Homophobia In The Movie The Help

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A strong fear, dislike, and discrimination towards homosexuals; homophobia. When people think back to the 1960’s they definitely don’t think of homophobia, but surprisingly it was also a problem depicted in The Help. Although it obviously wasn’t the main point the movie was putting across, they definitely snuck it in there for a reason when Charlotte Phelan, Skeeter’s mother, says: “I read the other day about how some girls get unbalanced. Start thinking these… unnatural thoughts. Are you..? Do you uh…find men attractive? Are you havin’ unnatural thoughts about girls or women?” This goes to show how people back then had to all be the same and if someone ever encountered homosexual thoughts they were frowned upon. There was even a cure in their …show more content…

Women had a duty to their husbands to have children and their worth is judged on her ability to be a good mother. The fathers are always out working and making money for the families while the mothers stay home and are housewives. The importance of being a mother is portrayed when Celia Foote says “We got married because I was pregnant… Johnny wants kids now… What’s he going to do with me?” This is when Minny learns that Celia had a miscarriage. Celia sees herself as worthless because she is incapable of having a child as this is her third miscarriage. She feels the need to have a baby to please her husband. As white women their life goals are to get married and have children. Nothing more. Meanwhile black women were meant to be maids and sacrifice their homes and family for those of their employers. The black women were also intimidated by the white women’s husbands as men have all the power in their homes to fire them. Typically men are seen as superior to women. Through writing and story-telling the three women all dare to challenge the gender norms society has set up for them and get gratification in the process. These challenges are also footsteps toward a healthier

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