“But I’m a Cheerleader” (1999, rated R) directed by Jamie Babbit is an all time favorite queer comedy that from the start was very ahead of its time—starring actors such as RuPaul, Natasha Lyonne and Clea DuVall.
Megan (played by Natasha Lyonne) is introduced as your average American girl. As the title hints, she’s a cheerleader, has a boyfriend, Jared (Brandt Wille), and has the perfect American family.
Yet her family and friends don’t think so.
Her family and friends have assumed that she is (to their horror) a lesbian and doesn’t know it yet. Megan is shocked at this accusation and tells herself and others she isn’t a lesbian.
As new, contemporary viewers discover the film, there is a change in how the movie is now seen.
There has been a wave of new and updated queer theory which shows different meanings to the film
This gaslighting that Megan does to herself is now known as “Comphet.” In short, comphet is compulsory heteronormativity, which implies that all people should be straight even if there is attraction to the same sex. Comphet is usually found in sapphic women because of societal standards, some examples being a perfect wife and mother.
Megan has these aspirations to be both the perfect wife and mother.
From the moment Megan gets to the boot camp “True Directions,” a two-month conversion therapy program that helps homosexuals find their ‘true direction’ into heterosexuality.
Megan doesn’t feel like she belongs right from the start. Saying she isn’t a “homo” and that she has a boyfriend at home who she loves even though she doesn’t feel he ‘kisses right’.
At the camp Megan meets Graham ( played by Cleo DuVall), an openly queer woman who isn’t ashamed of it.
Quite literally, all the characters at the camp see right through Megan’s behavior. The head of the camp, Mary Brown (played by Cathy Moriarty), tells Megan that it’s ok and that acceptance is the first step to healing her homosexual tendencies.
As the movie goes on, Megan realizes she is, in fact, a homosexual, but she doesn’t know how to handle it, though.
The movie progresses her acceptance of who she truly is and brings joy to young queer women that have struggled with comphet and are capable of relating to Megans feminine nature that made them assume as well they were straight.
Overall, “But I’m Cheerleader” is a movie of rediscovery, acceptance, and femininity.
