The Encyclopedia of LGBTQIA+ Portrayals in American Film

Edited by Erica Joan Dymond and Salvador Jiménez Murguía

"A valuable reference guide for film collections and LGBTQIA+ studies." — Library Journal, Starred Review

The depictions of LGBTQIA+ characters in film have always varied immensely. However, the negative depictions often seem to outweigh the positive, perhaps because of the hurt they inspire or perhaps because they regrettably outnumber the positive films.

The Encyclopedia of LGBTQIA+ Portrayals in American Film explores works from the past fifty years in order to not only discuss how LGBTQIA+ characters are portrayed in American film, but also how these portrayals affect viewers. Contributors to this valuable reference include film and media scholars, gender studies scholars, journalists, LGBTQIA+ advocates, and more, representing countries from around the world. This rich array of perspectives provide careful and critical examinations of more than 100 films, ranging from the ethical and compassionate to the deliberately cruel and destructive.

Featuring films such as American Beauty, Batman v Superman, Fight Club, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Little Miss Sunshine, and Venom, this extensive volume informs and educates scholars and general readers alike, guiding them to see injustice more clearly and inspiring future generations to create art that is both inclusive and thoughtful.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 456 • Trim: 7½ x 10⅜

978-1-5381-5390-1 • Hardback • October 2022 • $132.00 • (£102.00)

978-1-5381-5391-8 • eBook • September 2022 • $125.00 • (£96.00)

Subjects: Performing Arts / Film / Reference, Performing Arts / Film / History & Criticism, Social Science / LGBT Studies / General

The Encyclopedia of LGBTQIA+ Portrayals in American Film

Hardback

eBook

Summary

"A valuable reference guide for film collections and LGBTQIA+ studies." — Library Journal, Starred Review
The depictions of LGBTQIA+ characters in film have always varied immensely. However, the negative depictions often seem to outweigh the positive, perhaps because of the hurt they inspire or perhaps because they regrettably outnumber the positive films.
The Encyclopedia of LGBTQIA+ Portrayals in American Film explores works from the past fifty years in order to not only discuss how LGBTQIA+ characters are portrayed in American film, but also how these portrayals affect viewers. Contributors to this valuable reference include film and media scholars, gender studies scholars, journalists, LGBTQIA+ advocates, and more, representing countries from around the world. This rich array of perspectives provide careful and critical examinations of more than 100 films, ranging from the ethical and compassionate to the deliberately cruel and destructive.
Featuring films such as American Beauty, Batman v Superman, Fight Club, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Little Miss Sunshine, and Venom, this extensive volume informs and educates scholars and general readers alike, guiding them to see injustice more clearly and inspiring future generations to create art that is both inclusive and thoughtful.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 456 • Trim: 7½ x 10⅜

978-1-5381-5390-1 • Hardback • October 2022 • $132.00 • (£102.00)

978-1-5381-5391-8 • eBook • September 2022 • $125.00 • (£96.00)

Subjects: Performing Arts / Film / Reference, Performing Arts / Film / History & Criticism, Social Science / LGBT Studies / General

Author

Erica Joan Dymond is assistant professor of English at East Stroudsburg University. Her research privileges gender studies as it applies to horror and independent film. Her work has appeared in journals such as The Journal of Popular Culture and The Explicator as well as books such as The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Film and A Cuban Cinema Companion. She is the co-editor of The Encyclopedia of Sexism in American Films .
Salvador Jiménez Murguía is associate professor of sociology at Akita International University, Japan. He is the author, editor, or co-editor of several books, including Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Films, Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Cinema, Encyclopedia of Racism in American Film, and A Cuban Cinema Companion.

Reviews

The portrayals of LGBTQIA+ characters in American films have varied considerably during movie history, as noted from as early as the 1912 Western Algie the Miner on up to contemporary films. Many times, however, the characters were not depicted in a positive light. For example, some were portrayed as threats to society, comic relief, or as traditional stereotypes. Some films also included gay characters who were “straight-washed,” or some were erased altogether from the original source material. In this work, 52 writers illuminate 100+ films, in an A-to-Z format, with critical essays that examine the plots, characters, and responses from media outlets. Profiled films include both the problematic and the inspiring. The majority of films are from the past three decades, although there are a handful of vintage films, including the 1946 movie Gilda and Hitchcock’s 1940 film Rope. An excellent companion to the 2018 Encyclopedia of Racism in American Films and the 2019 Encyclopedia of Sexism in American Films. A valuable reference guide for film collections and LGBTQIA+ studies.

— Library Journal, Starred Review