Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 22
Writers Mark The Babadook's 10th Meme Anniversary in LGBTQ+ Movie Character Tribute
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 22

Writers Mark The Babadook's 10th Meme Anniversary in LGBTQ+ Movie Character Tribute

1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 22

Summary

  • A multi-writer feature celebrates LGBTQ+ movie characters by tracing how figures from 1993’s Mrs Doubtfire and The Birdcage to 1996’s Bound shaped queer representation on screen.
  • The latest hook is The Babadook’s 10th anniversary as a queer icon, tied to a viral 2016 screenshot that appeared to place the Australian horror film in Netflix’s LGBTQ+ category.
  • Writers highlight characters as varied as Corky in Bound, Megan in But I’m a Cheerleader and Albert in The Birdcage, praising portrayals that were unapologetic, funny, messy or defiantly nonconforming.
  • The selections argue queer cinema’s impact extends beyond tragic or sanitized roles, embracing cult antiheroes, bisexual disruptors, drag performers and even meme-born monsters as lasting cultural touchstones.

Insights

How do movie monsters or villains become embraced as celebrated queer community icons?
Why do acclaimed queer films often miss major studio promotion despite their cultural impact?