1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Is it too much to ask to have at least 3 or 4 major LGBT movies a year?

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Driftr, Jun 1, 2016.

  1. Driftr

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2013
    Messages:
    205
    Likes Received:
    0
    Gender:
    Male
    I don't necessarily mean just oscar-bait films lol, although I have enjoyed films such as Carol and the classic Brokeback Mountain, but I mean at least around 3 or 4 films a year, and I mean from now until the film industry ends (whenever it does) where the lead actor or actress plays an LGBT character and the films are from MAJOR studios and are varying genres and not just dramas about closet cases.

    Do you think that is too much (or maybe even too little to ask)? Do you think it will ever happen anytime soon given today's social climate?
     
  2. secretagent

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2015
    Messages:
    49
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    On earth
    Gender:
    Female
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    I think it's getting closer to that happening. But I think it won't be that many movies from big movie studios. I think finding dory has a lesbian couple in it (don't think they are starring) but once that happens I think there will be a lot more movies like that.
     
  3. ForeverMe

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 28, 2016
    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Boston
    Gender:
    Female
    I think many people are realizing that it is time to represent LGBT people, as well as other minorities, accurately in more movies, but there will be backlash. People will say things like "they are trying to make our children gay", and "they are promoting the homosexual agenda", as well as many other things. However I do think that there is a hope of more "diverse" movies, if anything lasts that long (don't mind my pessimism, I'm just a little worried about the state of our world right now, especially America with our very frightening election).
     
  4. Florestan

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2015
    Messages:
    319
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    A few people
    It seems like a big part of the problem is that major studios think LGBT films could never appeal to a wide audience. And it's true that some people will refuse to see them. But at this point, as long as it's a good, non-oscar-bait movie, I believe a lot of people will be open-minded enough to watch.
     
  5. Kira

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2014
    Messages:
    1,623
    Likes Received:
    16
    Location:
    Georgia
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Some people
    When the dark ages finally die off maybe, once the future isn't pushed away so hard things should be more diverse and representative rather than "Majority this, majority that" and still sell.

    It's a painfully slow process, but if you compare older films to current ones, they're at least becoming more diverse in some aspects. Like having more female characters who are real characters and not mindless Barbies for example.

    I think it'll be around a century before the films get that diverse and equal to have 3-4 major LGBT-inclusive films, especially with the senseless backlash that goes to the few that do.
     
  6. purplewolf6

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2016
    Messages:
    200
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    MD
    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Family only
    With how big Brokeback Mountain got I didn't think it would be this slow to happen. TBH, I think it'll happen in animated films first but I do see it growing in tv shows. There's still work to be done with showing more diverse gay males. Asexuals, trans, and bisexuals seem completely ignored. IMHO, we have to make the change we want to see either by supporting works we agree with or actually becoming authors/directors pleasing our fanbase. I have hope.

    ---------- Post added 2nd Jun 2016 at 09:58 AM ----------

    You'd be surprised from some films of the 30's. pre-code.com is pretty fun to look at even showing categories such as murder without consequence, crossdressing, women with power,etc.

    Speaking of women with power, I agree with you that films are pushing strong female leads as they should. Mad Max Fury Road and Force Awakens both had that and are beloved movies.
     
  7. CameOutSwinging

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2015
    Messages:
    735
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    New York City
    I'll even gladly take the smaller steps of having LGBT characters spotlighted in bigger films, even if they're not the main focus. Neighbors 2 does this with Dave Franco's character in a very non-stereotypical way. I think that's worth more than anything else. Something being non-stereotypical and being presented in a way that's just standard and not pushed to be something special. That's the goal, in my eyes. It should be normal and happen often enough, and thus not particularly special when it happens.
     
  8. Secrets5

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2015
    Messages:
    1,964
    Likes Received:
    77
    Location:
    UK
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
    I think they should make more characters LGBT, but I don't think it should be the main focus. Being straight* is never the main focus for a film [or at least the modern ones] so why should LGBT?

    *What I mean by this is, yes, there are heterosexual characters in straight relationships, but there's never a ''big deal'' about them ''being in a heterosexual relationship''. I think, for at least LG part of LGBT, things have come far enough it doesn't need to be mentioned. We can see you're gay/lesbian if you're in a relationship with someone of the same gender. I don't need to be told it (I'm not stupid).

    Anyway, hope I haven't offended anyone, that's just what I'd like to see.

    Oh, and a non-binary character please. Only needs to be mentioned once, maybe in a setting of relationships. So say a guy wants to date this NB person and they say ''are they a guy or a girl?'' and a friend who knows both of them says ''neither'' and then the guy is like ''Oh, okay....'' and whatever happens next. Not a big deal, just stating the fact in a conversation that moves on to whatever the guy decides to do.

    And another thing, they'd have to be a good film for me to watch it, and they have to do it in the right way - [if they don't know about a gay character because being gay is normal, obviously, so it doesn't need to be mentioned prior] . Now I'm sure there are plenty of rubbish films out there, but what I mean by this is this: Not be the whole ''*Oh my goodness we're so amazing at being writers because we wrote a trans character! We're so diverse now! Come see our diversity!'' because I feel that's how S. Moffatt has gotten with Doctor Who and I was kind of annoyed. Granted, everyone thought that episode was terrible in general anyway, but they made a big deal there was a trans actor in the show, and I don't even think she had a line. There's more about S. Moffatt thinking they're racially diverse for having a lot of black actors - but have never had an Asian companion in Doctor Who. *The audience can decide whether or not you are ''amazing writers'' - to me, having a diverse cast is just one element of being an ''amazing writer'', and it isn't the most heavily weighted part. I think the overal plot, characterisation of the characters, predictability (or preferably lack of) comes first.
     
    #8 Secrets5, Jun 2, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2016
  9. Electric Puns

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2016
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Scotland
    Gender:
    Female
    I think that it won't be too long before the risk of making films with prominent LGBT characters (it won't sell, people will be offended) becomes smaller than the benefit (a broader range of stories, general niceness). In fact, I'd say that at least in the UK the risk already is smaller than the benefit but the film industry seems a bit behind. It would be so great to have some decent representation- not just as the gay best friend or the exotic lesbian or bisexual or whatever- that shows that we're the same as anyone else and our stories deserve to be told. Imagine a world where little kids see the princess ending up with a princess or the prince ending up with a prince, or non-cis characters- they wouldn't have to learn what LGBT is and whether it's ok or not. It would just be normal and accepted.
     
  10. thepandaboss

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2015
    Messages:
    2,436
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Oregon
    We're starting to get to that point with the indie scene and I think that's where you're going to see the more interesting LGBT stories for the next decade. Television's starting to get more diverse too- since television's lower budget and caters to a more 'niche' audience anyway, you're already seeing stuff like 'The Fosters' (lesbian moms, gay foster kid, transgender recurring character), soap operas with trans characters played by trans actors (I think it's 'Days of Our Lives'), etc.

    What I'd love to see are more films where we have LGBT leads but the plot doesn't necessarily revolve around the character being LGBT. While there's always going to be room for stories about how a young lesbian in the 1950s finds herself or a trans man decides to transition, I'd also like to see stuff where the fact that a character is LGBT isn't treated like the only aspect about themselves that matters.

    We're only just getting to the point where we see that in mainstream literature. We have LGBT leads becoming more prominent in stories- John Green's "Will Grayson, Will Grayson", "The Art of Being Normal" by Lisa Williamson. Being LGBT is often a part of the plot but we're seeing more three-dimensional characters with inner lives and goals besides "I'm going to come out/medically transition"

    But back to Hollywood. I know we'll get there. Let's start supporting the writers/directors/actors in our community.

    Here's BRACE, short film about a gay trans man.

    Can't forget Her Story.
     
  11. Andrew99

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2013
    Messages:
    3,402
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Milwaukee
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Yes it is now go watch 27 dresses.
     
  12. HeavenMade

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2016
    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Gender:
    Female
    Out Status:
    A few people
    What I feel must be done is to engage more LGBTQ screenwriters into writing films about our experiences and the plethora of other identities that we, as a community, share. I can't wait for the day where which a gay or lesbian couple stars in a film and yet the plot is not entirely related to their sexuality, that they are simply "being," as heterosexual couples are on the big screen now.
     
  13. Pret Allez

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    Messages:
    6,785
    Likes Received:
    67
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I think we should start with not having LGBT characters randomly killed just to advance the plot...
     
  14. Embi

    Embi Guest

    I'd love that. It will take some time, but it's definitely not too much to ask for. Seeing how homophobes are reacting to Finding Dory featuring a lesbian couple (which is stupid anyway because Ellen is a lesbian herself), there's still too much intolerance in this world though.

    I have to say that it's a bit better in some tv shows. Shadowhunters for example has a same sex couple consisting of a bisexual and gay man who both aren't living stereotypes AND they (might) make one of the characters pansexual, which I think is a huge thing because so many people don't even know what it is.

    I think the things we need most though are casually queer main and side characters in very popular genres. Also tolerant straight characters that just casually include queer people. For example characters that not automatically assume someone is straight or seeing specific colors as "girly", etc. If it's almost not noticeable, queer people will be able to ackknowlege it and people watching get educated without really noticing. That works especially well for children.
     
  15. Invidia

    Invidia Guest

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2015
    Messages:
    2,802
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Far above the clouds, gazing deep below the Earth
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Hmm, I think that depends on what you mean. If you mean movies where homosexuality, transgenderism, or whatever, is the main theme, then I'd get bored as hell from more than one movie a year. However, if you're including movies like Deadpool (who is pansexual, I think), well, that's not too much to ask for, I think.
     
  16. Sharka Sharka

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2016
    Messages:
    39
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Sacramento
    Gender:
    Female
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Yeah, I don't think this would be too far away from happening. I'm seeing way more LGBT characters being featured in the media in general than before, and we're getting better representation I think.
     
  17. Canterpiece

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2015
    Messages:
    1,760
    Likes Received:
    106
    Location:
    England
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    This. ^

    Bury Your Gays - TV Tropes

    :dry:
     
  18. bubbles123

    bubbles123 Guest

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2015
    Messages:
    934
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    New England, US
    Yes of course! We can't have those liberals poisoning the minds of our children through media!
    Seriously though I hope more and more are made, so eventually it won't just be "that gay movie" it will be seen more as a great movie where the main character(s) also just happen to be gay.

    ---------- Post added 5th Jun 2016 at 08:54 AM ----------

    Right?! Haha it's ridiculous, it's like they try really hard to have gay characters as a focal point for a while and then they're like " oh no, gay characters in a relationship AND normal plot progression? That can't happen, can we even do that? No way, I guess someone will have to die then"
     
  19. QueerTransEnby

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2014
    Messages:
    3,708
    Likes Received:
    7
    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    Gender:
    Genderqueer
    Gender Pronoun:
    They
    Sexual Orientation:
    Other
    Out Status:
    Some people

    Actually, there already is. I would argue that 'Modern Family' and the 'The Real O'Neals' are shows that involve LGBT people not necessarily leads. And although I don't watch it, I heard bi people are on Game of Thrones.
     
  20. thepandaboss

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2015
    Messages:
    2,436
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Oregon
    And a few gay characters. Unfortunately, not all are main characters.

    RENLY!!!!

    Well, "Real O'Neals" has a gay protagonist who seems pretty well rounded. I'd like to just see more of that, you know?