Somewhere along the line, Outrage -- Oscar-nominated Kirby Dick's very brave, very necessary indictment of politicians like Larry Craig and Charlie Crist, among other GOP who support anti-gay legislation while flippantly chasing same-sex encounters behind closed doors -- has gotten the shaft. Its subject matter managed to spook even NPR, who censored its review (which prompted us to point out the hypocrisy of their own policies, which deign speculating about American Idol contestants' sexuality to be fair game). And its 17-week run produced only $287,198 at the box office -- less even than his previous film of arguably far narrower appeal, the MPAA-skewering This Film is Not Yet Rated. And here's yet one more reason for some real outrage:
Now comes a snub from the GLAAD Media Awards, who ignored Outrage in the Outstanding Documentary category in favor of films like Be Like Others, about enforced sex-changes in Iran, and Ask Not, about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Even lesbian yodeling sister act The Topp Twins got a nod. So why not Outrage, a film brave enough to call out the same Conservative establishment swatting down gay marriage legislation over and over again across the country?
"Words and images matter," GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios said in a press release. "With these awards, we seek to recognize news coverage and entertainment programming that go beyond stock stereotypes with LGBT storylines that more fully reflect the challenges gay and transgender people face and the aspirations we hold for ourselves and our families."
Elsewhere this morning, on Day 3 of the federal Prop 8 trial, Prop 8 attorney David Thompson furthered his arguments that gays experience no discrimination by citing two past GLAAD Award winners -- Brokeback Mountain and Will & Grace. The implication is that because the images are out there -- and therefore straights are required to endure and tolerate them -- that gays have thus achieved a sufficient measure of civil equality.
The lapses in logic here are nothing short of flabbergasting. And the timing is apt. GLAAD: you may feel satisfied in your decision to award critically dismissed films like Little Ashes, with its Robert Pattinson gay kisses; but to win the war, you're going to need a big pair of something besides yodeling lesbians.
The full list of nominees is here.