From street to film : the queer on documentary film and its effects on raising awareness about and changing attitudes towards the LGBTQI+ community

Abstract

Minority groups are always seen to be under scrutiny by society. When dealing with LGBTQ+ individuals, only recently have they started to acquire the basic human rights that have been granted to the heterosexual. The purpose of this long essay is to make the reader aware of the LGBTQ+ struggle which has been made evident through the use of audio-visual mediums, particularly documentaries. Documentary film has been a great tool in changing attitudes and creating empathy amongst the public. This essay explores the portrayal of the LGBTQ+ person as well as how the medium has been used over the centuries to continuously raise awareness and spark a dialogue, not only between the film maker and the queer, but also between the queer and the heterosexual. The medium of documentary film aims at not only creating a visual representation of the queer to society, but also to achieve social acceptance and the creation of a political awareness. In this essay, I also explore the ways in which the documentary medium has been used to achieve this. From displaying negative, and somewhat explicit imagery versus the positive ‘feel good’ portrayal, from the AIDS epidemic to the marriage equality legislation.