Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

COLUMN: Gay-themed Oscars unheard of
By Justin Rood
The Owens Outlook (Owens Community College)
02/17/2006

(U-WIRE) TOLEDO, Ohio — As this year's Oscars approach, many are hung up on nominees and films that portray homosexual or transsexual characters. With the film "Brokeback Mountain" leading the way, the three films that deal with homosexual or transsexual characters have in total, ten nominees in the six major Oscar categories.

The six major categories being, Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, best Supporting Actress, and Best Director. "Brokeback Mountain" alone has eight nominations in total, with five being in the six major categories. Now, everyone seems to think that this "new wave" of themed films that feature predominant homosexual or transsexual characters is going to revolutionize the entire film industry in Hollywood.

It's unheard of in the history of the Academy Awards. The reasoning behind this way of thinking is because "Brokeback Mountain" and the other films that featured homosexual or transsexual characters, and themes are being celebrated by the prominent awards for their "boldness." As a result, every film released by the major studio systems in Hollywood for the awards season, will feature homosexual or transsexual characters and themes.

It's unheard of for the Oscar's to be awarded to films that feature predominant non-heterosexual characters and themes. This is simply not the case, in 1993, Tom Hanks won the Best actor Oscar for his portrayal of a homosexual lawyer in the film "Philadelphia." In 1999, the winner for the Best Picture Oscar, "American Beauty," and that film had scenes that featured homosexuality between two males, even the next-door neighbors in the film were two male homosexual partners.

In 1992, "The Crying Game" received Oscar nominations in the Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Director categories, and it dealt with a predominant transsexual character. There have been countless films before this Oscar season that have predominantly featured homosexual or transsexual characters. Films like "Big Daddy' and "Chasing Amy" had characters and themes of homosexuality and lesbianism.

No, this is unheard of in the film industry in Hollywood and especially in the Academy Awards. Let's focus on how these films will forever change the landscape of making film's during the awards season. Let's not focus on the actual performances themselves, or the fact that these films aren't just about homosexuality and transsexuality.

Remember, it's unheard of for the Oscar nominated films and nominees to feature non-heterosexual characters.

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