Stereotypes In The Film But I M A Cheerleader

“You know who you are, and you know who you want. Ain’t nobody gonna change that.” This quote from the 1999 indie film But I’m a Cheerleader! represents the beauty and empowerment behind staying true to oneself. This turn of the century movie explores the trials and tribulations of Megan, a teenage girl, being sent to a conversion therapy camp for her homosexuality. By the end of the film, Megan, her fellow attendants, and even her camp counselor, played by famous drag queen Ru Paul, come to understand that no matter how much society tries to conform them, they will not be changed by another's opinion. Likewise, the nation is currently facing an issue parallel to the plot of the film. The states’ decisions to ban public drag shows is outrageous,

In fact, all three of these cultures “have a long history of cross dressing that can be seen in their folklore, literature, theatre and music” (Jordan, 2017). The popularity of American drag rose nearing the 1920’s when queens like Julian Eltinge adorned fashionable garments and eccentric outfit changes for the purpose of female impersonation entertainment (Horwitz, 1998). Leading into the 21st century, drag was incredibly popular, from being on public television, to live shows in arenas, and social media accounts. A large argument that is presented is that all drag performers are gay, and this does not align with many American Christian values, but this is simply inaccurate and misunderstood. There are many straight male and female performers that specialize in drag makeup and fashion. Drag has virtually nothing to do with the birth assigned gender of the performer, or gender stereotypes; in fact, “the most famous and respected drag performer in London, Dame Edna--a Grand Guignol of a Margaret Thatcher--is a straight man, married with children” (Horwitz, 1998). Even though the popularity of drag throughout history is ebb and flow, recent social issues have turned many people against the idea of drag in a whole, and continue to discriminate and invalidate drag

Wade was overturned. This case did not only directly affect women, but since the decision was made by the Supreme Court, many officials have discussed overturning gay marriage and LGBTQ+ discrimination laws (Gabriel, 2022). Ultimately, these predictions of stricter laws on queer individuals became a reality in a matter of no time, leading to Tennessee's final decision to ban drag shows. A common belief of many conservatives fighting to ban drag shows is immense pride in the 1st amendment: the freedom of speech and religion. Even though individuals are very outspoken about the first amendment, it seems that they completely disregard it when it comes to drag queens. If the first amendment protects freedom of speech and religion, then censoring and banning drag performances infringes these exact rights. By the states federally banning drag shows for religious reasons, they are practically enforcing specific religious principles; many people in the United States do not share the same faith as the political officials making a decision for