The Kids Are Alright: Movie Analysis

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Lesbian Representation in The Kids Are Alright Sexual orientations portrayed in movies and on the screen try to resemble real life relationships. The only time they do show an exact image of a character’s orientation when it comes to someone who is heterosexual and not any homosexuals. In early productions before the 1950’s, characters who were usually gay, lesbian, or queer were not given a title of being homosexual, but instead were given certain traits. Gay characters were sissy and feminine, while lesbians were more masculine and did “manly” things. This later changed around the mid-twentieth century during the Gay Liberation Movement. Before that, was the motion picture production code, or known as the Hay’s code which were the set morals …show more content…
They were normal and had a social life, they weren’t viewed as wrongdoing with their relationship. The only time either of the parents do something wrong is when Jules has an affair by having sex with the biological father, and she does so without her own family knowing. There are also many times in the film that the parents prove that they have a positive image, and most of them come from their family’s background. Their oldest child managed to graduate high school with all straight A’s, the other child in the film can be described as a “great athlete”, Nic is a doctor, and Jules even starting up and running her own business. It takes a lot of effort to become a doctor or to start a business especially with the films location being set in Los Angeles. Also being in Los Angeles, the family owns a two-story house, and Jules able to buy a truck just for business. Putting all the information together, it is given that the family has a strong stable source of income. Besides having an affair, the family may even be …show more content…
None of the family members chose to go on negative route, even they all at one point had the chance to. Jules could’ve broken the marriage off with Nic, but chose to stay with the woman she loves. Nic could’ve been a heavy alcoholic and it would cause more problems. The oldest child could’ve chose to not go to college, and the other child could’ve made the wrong choice of continuing to hang out with a friend whom the parents didn’t want him around. When thinking of lesbian or gay people in films, they are usually given negative images, and in The Kids Are Alright the family was able to show opposing features. The film took real scenarios of a marriage and put it into film with two women playing the parents. They both did an excellent job in showing how the the current film industry has moved on away from the motion picture production code. Even though seeing a gay or lesbian relationship on screen may outrage viewers, it is showing the reality of our current world. It is a statement that there are people who love the same sex, and it is alright. There is nothing negative about loving someone of the same gender, or have a different sexual

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