Throughout the 80s, queer representation remained scant, mostly due to the AIDs epidemic and society's misinformed panic surrounding it. Further to that, any queer-coded characters could not even be portrayed positively, but rather had to be shown as deviants, degenerates, and villains to green-light the films.Īfter the Stonewall Riots in 1969-which were instrumental in societal change-queer movies began to make their way into the mainstream in the 1970s, as the gay community was seen as a viable target market. The introduction of the Hays Code (1934-1968) prohibited movie studios from producing favorable LGBTQ+ content, as according to the code, one was not allowed to portray “perverse” or “immoral” subjects such as queerness (amongst other things). However, the depictions of the LGBTQ+ community have not always been flattering due in equal parts to historic censorship and systemic prejudice.
The LGBTQ+ community has been represented in film since it began over 100 years ago.
