Popcorn, Soda, and Social Issues

The 2011 film, “Tomboy,” directed by Céline Sciamma, is a drama that discusses the topic of exploring gender identity at a young age. The film follows ten-year-old, Laure, who moves to a new town and pretends to be a boy. Laure, who goes by the name Mickaël, cuts her hair shorter, wears “boyish” clothing, and mimics the behavior of the other boys in town, in order to fit in as a boy. However, at the end of the film, Laure’s mother forces her to tell the truth about her identity. 

I enjoyed watching this film for a number of reasons. First of all, the director was able to convey thoughts and emotion through the characters actions and the cinematography, with using little to no dialogue. This was especially strong in the scene where Laure cuts a one-piece swimsuit into a speedo, showing her experimenting with her identity through her appearance. I also enjoyed how because the main character was still so young, the film was able to show the innocence of growing into oneself. 

Throughout the movie, Laure appears to get away with being a boy in front of her friends and family. However, towards the end, the consequences of her exploration catch up to her. Her mother forces her to reveal her true identity to her friends, by wearing a dress. Once her friends are revealed the truth, they violate her by pulling down her pants to see if she is truly a boy. Both of these scenes are extremely problematic. First, her mother forcing her to come out to her friends is completely wrong. The only person who can make that decision is Laure herself. Second, and probably the most problematic, is that Laure’s friends inappropriately and forcefully violate Laure. Both of these situations demonstrate situations that people can go through when they aren’t accepted for their true selves. 

Our society assumes that all the elements that make up gender identity apply to everyone. In Tendencies, author Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick describes how these elements include: “Biological (chromosomal) sex, male or female…Self-perceived gender assignment, male or female (supposed to be the same as your biological sex)…The preponderance of your traits of personality and appearance, masculine or feminine (supposed to correspond to your sex and gender…The people from whom you learn about your gender and sex (supposed to correspond to yourself in both respects)” (8). However, as we see in the film, Laure doesn’t fit into all of these categories. For instance, her self-perceived gender assignment doesn’t align with her biological sex. Although she was biologically born a female, she perceives herself as a male. This also is the case for her traits of personality and appearance. While these traits are expected to correspond to your sex and gender, which in this case is female, her personality and appearance doesn’t align with that, since she chooses to be more masculine. 

The 1998 film, “Get Real,” directed by Simon Shore, is a romantic drama that discusses topics of coming out, exploring one’s sexuality, and hiding from the reality of one’s identity. The film follows two teenage boys, Steven and John, who are polar opposites. Steven is an outcast who frequently gets bullied by his classmates because of the way he acts, but has one close friend that he can confide in. John, on the other hand, is an all-star athlete who is popular amongst his classmates. However, the two boys have one thing in common: they are both secretly gay. While Steven is proud of his sexuality and has already come out to himself, frequently hanging out with other gay men in settings, John is ashamed and in denial. Once the two boys start a relationship, both of their secrets are threatened to be exposed. Steven wants to tell people the truth, while John wants to keep it a secret and continue to date his girlfriend, to keep up the facade he’s created. In the end, when the two eventually break up, Steven comes out to his classmates and family, while John continues to stay hidden. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this film. I especially thought the director did a good job portraying how the main character, Steven, interacted with his sexuality and the spaces and people around him. He met with other gay men in places that were secretly meant for them, like the bench and outdoor bathroom shed. In this space, he was able to interact with people who were dealing with similar situations regarding sexuality, which he was unable to do at home or school. He also was able to talk about his sexuality with his friend, Linda, who was very accepting and supportive of him. These people and spaces served as a way for the character to fully be himself. 

The most important topic of the film is that of “coming out.” The excerpt, Against the Teleological Presumption: Notes on Queer Visibility in Contemporary Italian Film, by Sergio Rigoletto, discusses how in “Get Real” and films similar to it, “…the coming out narrative tends to take the viewers on a journey through the formation of a (publicly visible) gay identity. The protagonists of these films normally appear at a point in which they have already…come out to themselves. The films follow the protagonists’ struggle as they negotiate their newly acquired sense of identity with other people. The films end when the protagonists come out publicly in front of a crowd (e.g. during a school assembly). The actual coming out is shown as a point of no return for the protagonists who now appear unequivocally ‘out’ of the closet.” However, this isn’t always the case. As we can see in this film, the character of John hasn’t and doesn’t accept his sexuality. When he begins a relationship with Steven, who has already come out to himself, he struggles with trying to hide who he is from the public, while accepting who he is with Steven. Eventually, this dynamic doesn’t work out, which is shown in the scene where Steven catches John with his girlfriend (see YouTube clip). John’s character is an example of the struggles people face with accepting their sexuality, and why some people choose not to come out. 

(3:01-6:15)