How do you feel about openly gay characters in animated movies?

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   Stevennix2001posted 11 years ago

   As some of you may know, "ParaNorman" was the first animated feature film geared towards families to ever have an openly gay character, in it's film (at least as far as i know). 
   
   Not only was the film a rousing success last year, but it was also nominated for an Oscar for "Best Animated Feature."  Granted, it still lost to "Brave", but the point is that it was still a successful family film.
   
   My biggest questions to you hubbers is this.  How do you feel about an openly gay character being in an animated movie for families and kids?  And if you're okay with it, then do you think there should be more animated movies that feature openly gay characters? 
   
   Perhaps even an animated Disney movie someday with an openly gay character...maybe?  Or if you're against the idea, then please say why your against the idea.
   
   As for my thoughts on the issue, I'm just a film critic on hubpages, so I'm not at liberty to discuss matters like these, as I just watch the films, and review them based on content.  Nothing more or less.  Besides, that's why I have you people here to discuss it for me.     Although seriously, I have no opinion one way or the other on the matter if you want me to brutally honest.  If the film is good, then that's great.  If it's absolute a**es of s***, then it's a piece of s***.  Simple as that.  Whether it features a openly gay character or not, it makes no difference to me, as that's not going to determine if the movie is any good.   
   
   Although I will go on record as to saying, I thought "ParaNorman" was the best animated movie of last year, but that mostly had to do with the animation itself and the engaging character driven story arc, and NOT the gay supporting character that was in it.  Not that there's anything wrong with it, but just saying is all.
   
   However, i will say it was kind of gutsy for them to introduce a gay character like that, as I wish I would've brought that up in my review of it.  Oh well.  Too little, too late.  Anyways what are your thoughts on this?

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      Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think the moviemakers need to keep their dirty hands off our kids, that's what I think.

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         Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Me too... and we are considered the Ignorant Bigots, etc. Brenda.  Its all about the adults and their freedom to exercise their selfishness and blindness and total lack of respect for the beautiful gift that all children truly are.

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            Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Its all about the adults and their freedom to exercise their selfishness and blindness and total lack of respect for the beautiful gift that all children truly are.
            
            I'm curious: in what way does the existence of a gay character in the movie ParaNorman demonstrate either selfishness, blindness, or a lack of respect for children?
            
            Seriously, where is the disrespect?

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               MelissaBarrettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Good luck with your questions...
               
               I'm still waiting for an answer why they think it is OK to decide what my kids should be watching or not.
               I kinda thought that was my job... you know since I gave birth to them and all that.

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      Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't see a problem with it.
      
      The way they did it in ParaNorman was pretty much the same as in the "Call Me Maybe" video, and I thought it was pretty funny. I especially liked that the comedy value wasn't derived from looking at the gay character and playing up how funny it is that he's gay, and "Look at the funny gay-type things he does, isn't that hilarious?" Rather, it's a classic case of mistaken assumptions by one person about another, and "Isn't it funny when so-and-so was so surprised when she found out about her mistake?"
      
      If your review is here on hubpages and you want to edit it, you can if you want. Nobody will punish you, and probably nobody will even give you a hard time in the comments unless you try to pretend that your review always had the mention of the gay character and someone notices the change.

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   Soul Man Dancingposted 11 years ago

   Why bother?

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   Stevennix2001posted 11 years ago

   Why bother with what?  You mean why bother putting an openly gay character into an animated film?  Is that what you mean?

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      Soul Man Dancingposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are very astute.

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      Zelkiiroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Because movie characters can be gay, too? Because variety is always a good thing? Because it's encouraging when someone belonging to your particular group is featured on the big screen?

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         Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Maybe because the fact that the one character was gay, and the other character assumed he was straight, and was comically surprised when she found out he was gay, and it made for a funny gag?
         
         Maybe also because the whole darn movie was about making assumptions about people, and why you shouldn't do that?
         
         Or maybe just because some people in the real world are gay, and having a gay character in your movie adds verisimilitude?
         
         Who cares? It was a good movie.
         
         If the mere presence of a gay character in the movie bothers you so much that it ruins the movie for you, well, you're in for a pretty disappointing life, 'cos real life has gay characters in it, too.
         
         Enjoy!

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   petertheknightposted 11 years ago

   I LOVED Paranorman!  I absolutely agree with you that it was the best animated movie of 2012.  It kept me hooked from beginning to end... Unlike Brave which had a very predictable and typical storyline (despite the amazing graphics and animation.). Now, as for the whole gay thing I think there should be more of it when it comes to main characters especially now that the world is more accepting and generally more gay friendly.  I'm so happy Paranornan had that twist at the end... It made me smile! 

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   yui lockhartposted 11 years ago

   I think most of us are aware of the fact that gays are more acceptable today in the society than it was before. But in my own opinion, it is okay to incorporate gay character in an animated movie as long as the movie does not show what gays really do in real life (I'm not saying that they do unacceptable things) as it may arose curiosity on one's young mind. Children can view these kind of characters as man that only act like a lady, but don't understand what being a gay is. We adults can understand this matter and have fair judgement in this. The bottom line here is don't raise curiosity on children's mind as much as possible about this matter. Let them understand this thing in the right age and time.
   
   FYI I have gay friends and it is really fun being with them!

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   yui lockhartposted 11 years ago

   I think most of us are aware of the fact that gays are more acceptable today in the society than it was before. But in my own opinion, it is okay to incorporate gay character in an animated movie as long as the movie does not show what gays really do in real life (I'm not saying that they do unacceptable things) as it may arose curiosity on one's young mind. Children can view these kind of characters as man that only act like a lady, but don't understand what being a gay is. We adults can understand this matter and have fair judgement in this. The bottom line here is don't raise curiosity on children's mind as much as possible about this matter. Let them understand this thing in the right age and time.
   
   FYI I have gay friends and it is really fun being with them!

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   Hunbbel Meerposted 11 years ago

   I am against the idea. Kids should not be put in a position to think of something that is against the nature and something that is not totally acceptable in our societies. I think, at least kids' movies can do without it.

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      Greekgeekposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      By that argument, you should be supporting it, since having gay characters in movies tells gay kids they are not alone even if they're being bullied, attacked, threatened, or just plain scared and hiding in the closet.
      
      Who knows. It might even save us from a few teen suicides.

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      john.jacksonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Surely a life choice that results from a unavoidable desire is natural? I doubt most gay people decided one day that it might be interesting to see what it's like...it's not a fleeting decision. Nevertheless, sexual undertones should not feature in children's movies, but the same obviously applies to heterosexual couples.

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      Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Kids should not be put in a position to think of something that is against the nature
      
      So clearly they shouldn't be wearing synthetic fibers, having crooked teeth straightened, wearing glasses to correct their vision, etc.....

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   peeplesposted 11 years ago

   Asking should our children be exposed to gay characters is like saying should our children be exposed to Mexican people.

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      LCDWriterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I adore this answer, peeples! .

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      2besureposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Not true, apples and oranges peeples...

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         Stevennix2001posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         How is it not true?

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            MelissaBarrettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Because she thinks gay people are icky and is ok with mexican people.

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               peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Exactly!

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      johndnathanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I can see it now.  "Are you gay, straight, or Mexican?"
      
      Seriously, I have no problem with gay characters in media.  Of course they usually screw up the character by making them a two-dimensional cookie-cutter stereotype based on what others "think" gay people are like.  They fail to realize time and time again that gay people come in all shapes and sizes and levels of masculinity/femininity.  There are no signs to determine one's sexual orientation apart from them just telling you.

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   MelissaBarrettposted 11 years ago

   I think Veggie Tales is a horrible, repugnant brainwashing tool used by Christians to indoctrinate children.
   
   So I don't let my kids watch it.
   
   If you think that a movie with an openly gay character is somehow harmful to your children, don't let them watch it. 
   
   It's called parenting. 
   
   The funny thing about parenting is you do it with your OWN children.  You don't parent other people's children.  So why object to a movie because you don't think other peoples children should watch it?

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      Soul Man Dancingposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Why draw attention to sexuality in an animated story? Indoctrination.

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         MelissaBarrettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         

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            LCDWriterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            :-)

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            Soul Man Boogieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks for the snack!

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      LCDWriterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well, I mean, you know Melissa---your kid is much more likely to run into a talking vegetable in the real world over a gay person.  Geez!  ;-)

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         Soul Man Dancingposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Why does my child need to know if a person is gay or not? Why flaunt your intimate, private sexual behavior in public?

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            petertheknightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Soul Man Dancing, it's not about flaunting your intimate, private sexual behavior in public...it's about loving someone.  It's about being in a general relationship.
            
            With that comment you make...you are basically saying that no animated movies should have any type of intimacy in them.  What about when the princess kisses the prince?  Or they dance with each other?  Hugs?  Intimacy is a part of life.  We are not talking about explicit sexual behavior here.  We are talking about just plain everyday situations.
            
            If animated movies can paint the picture of a heterosexual couple, then they should be able to feature a gay couple.

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               2besureposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Not in children's cartoons!

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                  Stevennix2001posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  To be fair, Peter does have a point that there are quite a few animated films featuring a princess and a prince kissing each other, as Disney can even attest to that fact.
                  
                  Therefore, what's the worse that could happen if there ever is an openly gay couple portrayed in an animated film?  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I want to see that in a film, as I'm indifferent about it, nor am I saying there's anything wrong with it, as there isn't.  However, I'm merely asking a question is all.

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               Soul Man Boogieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Pete,
               
               Good luck with that. You can't defy the laws of nature, and no good end will come of it.

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                  petertheknightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  The laws of nature?  How many more ignorant things are you going to say?
                  
                  Homosexuality is not only present in humans, but also in animal and plant species.  Do your research.  There is no defying the laws of nature...homosexuality is natural, normal, and healthy.

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                     Zelkiiroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     He also forgets that electric lighting inside closed-wall buildings is also unnatural.

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               Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               +1!

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      Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      But, but....they have the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything!

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    2besureposted 11 years ago

    Not a freakin fan!  Sexuality has not place in children's cartoons.  How would we know the character is gay anyway?  Many gay and lesbians, you can not even tell they are homosexual.  So are they going to depict an overtly gay character so we know he or she is gay?  Come on, like the person said before, keep your hands off our kids.  They will know soon enough what gay is.  Themes of sexuality have not place in children's cartoons, period.  This is what many fear about legalizing gay marriage.  Give a inch, take a mile.  What will happen, when that pandora's box is opened?

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       Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thank you 2be sure!  I concur!

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       Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Themes of sexuality have not place in children's cartoons, period.
       
       So, we can assume that you have a pretty big problem with Sleeping Beauty, 'cos she was awoken from her cursed sleep by a kiss (a sexual gesture) from the prince?
       
       We can also assume you have a big problem with Snow White, since she, too, was awoken from her cursed sleep by a kiss (a sexual gesture) from the prince?
       
       We can also assume that you have a big problem with Cinderella, who spends the whole dang movie trying to get together with the Prince?
       
       We can also assume you have a big problem with The Little Mermaid, because of the "Kiss the Girl" song?
       
       We can also assume that you have a big problem with Aladdin, since the whole dang movie is about Aladdin trying to marry Princess Jasmine, and Jasmine trying not to get married to anyone but Aladdin? (Marriage is intertwined with sexuality.)
       
       We can also assume that you have a big problem with The Princess and the Frog, since the frog needs to get kissed to break the curse, and he's a whole different species from Tiana (bestiality: ew!)?
       
       And speaking of bestiality, that's only one of the unusual concepts on sexuality in Beauty and the Beast--Belle is held prisoner by a person who is prone to flying off the handle (an abusive relationship) and eventually succumbs to Stockholm Syndrome. Is all this perfectly okay with you? Not if you have a problem with deviant sexuality in children's cartoons!
       
       If you don't have a problem with any of the above, then you certainly shouldn't have a problem with anything the gay character in ParaNorman does, since he doesn't ever kiss anybody, or even talk about kissing anybody (that I can remember).
       
       If you're honest, you'll admit that you don't really care about themes of sexuality in children's cartoons, as long as it's sexuality that you approve of. Which, when you think about it, is pretty repressive. I mean, who decides?
       
       That said, I don't think we need to see Aladdin and Jasmine, for example, stick their tongues down each other's throats. Likewise, we don't need to see a gay couple play tonsil hockey, either. But if Aladdin and Jasmine can hold hands or kiss without you saying it's inappropriate for a children's cartoon, then there's no reason that, say, Cogsworth and Lumiere shouldn't hold hands or kiss in Beauty and the Beast--other than you personally finding it icky.

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          Melissa A Smithposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          I'm going to guess that while it is technically irrational to object to one sexuality vs. another, it is a natural response to view emphasis on 'alternative' sexuality as a promotion of sexuality since it defies normalcy. It's just the nature of the context. Still, what happened in Paranorman ( I haven't seen it, I watched a clip) appears harmless. I just don't think we are at all ready for a 'Little Mermaid' featuring the other half yet.

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             Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Oh, sure. People in general are comfortable with familiar things, and uncomfortable with unfamiliar things. Initial discomfort when dealing with something new is understandable.
             
             What a person does after the initial surprise and discomfort wears off, though, is what's important here.
             
             The person can say, "Well, that was new," and not worry about it anymore.
             (This is the most emotionally mature response, imo)
             
             Or he can say, "Well, that was new, and I don't think I liked it. I think I'll try to avoid that in the future."
             (This is nearly equally mature to the previous response. Not everybody likes everything, and if one doesn't like something, one shouldn't feel obligated to seek it out. I don't like brussels sprouts, for example, so I don't eat them.)
             
             Or he can say, "That was new, and I don't like it, and I'm going to try to make sure nobody ever sees that ever again!"
             (This is the response of the emotionally immature. It's as if the brussels-sprouts-hater dedicated his life to spraying Agent Orange on every brussels sprout farm in the world until the plant was obliterated.)
             
             Back to the topic of sexuality in kids' films, if a person can sit through an animated feature in which a man (like Aladdin) spends all his time talking about how attractive a woman (like Jasmine) is, doing his best to get her to like him back, get her to kiss him (and succeed!), and ultimately agree to marry him, and not think it's inappropriate to show to kids, then I don't see how that person can possibly object to an animated feature in which a man merely mentions that he's attracted to a man and does nothing about it.
             
             I mean, if themes of sexuality are inappropriate for kids, then themes of sexuality are inappropriate for kids.
             
             Objecting to the mere presence of a gay character while not objecting to the overt sexuality of all the straight couples in the history of animated features is rank hypocrisy.

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                Melissa A Smithposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                They are more than familiar, that's just always going to be the 'normal' relationship because that is the relationship that keeps our species going. Anything else will thus be dubbed unusual. Of course, children aren't thinking about sex, or at least I wasn't. Could you imagine a kid's flick with a tri-relationship? Now for some reason, that feels more sexual to me than a duo.

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                   Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                   They are more than familiar, that's just always going to be the 'normal' relationship because that is the relationship that keeps our species going. Anything else will thus be dubbed unusual.
                   
                   Sure, and there's nothing wrong with telling people that it's unusual to be gay--'cos it is unusual! But the problem is that many people don't use a neutral word like "unusual." They use negative, judgement-laden words like "abnormal" or "deviant," both of which denote exactly the same thing as "unusual" but also connote aversion to or disapproval of the thing described.
                   
                   Could you imagine a kid's flick with a tri-relationship? Now for some reason, that feels more sexual to me than a duo.
                   Arthur/Gwenevere/Lancelot?

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                      Melissa A Smithposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                      Oh well of course calling it 'deviant' is different from not preferring to see it represented. Not very familiar with those movies, are they children's cartoons? Which ones?

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    Jeff Berndtposted 11 years ago

    Oh, I should also point this out:
    
    While ParaNorman is a movie for kids, not all animated features are meant for children. Take Akira, for example, or Spirited Away. Or Heavy Metal or South Park to give examples from the US. Or really, anything from the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programs.
    
    Further, the gay character in ParaNorman doesn't do anything more shocking than tell someone that he's gay. He doesn't try to seduce anybody (in fact, he turns down the advances of a girl his age) or "recruit" anybody into the gay lifestyle, or in fact do anything objectionable at all. He's kind of a nice guy.
    
    Maybe that's why some folks object to a realistic gay character in a movie: people will start to see gays as people and not some sort of scary, threatening non-people. And then where would the bigots be?

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       Melissa A Smithposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Actually I believe Spirited Away is a family film, nothing like Akira and Heavy Metal. I think Hayao Miyazaki made it with children in mind.

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          Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Well, like anything, it depends on the kids in question. I was worried that it would creep out my younger son (who's prone to being creeped out) so I didn't let him watch it. But you're right, Miyazaki probably made it with kids in mind.

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             Melissa A Smithposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Getting creeped out by sophisticated animated films provided for the most memorable childhood experiences

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                Soul Man Boogieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Like this?
                
                

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       wildernessposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Where would the bigots be?  Right where they are now, looking bigoted and stupid.

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    psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

    Plenty of other animated stuff has gay characters.  Adult Swim stuff, South park etc.  I assume you mean stuff targeting kids specifically? In which case I am still all for it.

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       Soul Man Boogieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Go team! Push the agenda. Harder! Harder!

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          Stevennix2001posted 11 years agoin reply to this

          By that remark, are you implying there's a huge liberal agenda behind the concept of homosexuality becoming more acceptable in society that now maybe even children's cartoons feature them? 
          
          Soul, I respect your opinion, but I do have a few things to say.  First of all, I don't know if you saw "ParaNorman" or not, but it was a great animated film.  Arguably the best one of last year, and possibly one of best of all time, and that's saying a lot coming from me; considering how many movies that I've ever seen in my life time thus far. 
          
          And from talking to other people that took their kids to see the film, I have yet to meet anyone say anything remotely bad about it.  If anything, all people say is how great the movie was after they saw it.  You don't hear any outcry in the news saying, "Omg, ParaNorman introduced an openly gay character into it's film...they're corrupting our children...blah blah.." 
          
          No rallies to get the movie banned.  No online petitions to ban the movie from theaters, nor is there any petitions to get the dvd and blue rays banned from stores.  No lawsuits against the studio that made it.  Nothing bad whatsoever.  Heck, all the kids loved it, and the parents that took them to see it loved it too.  Therefore, it seems like your fear of introducing a character with that kind of sexuality is proven moot by the fact that "ParaNorman" did it, and nothing remotely bad happened.
          
          As Jeff pointed out, the character didn't do anything bad at all in the film.  If anything, he was portrayed as a normal person, which is how he should be portrayed.
          
          I think the biggest fear that many parents that are against it might have is that they're scared that if their children sees a gay character that's...(gasp)...NORMAL AND NICE....then maybe that'll start to take away the demonization that's been pre-programmed into society.
          
          As I said before, I honestly don't think the inclusion of a gay character into an animated movie will affect the quality of said film, as that's not what's going to make the movie great anyway.  "ParaNorman" was a perfect example of this. 
          
          However, if your scared that it might influence your child to become gay, then my only advice to you is to make sure they never see the film.  That's all I'm going to say to that, as you do have a choice to see the movie or not.  I mean nobody is putting a gun to your head to see it, nor should anyone force you to either. 
          
          But if you ask me, I don't see anything wrong with them  introducing a gay character into an animated film, as long as the story is good and the animation is well done.  Plus, it helps when the voice acting is good too...at least for me it is.

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             Soul Man Boogieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Very effective propaganda from the consortium.

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                Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Soul Man Boogie...  keep up the good fight.

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                   Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                   Some people think that life is but a Joke.

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                      Stevennix2001posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                      What people are you referring to? 

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                         Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                         - people who accept and advocate homosexuality as though it were just fine!

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                            Stevennix2001posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                            Uh huh, and what makes you think that people that advocate and accept that lifestyle take life as a joke?  Are you saying those people don't have any real problems in the world?
                            
                            And how does being gay make a person weak?  What exactly about a homosexual makes you believe they're weak?  I'm sorry, but I don't understand your point.  Can you please elaborate on that.

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                               Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                               Weakness is the cause of homosexuality... something went wrong with the hormonal influence within the body of the homosexual. It is a weakness and a deviation from a strong robust genetic expression of the human being. Why promote it as though it were typical. It is not typical.
                               It is atypical.
                               Let it remain so.
                               These things happen naturally... but not typically.

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                                  johndnathanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                  What about families with two children, and one happens to be a homosexual while the other is heterosexual?  They were raised the same way, in the same household, eating the same foods.  They had two loving parents that cared for them.  Was one child just a random accident in hormones?

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                            jenb0128posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                            Hmm. Interesting. I don't feel I have a right to judge people based on who they love, I care about and respect my gay friends, and I worry about things that actually matter as opposed to something that isn't any of my own personal business. By your logic, I guess that means I see life as a "joke."
                            
                            Wow.

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    Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years ago

    We must keep it in proper perspective.

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    Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years ago

    Accept the atypical, but don't let it become more than what it is. Be cool about it, like the indians did. Don't pinpoint it or make a big deal about it. Keep it out of cartoons for children. It should not be an issue for kids to have to deal with.

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       Stevennix2001posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I see, but what about the alleged "coded" gays that some film critics have pointed out in various disney animated features in the past like "Timon and Pumba" in "Lion King", the genie from "Aladdin" and etc.  Some people have made very strong cases that those characters are homosexuals, but Disney won't come out and say it publicly. 
       
       Although to be honest, I never thought those characters were gay, but maybe that's just me.  However, there have been other film critics that have made very strong cases saying that those are "coded" (aka secret) gay characters in animated Disney films.  Do you have any thoughts on that?

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          Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          I would say that is OK!

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          Melissa A Smithposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Can't guys be friends without being interpreted as gay? Timon and Pumba being gay would be disturbing not because they are both males but because they are wildly different species. They were friends; they had the same exact relationship with Simba. I can easily see them finding a female to become interested in if  they ever made a movie about that.

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             Stevennix2001posted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Well as I stated earlier, I didn't think they were gay either, as I don't disagree with you.  However, other film critics and people have made strong arguments saying they are secret gay characters that Disney created.  Granted, that's debatable because Disney has yet to confirm or deny those allegations, but I was merely using that as an example to try to get a better idea of what Kathryn's point of view was on the issue at hand.

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                Melissa A Smithposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Yeah I was expressing annoyance at the critics who think that. See that's why this gay thing in movies is so problematic. It just stirs up unnecessary trouble. Why should it even matter? It would be one thing if our society could handle it but we can't, obviously.

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15. 0

    Stevennix2001posted 11 years ago

    I see, so your saying you don't necessarily mind if an openly gay character is in an animated family film, as long as they don't go out of their way to tell the audience directly that said character is gay.  Is that your point?

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       Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       - if it is over the heads of children and others who could care less, what does it hurt? It might be intriguing for the homosexual adults and good for marketing! If the homosexual adults mind, they can deal with it.
       
       My concern is for the children and what they are exposed to. To tell you the truth, I have not seen Para Norman.
       But, my stance is that homosexuality should be dealt with sensitively and children should not be exposed to that which they are not ready for. Most children are not homosexual, after all.

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       1. 73

          johndnathanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Homosexual couples are exactly the same as heterosexual couples except for the difference in gender.  So if homosexuality in media should be dealt with sensitively then also heterosexuality should be dealt with sensitivity in media.  You can try to sugar-coat it, or pretend it doesn't exist as widely, however the modern family is a lot more diverse than it used to be and homosexual couples with kids are becoming quite common.

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16. 87

    Zelkiiroposted 11 years ago

    I do like how everyone in this thread automatically assumes "animated" = "for kids".
    
    Obviously these people haven't seen Princess Mononoke, Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Berserk, Watership Down, Felidae, Berserk, etc.

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    1. 73

       johndnathanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Good ol' Watership Down.  Scarring unassuming children and parents for life.

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       Stevennix2001posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I love "Ghost in the Shell", as that's one of my all time favorite anime films.  Although to be fair when I first started this thread, I was initially meaning animated films geared towards children and families, but it's interesting to read everyone's comments on this issue though.

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17. 54

    ocbillposted 11 years ago

    So this is about misrepresentation?

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18. 66

    Willsummerdreamerposted 11 years ago

    I personally would love to see more openly LGBT characters in movies in general, not just animated films. And, as I see it, if the people who raise a stink about such things really gave a damn about not exposing the kids to such things they wouldn't be going after a movie like Paranorman, they'd going after hentai.

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19. 61

    Acbetheaposted 11 years ago

    I think until adults understand it enough to be able to explain it to our children i'm not sure it's a good idea. It will just open the door for more questions from our youth that is bound to receive an uneducated, maybe even homophobic answer from their parents. I work for a middle school and I really don't know that enough of our children have been properly prepared for it.

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       Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       What's to know?
       
       "Why are those two men holding hands, Mommy?"
       "Well, son, it's because they're in love."
       "Like you and Daddy?"
       "More or less."
       "Oh. Why is the sky blue?"

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          Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Just illustrates how trusting kids are,  even when given a heterophobic answer.
          And how short their attention spans are.
          
          That'll change as they grow up, hopefully, and they'll be able to decipher adult language and inferences.   If, that is, the indoctrination isn't too deep..........

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             Clint Wardposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             There are many who want to indoctrinate their children. Not your children, but all of our children because they think of children as public property. For example
             
             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3qtpdSQox0

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                Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Common sense, people!  There is an order to the world...we are not to put the world into order, put act in unison with the order which has already been established by nature.

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                MelissaBarrettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Nope, I just want to raise my OWN children as loving, compassionate and tolerant human beings.  If someone else chooses to raise their children as bigoted zealous intellectually-challenged morons, then that is between them, their children, the psychologists and the penal system.
                
                In other words, if someone doesn't want their kids to see the movie, then that's on them.  But I surely wish that they would stick to screwing up their own children and keep their nasty little poisonous claws away from mine.

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                   Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                   +!

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             jenb0128posted 11 years agoin reply to this

             "Heterophobic"? Really?
             
             
             
             Being accepting of gay people is heterophobia? Then I guess I'm phobic about myself, my husband, my parents, etc. etc.
             Ooookaaaayyyy.....

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             Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Yes, we can only hope the hatefulness with which you hope to indoctrinate all children won't penetrate too deeply, and they'll grow up able to function in the world without a deep-seated need to make other people's lives miserable in the name of their own twisted parody of Jesus' message.

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