A common recurring theme we see in gay film involves sexual violence. Through the calibration of 5 different films our group shows several aspects of sexual violence portrayed in gay cinema. The movies we choose to present are as follows:
East River Park, Soldiers Girl, Touch, Boys Grammar, and Fall From Grace.
Each one of these films in some way demonstrates the difficult struggle implemented on a homosexual society due to some sort of sexual violence. “Boys Grammar” is a about a young boy’s struggle during high school as he is harassed for being gay. After the bullying finally goes too far, the ambiguous relationship that he has with his abuser is brought to the forefront and leads to a contradicting final message about “keeping quiet.” “Touch” shows gay teen violence through the eyes of a psychologically and physically abused adolescent. The director morbidly intertwines the idea of love through physical pain and shows it through the experience of a growing child. The unhealthy relationship between this child and his abuser severely traumatizes the young boy for the rest of his life. “Fall From Grace” is a film that shows the attitudes and perspectives of the Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kansas which has gained much publicity for their violent protests and statements against the homosexual community. Backed by the Revered Fred Phelps, he is the spearhead by which many lead pickets that depict words such as, “Fags Burn in Hell,” “Matt Shepard burns in Hell,” and “God Hates Fags and Fag Enablers.” The film interviews the children of the family and the church’s members and how they have taken on their parent’s views. “East River Park” is a silent black and white film that explores various graffiti throughout the New York City. This sort of graffiti can be interpreted as a form of violence, and the message it portrays shows how a group of gay men are attempting to pass on the AIDS that they have acquired. “Soldiers Girl” is a true story concerning a gay infantry soldier who gets killed by one of his fellow peers. The two men get into a fight, and when the “faggot” wins it humiliates his fellow heterosexual soldier, causing the straight man to beat the gay man to death in his sleep. This whole ordeal then leads President Clinton to review “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the army in 1999.
