Not Another Period Piece: A Look into Misrepresentation in Queer Cinema
Let’s get one thing straight… I’m not. Another fun fact about me is I love movies (in fact, as I write this, I’m indulging in a little Italian horror gem from the 1980s titled The Beyond). But the truth is, these two parts of my identity (the gay and the film buff) tend to continually butt heads. After years of watching movies, I realized there is one thing that straight folks never have to worry about: seeing proper representation in 99.9% of films EVER. Since my coming out a few years ago I have started to explore queer cinema more and more. This comes with a desire to learn further but mostly to be able to say that I’ve finally seen myself on screen. This venture has made me realize that many LGBTQ+ films are misleading and create a warped idea of the queer experience.
After a very professional survey I conducted in a group chat with my queer friends on the topic of misrepresentation in LGBTQ+ cinema, I found out many of them held similar sentiments to my own. To my question of how do you feel about queer representation in film, some bluntly answered there is none. Others brought up the troubles they had with straight and cis actors playing characters who were transgender. Some even discussed how many lesbian and WLW relationships in film are almost always created through a male or heteronormative gaze. We could all agree on a few things though: queer cinema, as it stands right now, is misrepresentative, incomprehensive and predictable. Now let’s unpack that.
The conversation with my friends got me thinking about some of the LGBTQ+ films I had recently come to fall in love with and how predictable some of their elements actually are. Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Ammonite, Carol, Call Me by Your Name and The Favourite are only a few of the queer films that have recently been released. They were all met with critical acclaim and made it far into award season. That isn’t the only things these films have in common though… they are period pieces. This means they are able to feature copy pasted white, able-bodied leads and stories that promote secretive and publicly unwanted relationships, all while playing it off as a stylistic and safe choice.
When films begin to repeat similar plots and ideas, it produces the idea of a single story. When all films are period pieces, it makes it seem as though queerness has no relevance in modern times. When films show queer relationships as something that needs hiding, queer love is seen as less meaningful than straight romance. When films oversexualize queer (especially WLW) relationships, it portrays LGBTQ+ romance as pornographic. When films cast straight and cisgender actors in queer roles, it not only limits employment for LGBTQ+ actors but also misrepresents the genuine queer experience. Examples of this include, James Corden portraying a gay man in the film The Prom and Elle Fanning, a cisgender actress playing a transgender character, in the film 3 Generations.
Queer films also tend to be repetitive. Most LGBTQ+ films have plots revolving around the consequences of coming out, with a character facing either acceptance, violence, or ostracization because of the opinions of those around them. Many films have a character looking for validation through others as a central plot point. Though coming out is a large part of many LGBTQ+ folks’ experiences, it is not everything. Having movies that focus too much on coming out makes it seem as though members of the LGBTQ+ community are not valid unless they announce their identity to the world. Very few films show queer folks living their lives for themselves without trying to please others. As my one friend put it, you very rarely see “a happy gay unbothered”.
Though there have been some triumphs in LGBTQ+ cinema with films like Moonlight winning the Academy Award for best picture and more queer creators getting credit for their work, there is still a long way to go. LGTBQ+ folks who live their normal, daily lives know that the queer experience cannot be solely defined or understood through one film or television show. Though they face unique struggles and triumphs, members of the community are still human beings, deserving of genuine storytelling. Queer films should have diverse characters, invigorating and in-depth plots that touch on topics besides coming out, and should be representative of a whole human experience. In the film industry there needs to be more opportunities for well-rounded queer stories to be shared. And for heaven’s sake, please stop with the period pieces.