Longing for Queer stories

An interesting article in the New York Times about young gay male marriage. The article explores why gay men are marrying in their 20’s, without the social pressure, which, according to the article, explains why straights get married young. The final answer ends up being a combination of the desire for commitment and the need for social legitimacy.

The appealing part of the article is not the social analysis, but the subject, happy queer stories. For sometime, I have been noticing that there is a lack of stories about queer people. When I went to see “Brokeback Mountain” I remember being surprise that the person I saw it with was crying. To me there was no doubt how the movie would end, the same way all mainstream queer stories end violent or AIDS related deaths. This really struck me. Where is the cultural narratives which help young queers see how they might live happy fulfilled lives?

There are of course such stories, one must simply dig for them. A few suggestions to wet your appetites. Inlaws & Outlaws is a great movie that explores love and commitment in it’s myriad of incarnations. Summer Storm is a very compelling coming of age story out of Germany, which delves into the conflicts of growing up gay in a straight world, and what an alternative might look like.

I would love to hear about any other suggestions people might have.