Behind the Ivy - Spring 2018

SPRING ISSUE |  BEHIND THE IVY

N E E D F O R MO R E L G B T Q R E P R E S E N TAT I O N I N H O L LYWO O D

KYLA LEONG-POI

Hollywood has fallen behind in representing the other aspects of the community. For instance, I have yet to see films that portray more underrepresented sexualities in the LGBTQ+ community, such as asexuality and pansexuality. A lot of people don’t know all of the sexualities in the community; other sexualities, like asexuality and pansexuality, can be considered ‘invalid’ or mysterious. As a society, we are growing in the acceptance and equality of the LGBTQ+ community – we’ve come a long way. However, I believe that Hollywood producers should be creating films with more LGBTQ+ characters. Movies, in my opinion, are among of the best ways to educate people in a community. characters in film will reduce ignorance and help people become more educated about the different sexualities that those around them identify with. Increasing the diversity of representation of LGBTQ+

Media and films affect us. They bring groups of people together and entertain thousands. They also have the potential to be huge influencing factors in people’s lives – the messages that media and film portray, especially to younger audiences, can tell powerful stories and empower many people watching them. In Hollywood, producers and filmmakers have made many movies that empower those watching. From the Disney film Moana , which serves as a powerful movie to young girls, to the movie Hidden Figures , which shows the triumph of feminism and women of colour, there are many movies to inspire this generation. However, there’s one community that I feel is particularly lacking in terms of representation in Hollywood. Hollywood lacks movies that highlight LGBTQ+ main characters. The majority of the LGBTQ+ movies I’ve seen portray LGBTQ+ characters as stereotypes, often as side characters who don’t get much

screen time. Out of all the movies that I’ve seen this past year, Call Me By Your Name is the only one that has a central character who is part of the LGBTQ+ community and has a unique and interesting storyline. Out of the many movies produced by Hollywood in the past few years, few had LGBTQ+ representation. In 2016, GLAAD reported that only 23 out of the 125 films tracked in 2016 contained LGBTQ+ characters. It’s quite sad to see the lack of representation in movies in Hollywood, especially since teenagers look up to role models that they see on the screen. The lack of LGBTQ+ representation and diversity can be quite detrimental to those questioning their sexual identities and leaves more room for ignorance rather than education about the sexualities in the LGBTQ+ community. Did you know that the most frequently portrayed characters out of the LGBTQ+ community are gay males?

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