In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all same-sex marriage bans, making it legal across all 50 states for same-sex couples to get married. Despite it taking many years for same-sex couples to get the same legal rights as their heterosexual counterparts, they were still prevalent in culture. Of course, there were the 1969 Stonewall riots that occurred, and there were many artworks and films that paint the LGBT community in a positive light. One of those films is a personal favorite of mine, “But I’m a Cheerleader.”
“But I’m a Cheerleader” is a 1999 romantic comedy film about a high school girl, Megan, who is sent to an anti-gay conversion camp after her family and friends suspect her of being a lesbian. Spoilers: Megan was a lesbian, and ends up happily running away to start a new life with her girlfriend Graham, another lesbian in the camp.
The movie came out in the 90s, an era where same-sex relationships were still looked down upon by the general public. In a Gallup poll documenting the public’s perception of LGBT rights, in 1999, 62% of people agreed that same-sex marriages should not be recognized. There was also the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, which stipulated that marriage was limited to one man and one woman. Facing legal and societal stigmas, it’s safe to say the 90s were not a great time for the LGBT community.
In “But I’m a Cheerleader,” most of the cast reflected the ideas on LGBT people during its time. However, Megan’s family and the staff at the conversion camp were portrayed in a negative light. They are portrayed as out of touch and repressed, and satirized to a comical degree. In a funny twist, one of the conversion camp staff members was played by RuPaul, a well-known drag queen. The very concept of conversion camps, which were popular in the 90s, is widely mocked in the movie.
On the other hand, the LGBT people in the movie are humanized. They are not just portrayed in a positive light, but they are portrayed as regular people trying to live their lives. Megan— and her girlfriend, Graham— gets a happy ending and learns to live life on her own terms. Back in the day, it was especially rare for movies and media to have main characters who were part of the LGBT community, let alone have happy endings. The movie wasn’t perfect, but it broke boundaries during its time.
As the United States’s views on same-sex relationships changed over the years, the perception of the film changed as well. When it first released, it was panned by conservative critics. It even first received a NC-17 rating due to “homosexual content.” But years later, it is now seen as an iconic LGBT film loved by people in and out of the community.
“But I’m a Cheerleader” took the societal views of the LGBT community of the time and not only flipped them on its head, but took the chance to tell a a feel-good and entertaining love story between two girls.
Akiyah's Diary 