In 'Moonlight,' Growg Up Black, Gay And Poor In 1980s Miami : NPR

Contents:

• MOONLIGHT IS A BETIFULLY NUANCED GAY G-OF-AGE TALEMOONLIGHT IS A BETIFULLY NUANCED GAY G-OF-AGE TALE
• 'MOONLIGHT' EXPLOR OFTEN UNSEEN GAY, BLACK MALE EXPERIENCE
• ‘MOONLIGHT' IS NOT JT ANOTHER BLACK GAY MOVIE
• IN 'MOONLIGHT,' GROWG UP BLACK, GAY AND POOR IN 1980S MIAMI

MOONLIGHT IS A BETIFULLY NUANCED GAY G-OF-AGE TALEMOONLIGHT IS A BETIFULLY NUANCED GAY G-OF-AGE TALE

Like Carol and Brokeback Mounta before , Moonlight nveys the pa of the ntug social stigma around homosexualy, the search for eedom and love, and the nstant stggle to munite and drop personal barriers. Moonlight rembl Brokeback Mounta and Carol s lh stagg, tensely ternal performanc, and treatment of the gay experience a very specific i. '"It's almost taboo to be a black Amerin man who is homosexual, or a black man who is homosexual bee growg up you're told that you have to be that much more imposg, that much bigger, that much better...

"It's kd of oxymoronic to be homosexual and have those same attribut. ""It has universal them about humany, about our universal search for love and also 's reprentg the gay muny a way that I don't thk they generally are reprented, " the actrs said. Janelle Monae, who plays a surrogate mother figure to Chiron, said she hoped movie-go would "feel more empathetic towards the black, poor gay male experience and that we ntue not to ostracize those who are different om .

He is young, black, gay, poor, and largely iendls—the kd of person who feels like he uld lerally vanish om beg so unseen by the world. When to films about sexualy, Black gay men have had our share of low budget movi wh medcre actg and stereotypil storyl.

'MOONLIGHT' EXPLOR OFTEN UNSEEN GAY, BLACK MALE EXPERIENCE

McCraney, a Black gay man, often challeng genr and sexualy his work, and the movie he saw much of himself. It’s hard to ll the ma character the film gay bee he never intified as such; however, most of his timate nnectns the movie were between him and another man. And that do not make a gay or “sissy.

For this reason, Moonlight unrsr the experienc many lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) youth face when creatg their own fay and support system. Hell, even I remember as a young Black gay man beg ncerned about the negative rpons to my sexualy om my fay and close iends. Often tim when we are troduced to Black gay characters, often volv a bleak story about eher beg HIV-posive, sexually asslted by fay members, or the “down low” boogieman cheatg on his wife.

‘MOONLIGHT' IS NOT JT ANOTHER BLACK GAY MOVIE

It’s important to realize we have to go beyond the narrativ when talkg about “g of age” movi, and regnize Black gay men have a history of rilience and overg challeng.

Black gay men are much more than sexual beasts and dysfunctnal dividuals.

Black gay men serve the space to be human- on and off screen. This film is not jt another Black gay movie, is lorful, creative, and reflective—and well worth your time. He is gay.

IN 'MOONLIGHT,' GROWG UP BLACK, GAY AND POOR IN 1980S MIAMI

Hibbert as Chiron, a young black man growg up gay an impoverished part of Miami Moonlight.