Movie Review: Outrage

I believe the country now is at a point where gay equality might be becoming a reality in a short period of time. Different states are making gay marriage and for others, it had become a topic for consideration. It had been brought up as a question on Miss USA pageant and gay exposures is increasing with Ellen getting married and people like Adam Lambert. In the more serious end, kids are getting bullied, raped and killed because they are gay, soldiers and Iraqi translators are discharged for the very same reason. Tension is mounting, people are on the move on both sides, very soon the pressure will get to our seemingly reasonable president.

The movie Outrage explores one of the factors that is against us - self-hating closeted politicians; politicians who openly condemns homosexuality but secretly enjoys some gay sex on the down low. Some of these individuals vote against gay rights and funding for HIV/AIDS consistently to maintain an anti-gay front because of their own self-hatred and also to gain support from the religious right.

The root of homophobia grows deep in the U.S. and even though Washington D.C.'s political scene is full of gay people. Voters are not likely to vote for a gay person, so a culture had evolved in which being able to maintain a facade of heterosexuality to be strong while coming out of the closet is considered to be a failure. Because part of being a good politician is to be able to dodge questions and use communication maneuvers to distract others. Being able to portray a wholesome image can get more voters and support from other groups.

Investigation subject include the infamous Idaho Senator Larry Craig who had sex with a guy and threatened him not to tell anyone, Florida "bachelor Governor Charlie Crist who acquire a girlfriend every time an election comes around and even married one in hope to become a VP pick for John McCain, California Representative David Dreier, Ex New York City Mayor Ed Koch, Louisiana Congressman Jim McCrery who travels with his boyfriend/staff member around the world and Ex RNC chair Ken Mehlman. There are also interviews with Mike Rogers who made effort to expose these politicians, radio show host Michelangelo Signorile, congressman Barney Frank, activist Larry Kramer, blogger/columnist Andrew Sullivan, ex New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey and his wife.

The documentary is very well done even though it's a little one-sided. It exposes the hypocrisy of politics as a system with back up facts. People need to see this movie just to understand what harm demonizing homosexuality and guilt and shame could do to a person. There are all the incentives for gay politicians to remain in the closet and with a little rationalization, them and their wife can pretend that everything is normal. Personally I don't care for Jim McGreevey much, he didn't come out because it's the right thing to do but he did so because someone was blackmailing him and now he's playing a media victim.

All in all it's a good film, the problem is though that only people in the GLBT community would want to see this film. We went on a Friday night and there were only a dozen people there. I hope their box office will do better. B