“STRAIGHT ACTING”— What Does This Mean?

Amos ♦ December 28, 2011 ♦ Leave Your Comment

“Straight Acting: A Story About Queers and Sports”

 What Does this Mean?

 Amos Lassen

 “Straight Acting” is an interesting little documentary about one man’s journey from a Mormon missionary to an open gay lifestyle. Spencer Windes made this film to show us that group of gay men who are involved in contact sports and he shows us that all men, regardless of sexual orientation, need to play.

       This is a short film that covers a lot of information and Windes has made it with humor and it is very entertaining. Some gay men may not agree with it because they have never been interested in sports but others have a hard time eschewing the stereotypes that have been assigned to gay men.

       The film looks at living an integrated life and this is the story of gay men who either came out while playing sports or who discovered sports after coming out.

       The film concentrates on a gay man who decides to join a rugby team which is gay and it shows how the members of the team do not feel that they fit into what many consider to be the traditional gay lifestyle (whatever that means). They are gay and love sports but they do not want to have to pretend to be what they are not so that they can play. The movie should shatter some of the myths that people hold about the way we live. Windes shows us a group within out community that becomes somewhat unseen because others are not aware that we can share our bodies with other men and then go out and play a game of football,

       The world is changing in the way it looks at gay men and today gay only teams are floundering as people begin to accept us and we are allowed to play with whomever we want.

       The term “straight acting” is something I have never quite understood. I act the way I act which is like the way other people do. My actions do not need a label.