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From: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Anti-gay theme of \"Fright Night\"
Message-ID: <494@oakhill.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Aug-85 03:46:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: oakhill.494
Posted: Wed Aug 21 03:46:32 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 18:32:47 EDT
References: <3738@decwrl.UUCP>
Reply-To: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel)
Organization: Motorola Inc. Austin, Tx
Lines: 41

In article <3738@decwrl.UUCP> lasher@via.DEC (Lew Lasher - DTN 381-2651) writes:

>Recently I saw the film "Fright Night", ...
>I was disturbed, however, by the film's sub-textual anti-gay message.
>
>Nonetheless, the gay man who saw the movie with me did not share my view.
>I was curious whether others in net-land agreed with me, or whether I am
>just super-sensitive to this sort of garbage.

Have not seen that film but your response strikes a chord with me.  I saw Dune
with a group of gays and I was repulsed by the fact that in the film the
Barron (the fat ugly guy who flies around thinking and doing gross things)
just happens to show his homosexual side a couple times - of course the point
being that his homosexual tendencies are no less sordid or disgusting than his
other quirks.  After the show I couldn't believe the response from the others.
They took absolutely no notice of all of this.

If this was the only movie I could dismiss it.  But I've noticed it with
others as well.  There was a film out about 2 years ago (don't remember the
name) about a triangle with a gay guy and het couple.  I didn't go see it
because of the teaser (show poster) which they used in an advertizement. It
showed the two guys with the women in the middle. And there was little
mistaking which guy was gay.  Slightly unshaven face.  Subtle disheavelment
to the hair.  Half hidden angry look.  Roughed up clothes.  All in all it
reminded me of someone who might have just been let out of a jail or the
pen.  Somebody I wouldn't be quite at ease with if they approached me on the
street.

A gay acquaintence saw the film and said he liked it and saw no prejedice.
Since I didn't see it that may well be the case. But what bothered me was
that when I pointed out to him which one was gay in the advertizement he was
quite suprized that I knew.  I tried explaining to him why one guy looked
"grungier" than the other but he said he just couldn't see any difference.

Now the fellow is a bright guy and he's been out for several years.  I refuse
to believe that he is not capable of seeing the biases in the looks.  The
only conclusion I can come to is that it may be quite easy to put up a mental
block such that negative suggestions about gays become transparent. A
psychological balancing to promote a positive self-image?  Any ideas?

  --  Dave Trissel         {ihnp4,seismo}!ut-sally!oakhill!davet