Queer Representation on Screen Gugulethu Khumalo
Queer representation is more than having the flamboyant gay man who speaks in an exaggerated high-pitched drawl and just conveniently knew about the latest fashion trends, all while intently listening in on the protagonist’s life problems. It often does not seem to have a backstory beyond that and one has to question why that is.
As children, we were fed brief glimpses of queer characters in some television and shows yet those instances of representation are not entirely representational and seem to be two-hour-long caricatures and exaggerations of what queer people ‘supposedly’ act like. Whether it be the overused imagery of the super drama queen with smart quips or the outwardly butch lesbian, with no personality aside from her pick-up truck and seeming fondness of straight girls.
For the longest time, filmmakers and the industry, in general, have not paid any mind to queer characters, with little to no changes in character development, one might use the familiar argument that films do not traditionally develop supporting characters and that the most important character arcs are those of the respective protagonist and antagonist. To which I say is just a poor example of a supporting character- queer or hetero- and requires a pinch of character development and a solid backstory.
A show that has done an excellent example of these two features is the Netflix Original, Sex Education, while the main character Otis is a straight character and the television show is mostly focused on him and his journey through navigating the trials and tribulations of high school, the show is written in such a way that throughout the seasons each of the people in his life get some time to show the audience what they’re about. An example of this is his best friend Eric, who is gay (just about as camp as they come) and is given a proper backstory as a character, with a complete with family and friends. Without deriving from the story and overwhelming us with information, the show dives into Eric’s family situation, his friendships and relationships, separate from the main character Otis. With simple writing and great directing in less than a conventional episode, Eric is no longer a caricature of a dramatic snappy gay and has effectively left out of the television screen and materialised as a real person. The show acknowledges character growth and development throughout and through expertly written scenes, these characters come into their own and come to terms with their sexualities relatively independent of Otis, all the while not detracting from the bigger plot surrounding Otis’s Life. That is an example of how the development and complexities of queer voices in a predominantly ‘straight show makes room for elevating queer voices.
In a similar way, Inxeba, the South African film directed by John Trengrove, explores how the cultural landscape of how young black men negotiate and come to terms with their sexuality. The film was met with immense controversy, with people claiming the reason behind their dislike of the film was that the film publicised important and sacred rites of the Xhosa initiation ritual, when upon closer look, the film only showed a sliver of what goes on in these mountain retreats and focused on its own greater plot. Instead, the film follows the relationship between two initiates who have to go through two journeys in this process, the journey of “ becoming men” in the Xhosa rite of passage, while also finding themselves and coming to terms with their sexuality as young black Xhosa men. The theme of two men in a traditional setting being attracted to each other garnered a lot of negative attention, with opposition ranging from petitions and motions to remove this film from theatres, increasing the age rating and ultimately restricting it from even those who might yearn to see themselves in the mainstream film and larger representation.
It has become clear that queer voices still need to be represented more and across all genres of media, without lazy stereotypical approaches, but more wholesome ones that sketch and create complete people, rather than a system that recycles tired caricatures and instead show the world the real colourful lives and stories of queer people, in representation. Only then will representation go beyond the screen.