Luoran Wang

Luoran Wang

30 December, 2024

LGBTQ rights, Gay characters in film, Gay men’s wives, Spanish Golden Age literature.

This essay examines the evolving portrayal of homosexuality and mixed-orientation marriages in both contemporary cinema and classic literature, focusing on the films Dear Ex (2018) and Brokeback Mountain (2005) in relation to the 17th-century Spanish story “Mal presagio casar lejos (Bad omen to marry far away)” by María de Zayas. By comparing the experiences of LGBTQ characters across cultural contexts and time periods, the essay highlights how societal norms, legal pressures, and family expectations have historically forced gay men into heterosexual marriages, with women as collateral victims of such arrangements. Through the stories of characters like and Alma in Brokeback Mountain, the essay discusses the psychological impact and hidden suffering endured by both closeted husbands and their wives. It further explores the symbolic use of “outer spaces” — such as Bali in Dear Ex, Mexico in Brokeback Mountain, and foreign settings in “Mal presagio” — as metaphors for freedom from societal judgment. Ultimately, this comparative analysis reveals a shared, ongoing struggle for self-identity, acceptance, and the right to love openly. 

© 2024, the Authors. Published by ISCCAC

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license