Boys Dont Cry

453 Words2 Pages
Boys don’t Cry and But I'm a Cheerleader are both movies that share many commonalities such as homophobia, forced conversion, and heteronormativity. But I'm a Cheerleader is a romantic comedy directed by Jamie Babbit. It is not only about sexuality, but also the social construction of gender roles. Following the disputes with her loved ones about being a lesbian they send Megan to True Directions, a reparative therapy camp which uses a five-step program to forcefully brainwash her straight. This film shows the grotesque details that takes place in conversion therapy and rehabilitation programs. One of the ways in which Babbit highlighted what she called the artificiality of gender construction was by using intense blues and pinks in her production and costume design. The dramatic colors are set in place to force the young group of people and give them a visual reminder of the normative perspective of girls wearing pink and boys wearing blue. The costumes and colors of the film show how false the goals of True Directions are. The film not only highlights the ways in which gender and sexuality are constructed but also takes the norms and truths about heteronormative society and tags them queer. Brandon's secret escaped and she was violently raped and murdered by two ex-cons. The film's significance has been linked to its portrayal of a same-sex relationship without any reference to the history of the gay civil rights movement. This emphasizes the tragic aspect of the love story, Most of the characters lead a dull and meaningless existence in a desolate small town. Many of them drink at the local bar and abuse recreational drugs to pass the time. While there are deeper social issues being dealt with, such as the fact that we should embrace those who are homosexual rather than rehabilitate them, the film never really drives the point home in a
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