Shoving the Problem Out of the Closet

     There are numerous similarities between heterosexual couples and homosexual ones people seem to ignore. For one, marriage is nearly identical. That is, if you forget how some people refuse to bake wedding cakes for gay couples. Regardless of the hardships queer people face, common foundations and trends are present in both kinds of relationships. One particular similarity that is almost always forgotten is the shocking parallel between queer and straight couples in regards to domestic abuse. 

     The pressing issue that comes with queer domestic abuse is the way these cases are ignored. In her article about same-sex domestic violence being a "silent epidemic," Maya Shwayder explains that "Typical framing of partner abuse as a heterosexual issue—with men abusing women—does a disservice to victims in abusive homosexual relationships." In other words, the way the media and the general public perceive domestic abuse affects the responses victims of domestic abuse in queer relationships receive when they speak up. Aside from the fear of having people dismiss your claims, Shwayder adds that "there can be a fear of making the community look bad" as well. I would like to portray those causes and effects within my film. I feel it's important to show why queer people don't speak up at all and the devastating effects domestic abuse has on the community as a whole, so I have this idea that I may include side characters that will influence the main victim negatively. I have thought of including dialogue that reflects the "it was just a cat fight stop being so dramatic" attitude people hold towards these situations. 

     With the help of my friend from camp, I discovered the British soap "EastEnders" and an article describing the impact their portrayal of lesbian domestic abuse has on the perception of those relationships. The couple on the show, Tina and Tosh, have shown viewers that the behavior typically believed to be reserved for toxic straight couples can also be present in lesbian relationships. "From the aggressive behavior leading up to the first violent offense, to the elaborate apologies laced with flowers, accusations of provocation, and everything in between," Tina and Tosh are destroying the common idea that men need to present in a relationship for it to be considered valid domestic abuse. Similarly, I am selecting a lesbian relationship to be the queer relationship my short film revolves around. I would like to contribute to the dismantling of the harmful perception that lesbian domestic abuse is less important due to the absence of a male figure to do the damage. I also want to convey realistic events in the film so that the audience is aware that domestic abuse in queer couples is almost no different than domestic abuse in heterosexual couples.