In Your Face Homophobes!

I was reading an essay on MSN today about the blue state vs. red state reactions to this year's Oscar nominees and Brokeback Mountain in particular. (Btw, I'm not criticizing that article, but rather some of the comments quoted in it.) OMG! Hard to believe what the conservative critics of that film have to say. This is the first time I ever remember being called "post-human." Post-human? What does that mean? I'm not human because I love another man? What is wrong with these people? Why are these people who profess to be followers of Christ so blind to true love when it hits them in the face?

Well, face or thereabouts. Here they go again, claiming that we are "shov[ing] the gay agenda down the public's throat." And once again, we are forced to remind them that for 99.99999% of our lives, we, as gays and lesbians, have had heterosexuality shoved down our throats by movies, television, music, advertising, etc., etc., etc. And anyway, exactly how is it being shoved down your throats? The ads for this movie never mention the same-sex relationship, and TV ads show much more embracing between men and women than between the two men. Other than that, no one has dragged anyone at gunpoint into a theater to see it. And if a review or article discusses the issues, well, I've never heard of involuntary reading.

Shall I get personal? Why not? Steven D. Greydanus, film reviewer for the online Decent Films Guide (the genius who called us post-human) also called the film "post-modern," proving that he hasn't even the vaguest notion of what the term means. And what can I say about Michael Medved? The man who co-wrote The Golden Turkey Awards -- a blatantly non-priggish book on the worst movies of all time that included the category (something like) "Worst Concept for a Porno Film" -- recommends seeing March of the Penguins to cleanse oneself of the Brokeback filth. Has he not heard about the gay penguins in, I believe, the Berlin Zoo? And his criticism of the movie for depicting "adultery and bad parenting" hardly demonstrates even a basic knowledge of what makes drama. I couldn't begin to list the heterosexual movies that deal with those issues. Of course, I could mention that, in Brokeback Mountain those problems result solely from society's refusal to allow two men who truly love each other to build a life together.

Ah, well. It's all a moot point anyway. You homophobes are fighting a losing battle. Everyone knows that polls show how much friendlier the younger generations are toward people of different sexual orientations, but let's look at the numbers for the movie. As of today, with the clock still running, the movie has grossed $68 million in the US and $107 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo. Perhaps more importantly, not only is it already the number 13 money-maker of all time among romantic dramas, but in the genre of Westerns -- yes, the genre of John Wayne -- it is already the 5th highest money-maker of all time!

So, get over it. Love is love is love and we will prevail.