Ender's Game and Grown Ups 2: A Gay Double Standard in Hollywood

Late last week, Lionsgate responded to a homophobic statement from writer Orson Scott Card whose newly adapted movie "Ender's Game" is being released by Lionsgate in the fall.  Ire has continued to grow against Card and the upcoming film adaptation of his novel “Ender’s Game”.  Card has previously been targeted by gay rights groups because of his homophobic statements and this recent diatribe has only riled up gay rights groups against him and the film further.  Lionsgate, in their statement, is trying to stifle the situation by reminding activists and moviegoers that they are a  very pro-gay company and have been a leader with workplace GLBT rights.  Likewise, Lionsgate plans to hold a benefit for gay rights that will coincide with the “Ender’s Game” premiere.  Even with Lionsgate courting the gay community, there are still many calls to boycott “Ender’s Game”.

Amid all the criticism surrounding Card and his anti-gay stances, it is interesting to see many comedy films continue to get away with their gay jokes and mocking attitude toward gay people.  Just recently last week, the Adam Sandler starred comedy “Grown Ups 2” was released and was second at the box office, only after "Despicable Me 2".  The movie has jokes, if you wish to call them, which make fun of gay people.  While some critics have condemned the movie for these jokes, the media has remained virtually silent on the issue.  

Grown Ups 2

Last year, Seth McFarland’s “Ted” was filled with gay jokes and the movie became a box office smash.  It also was nominated for an Oscar for best song and McFarland himself hosted the Oscars. This only came a year after the fiasco in which the Oscars asked Brett Ratner to produce the show. After some anti-gay statements, AMPAS rescinded their invitation to Ratner to produce the show. Interestingly enough for some reason, a year later, the Academy had McFarland as its host and included the homophobic bear Ted in its live broadcast.

The result is a major double standard in Hollywood and society in regards to anti-gay attitudes.  When attitudes are serious, like Orson Scott Card’s, a boycott must be issued, but when they are comedic in nature, then they get a pass.  There are not as many groups protesting films like "Grown Ups 2", "Ted", or Ron Howard’s “The Dilemma”, yet these films remain just as much and if not more demeaning to gay people than “Ender’s Game” will likely be.  Likewise, we haven’t seen Columbia Pictures (“Grown Ups 2”) or any of the other distributors or producers come out and condemn the anti-gay statements in their films, nor are we likely to see any of those involved in the films apologize.  

Comedy films like “Ted” and “The Dilemma” have main characters actively disparaging gay people when they use gay jokes or make fun of gay people.  Even in a comedic manner, these jokes are offensive and demean gay people.  For example, in “The Dilemma”, a joke is made that states “electric cars are so gay”.  The joke is made by its character in a negative tone, which precludes that electric cars are bad and so must gay people, even though there is nothing wrong with being gay and there is nothing particularly more funny about gay people than straight people.  These types of jokes litter throughout comedy films produced by Hollywood studios and are usually released without second thoughts.  In response to the small but substantial criticism "The Dilemma" received for such joke, the film's star Vince Vaughan publicly defended the joke and basically said that it's okay because its comedy.  But it's not acceptable or okay for these jokes to be continually made and they reek of the attitudes present in the late 90s and 2000s as gay rights and culture were becoming more tangible and present in the overall society.  These jokes permeated these times because of a bewilderment, uncomfortably, and amusement of the ever more visible gay individual.  The jokes were no better then, morally or in terms of comedic value, and they are just as bad for gay people as they were then. 

Seth McFarland's Ted

The target demographic for movies like "Grown Ups 2" is usually young men in the teens who are influenced heavily by the jokes used in these films.  They may go on to use these jokes in the halls of their high schools or in the football locker rooms.  Life is no better for a gay student struggling to accept themselves when these jokes and antics are being purported by Hollywood.  Nor do these jokes help the many gay students who would like to compete in sports and cannot do so because of anti-gay locker room attitudes.    

How are we as a society supposed to set good examples for children when these jokes run rampant without any criticism?  They tell straight children that it is unusual, funny, and a bad thing to be gay.  It gives free license for society to make fun of gay people.  For a gay closeted teenager, it gives them more reason to not come out of the closest.  If there is a negative portrayal of being gay on television or in a movie, then it sends the message to the child that being gay is not acceptable.

So, where is the backlash against these films?  Where is Ron Howard apologizing to the gay community for “The Dilemma” (or just for the film's bad quality in general)?  Why is there such a double standard for drama films over comedy ones?     What Adam Sandler or Vince Vaughan say, even if they don’t believe it, will be featured in their films and will influence many viewers. “Ender’s Game” is unfairly getting worse treatment than these comedy films.  The film will probably not have any anti-gay portions or statements.  What Orson Scott Card believes and says is not acceptable and not tolerant, but it won’t be featured in the film adaptation of his work.Yes, Card will probably make some money off the movie, which is a good enough reason to boycott it, but the double standard comedy films receive is bewildering.    It's time to take into question the negativity that the gay community receives from all films, regardless of their nature, and not accept the continued anti gay jokes in many movies.