The Kids Are All Right But the Lesbians Aren't: The Illusion of Progress in Popular Film

Abstract

The fi lm The Kids Are All Right, centered on a lesbian couple and their two teenage children, was released in 2010 following a media blitz selling it as a groundbreaking fi lm. Many queer viewers (like this author) eagerly awaited this supposed step forward in lesbian representation, only to be disappointed once again by mainstream stereotypes and tropes. This article takes a close look at the fi lm against the backdrop of lesbian images and themes in "Hollywood" fi lms, particularly in the last twenty years, and argues that continuities, while sometimes more subtle, override the illusion of progress in portraying lesbians. Finally, there is speculation about why genuine change in mainstream fi lm may be impossible under current societal and economic systems.

LGBTQ+ Representation in Video Games through the Eyes of the Queer Community

“…26) While the societal change during the sixties and seventies led to the abandonment of the Code, it can be argued its legacy is still alive and some of its themes carry over to these days, traceable in the reluctance to display queer characters. 27) While the media presence of queer characters has steadily increased in the recent past, 28) this trend has not remained without issues. One of the widely debated topics in the current media environment is the question of queerbaiting.…”