The Trend

I’ve noticed a trend among sapphic (i.e. women attracted to other women) films where the main focus is either on the seriousness of hiding a queer relationship (e.g. Saving Face (2004) with its two Asian-American leads hiding their relationship from their families) or the character’s desire to deny their sexuality (e.g. But I’m A Cheerleader (1999) with the main character having a boyfriend despite displaying an obvious attraction towards women only). While the latter film has a lighter tone, it is clear that many queer (especially sapphic) films today rely on sexuality as the driving force of the plot. 

First, I want to make it clear that I don’t think the previously mentioned movies (and those similar) are bad; in fact I quite like But I’m A Cheerleader. It is also important to acknowledge that our society has come a long way from forcing queer characters to simply be dormant parts of the film and appear mainly as side characters. Even though queer folk have achieved great strides in being taken seriously in mainstream media and ensuring that our voices and personal stories are heard by a wide audience, it is also important to not single ourselves out as people who only go through hardship because of our sexualities.

More Than What Is Shown

As queer folk, we have the difficult job of not hiding who we are—due to an expansive history of oppression—and balancing that with showing non-queer folk that we are regular members of society, just as they are. I am going to be honest in that it does get exhausting having to maintain this juggling act in real life. So when I go and watch a queer movie to de-stress, having an emotional and relatable movie about the queer struggle may not always be what I need at that moment.

As queer folk, we deserve to also have movies that contain themes that don’t need to be taken seriously and can be considered quite silly. We deserve to have stories where being queer is a part of the character’s identity, but isn’t the driving force. By having stories like these, we can see ourselves as more than our sexualities. Queer folk are human beings who just happen to be queer just as cisgender and heterosexual folk are human beings who happen to not be queer. As human beings, we deserve enriching stories that don’t have to be taken seriously and are entertaining simply for the sake of being entertaining. 

The Importance of Lighthearted Films

This may be a controversial opinion, but not every film needs to be a contemplative commentary on society. Some movies can be just as impactful by not taking themselves seriously. D.E.B.S. (2004) is an amazing example of a queer film that knows its premise is silly and never takes itself seriously. Without spoiling too much, the movie revolves around top student Amy Bradshaw as she navigates being the “perfect spy” while falling in love with globally notorious villain Lucy Diamond. The conflict of the film draws on the classic trope of enemies to lovers, but the relationship begins much earlier than the viewer initially expects. While this trope typically takes on a mature approach, D.E.B.S. is anything but. The main couple being made up of two women is barely ever brought up. The main issue that arises is only due to the main couple being literal enemies, not because they are queer. 

Now, some might think that having a lighthearted queer film may not be as necessary as I’m making it out to be. That is why I want to stress how vital it is to have various forms of representation in the media. I grew up in a conservative, small town in Minnesota where I was one of the few, if not the only, QWOCs (Queer Women of Color) in my school. The complete lack of representation in my community and media gave me a one dimensional understanding of a queer person’s experience during such a developmental era of my life. It wasn’t until I discovered D.E.B.S. while browsing the Internet in search of queer women in the media that I realized being queer doesn’t mean I have to constantly prove my worth to others, nor does my life have to solely focus on my sexuality. 

At the end of the day, every single person has various nuances that make up the uniqueness of that person—their sexuality is just a small part of the whole. D.E.B.S. confirms this fact—Amy and Lucy’s relationship is strange not because it’s a lesbian one, but because of other plot details that make D.E.B.S. into the wacky film that it is. 

The Point

There may be other queer, comedic films that resonate with others the way D.E.B.S. resonated with me, but D.E.B.S. will always be near and dear to my heart because of its humor, silly utilization of early 2000s CGI, and genuine romance between the protagonists. What’s important is that queer folk deserve to have more media like D.E.B.S. that explores the various aspects of queer existence that don’t focus on the queer struggle. Before being queer, we are human and, as such, are complex beings. Therefore, it is necessary for us to consume diverse forms of representation that don’t just display us as one-dimensional beings doomed to suffer, but as the multi-faceted beings that we are because we are human. 

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are the author’s only and do not reflect an official position of the University of Minnesota, the Human Rights Program, or the College of Liberal Arts. As an institution of higher education that values and promotes free speech, civil discourse, and human rights we welcome a variety of perspectives and opinions from our student contributors that are consistent with these values.