she wants her to wear. Laura, Alike’s best friend, who is a lesbian with more experience, tries to pressure her into meeting girls and encourages her to have sex. Alike is not as open as Laura, and struggles with living her life openly as a butch lesbian. Alike’s mother does not like Laura, and tries to introduce her to new friends. Her mother’s co-worker has a daughter that goes to Alike’s school. Forced by Alike’s mother to hang out, Alike and Bina became friends. Eventually, both girls show interest into each other, and had sex. After, Alike thought they were in a relationship, and Bina said she was not gay and she was basically trying it out. Alike took this rejection hard, and it left her angry and confused (Rees …show more content…

But, Alike is not the only one that is hiding something. Audrey and Arthur Freeman are not in a happy marriage, and try to hide it from their children. Arthur is cheating on his wife, and blames his long hours and late nights on work, but it can be inferred that he was out cheating. In one scene, Alike overhears her father on the phone and he quickly hangs up. As he was getting ready to leave, and Alike was going to question his conversation, he changed the subject and told her he loved her. The rocky relationship between Audrey and Arthur affects the family. The mother spends a lot of time trying to please and get her husbands attention, and the father is overall distant to his family (Rees

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