Celluloid Closet and Queer Theory

The Celluloid Closet documentary details the evolution of the gay role in Hollywood. According to the film, homosexual men were originally cast as comedic sissies characterized by flamboyant femininity, while lesbian women were often slotted as ruthless demons or evil personas. Later, although, homosexuality gained more exposure, gays were then cast in even more ominous roles. First, they were all slated to die, most in horrific matters, and later they were often portrayed as the victimizers. Eventually, the gay agenda did receive some equal footing around the mid 1990s, but there is still a long way to go.

Recent research suggests that gay characters still lack development and depth, most specifically in regards to their love lives. Carolyn M. Byerly, in her article Situating “the Other,” elaborates on this point citing film scholar Vito Russo who “found that historically, mainstream films show gay characters (and their lives) as sterile in the areas of love and sexuality.” She furthers this point by highlighting the acclaimed television series Will & Grace. “Will’s character [is] devoid of sexual passion or a gay political consciousness,” she writes.

The theory most useful in approach homosexuality and media would be cultural and queer studies. According to Purdue University resources, these studies “explore issues of sexuality, power, and marginalized populations in literature and culture.” Another, important concept to keep in consideration when examining these topics is hegemony. Hegemony is a Marxist concept that “describes the domination of a culturally diverse society by the ruling class, who manipulate the culture of the society — the beliefs, explanations, perceptions, values, and mores — so that their ruling-class becomes the worldview that is imposed and accepted as the cultural norm” (Lull, 2000).