One of the themes we discussed in Muriel's Wedding was the concept of female mateship. Now while I believe the that male mateship is still a uniquely Australian concept, despite JD and Turk's singing confessions, I think that female mateship is a much more widely accepted social relationship.When one looks at our own cinema you can see not only acceptance of this type of relationship, but a celebration of it. American filmmakers have taken female friendships and portrayed them with all kinds of different tonal view points. There is Ridley Scott's action-paced road trip Thelma and Louise and the Wachowski Brothers' lesbian thriller Bound if you are after the more thrilling version. There is Jon Avnet's Fried Green Tomatoes and Herbert Ross's Steel Magnolias is you are after a more dramatic, sentimental take. And if you want a laugh there is the outrageous Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion. All of these films take the relationship between two women and place them in different contexts but always treat the relationship as an important bond to be respected. Yes, even in Romy and Michelle's. I would argue especially so in that film, in fact.
My question is why? Why are cultures more willing to accept a female-female relationship than a male-male one? In any context. Lesbian relationships are less frowned upon the their male counterparts. I am genuinely asking why? I would like to hear what you all think as I have not found anything on the internet so far that I find satisfactory.
2 comments:
Good question...
I agree with you that in many cultures, particularly the United States and Australia, a female-female relationship is more accepted than a male-male one. When going out, many girls say "I'll be out with my girlfriend(s)." There is a lot of leg room with the phrase. It could just as easily be a female friend as an actual girlfriend. Can a guy get away with saying, "I'm going out to see my boyfriend(s)" in most cases? It may not be an issue, but I think most people would assume that guy is gay.
It goes back to the fact that there has to be a designated word--"mate"--in Australia in order to clarify there's nothing sexual in a male-male relationship.
However, other cultures do not looks at the male relationships in the same way. Take India for example. It's much more acceptable in society for two male to show affection than a man and a woman.
Check out this passage:
http://books.google.com/books?id=mfQqAQ1OQDkC&pg=PA110&lpg=PA110&dq=India,+behavior+between+males&source=web&ots=SFW4VHSiRw&sig=T1g43gW6KOPDVwtvpWnL4ATtZ9Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#PPA110,M1
Or, as you'll see in "Whale Rider," males friends of Maori culture can make intimate gestures, like pressing foreheads together while grabbing the back of the neck. This same gesture between 2 American would seem more romantic in nature.
About those ladies...hmmm. I'm guess (in American and Australia at least) we just have a different code of behavior than you guys. Typically, girls take on the more nurturing role in these cultures. This "rule" of gender allows women to show more tenderness. Female aggression and competitiveness exists of course, but is expressed differently.
I suggest you check out the book "Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls" by Rachel Simmons. It is a very interesting read, especially for guys. Get inside our heads! (if you dare to tread there lol)
Also, the sexual nature of female-female relationships in movies (like the ones you listed) are usually not questioned or challenged the way a m-m one would be. BUT, I think lesbianism can be just as frowned upon as the male counterpart. Did you see Mean Girls? Regina George (the queen bee of the bitchy girls) tells everyone Janis Ian is a lesbian, thereby making her an outcast. Janis' reputation becomes more damaged for this than her best (actually gay) male friend Damian.
It's a shame that sexual orientation is can be used as a threat or sabotage to someone's character--yet, it is for both guys and gals.
sorry, my link got cut off:
if all fails go to google and type
"Gay and Lesbian Asia: Culture, Identity, Community" by Gerard Sullivan and Peter A. Jackson.
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