Movies and TV shows have long been criticised for their problematic portrayal of LGBTQIA+ allyship. This includes furthering dangerous tropes of performative allyship or reducing the subject of LGTBQIA+ support to surface-level conversations. But over the years, some characters have tried to tell different, more impactful stories of allyship.
Here are some examples that shed light onto the positive allies we find in popular media.
Charlotte from A Single Man
A Single Man is a story about George, a college professor, who goes through intense trauma and depression when his partner of sixteen years, Jim, unfortunately passes away. During this difficult time, he reconnects with a former lover, Charlotte, who transforms into his biggest pillar of support.
In 1960s America where social ostracism and legal censures against gay people were profound, Charlotte created a safe space for George to express his pain and suffering. She became a close confidante of the grieving George, attempting to provide him with an opportunity for self-expression and healing. This 2009 release starred Colin Firth, Matthew Goode and Julianne Moore in leading roles.
Sean Rinaldi from What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadows is a horror comedy mockumentary about three pansexual vampires- Nandor, Laszlo and Nadja- and their struggle to maintain their supernatural status while living in the human world.
Sean Rinaldi is the kind and unsuspecting human neighbour of these Staten Island pansexual vampires. Apart from carrying out small gestures of neighbourly goodwill, Rinaldi also showcases a strong spirit of allyship. He fiercely defends his supernatural neighbours’ right to express and embrace their pansexual identity against any harmful prejudices. This is despite him getting caught up in his neighbours’ frightening affair and having his memories erased by them several times, lest he figures out their vampire secrets.
Anuja from Cobalt Blue
While Anuja is free-spirited and actively seeks self-liberation, her closeted brother Tanay is not able to express himself so freely. Cobalt Blue is a coming-of-age Hindi-language Indian film that follows the story of siblings, Anuja and Tanay, who come from a highly conservative and traditional family. The movie explores themes of novel attraction, same-sex love and standing up to social boundaries.
Anuja takes on the role of a formidable ally, encouraging Tanay’s hopes and ambitions and pushing him to realise his passions. Although, the arrival of a charming new character threatens to sour the relationship among these loving siblings. In the end all misunderstandings are soon forgotten as Anuja and Tanay introspect on mutual heartbreaks and build an even stronger bond.
Gautam Mehra from Made in Heaven
Tara Khanna and Karan Mehra’s jobs involve them in the shiny yet shifty lives of Delhi’s elites in Made in Heaven,an Indian drama series about luxury wedding planners. The show explores the close relationship between Karan and his mother, whose validation and appreciation means everything to him. But Karan is also a gay man, an identity he knew his mother would never accept. When it came to his aloof father, he had fewer hopes.
When Karan finally comes out of the closet, his fears were realised when his mother equated his identity to a “sickness”. Surprisingly his father, Gautam Mehra, stood strong by his side and defended him against those who predicted social ruin upon his son. He even boldly stated to news reporters that despite what social norms dictate, he respected his son’s free expression of his identity.
High School Students in In and Out
In and Out begins when a beloved high school English teacher, Howard, is accidentally outed by one of his former students on a public platform. Under much public scrutiny in his hometown, Howard unsuccessfully tries to prove his heterosexuality. Frustrated with hiding his identity, he soon comes out at gay but is promptly fired from his town.
At his school’s graduation Howard’s students stage a protest against his firing, standing up one by one and proclaiming that they too are gay. This encourages Howard’s family and the other townspeople to join in and also show their solidarity with him. In the end, the school refuses to budge but Howard is made aware of a vast support system he never knew he had.
Moira and Johnny Rose in Schitt’s Creek
Created by father-son duo, Eugene and Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek is a Canadian sitcom about the extremely wealthy Rose family becoming bankrupt overnight and having to move from their swanky neighbourhood in the big city to a sleepy country town.
The couple’s son , David, identifies as pansexual and his parents emerge as his biggest allies. David and Moira had been close even before the bankruptcy and now their bond grows only stronger. Initially when Johnny struggled to reconcile himself with David’s pansexuality, Moira consistently reminded him that it was not “just a phase” but a component of their son’s identity.