Also as a caveat, I have not seen the movie. I plan to not see the movie, I am only basing my arguments here off of what I saw in the advertisements.
So here's my issue. In one of the preview advertisements for this movie, there is a scene where a character says something to the effect of "you can't hit a girl," and the other character says "that's a girl?" Or something like that. This is my issue.
First of all, if you have read my blog posts before, you know that gender is a hot button topic for me. I hate that this small example of people making fun of gender ambiguity is still a focus of "cheap laughs." Who cares of you cannot tell is someone is a girl or a boy? What is to say that there are people that fall into only those two categories? It's frustrating to me that this is still something that is considered humorous, that if you don't fit into defined categories, you are considered "weird," a "freak," or at least laughable. It's hurtful and dangerous to our society.
What makes it worse, in my opinion, is that this movie is being marketed to children and the general public. I can guarantee you, if this scene is in the actual movie, that people will laugh at that line. And that hurts me, because it is telling young children and the general population that you need to stick to very defined gender roles in order to fit into society. If you are female, this movie line is saying you have to dress like a "female," and act "feminine." Otherwise you will be ridiculed.
I fully understand that this movie is one extremely small example of these norms being pounded into people's heads every single minute of every single day. I fully understand that most people don't even give this type of comment second thoughts. But imagine, just for a moment, if you don't fit into these norms that society feeds you. What if you feel more comfortable being genderqueer or ambiguous with your dress? And you happen to see people laughing at a character on a movie screen that you maybe identify with? How do you think that person feels? Do you think they feel it's safe for them to be themselves? Doubtful.
I guess I get disappointed with movie studios and media when they use cheap and hurtful things like making fun of individuals that don't fit into categories laid out by society just for cheap laughs. People are smart- there are some awesome movies out there that are incredibly smart and incredibly funny, without causing harm to people and identities.
Why, instead of the media and society teaching people that it's wrong to be different, can't media and society teach people it's awesome to be who you are? For people that, for example, are genderqueer and don't fit their gender roles, embrace that and consider it awesome? What a great lesson that would be. Where is the mainstream movie about that?
Therefore, I will not be going to see The Lorax. Not because I think me not buying a ticket is a way to protest, because $9 probably won't affect much in the movie studios. But because I feel I would get frustrated at the movie, and I don't want to pay $9 to be frustrated. Even the popcorn isn't worth that. I'm also not telling you not to see it. Like I said, The Lorax is one of my favorite children's book with an incredibly important message about the environment. I would just ask that, if you do happen to see the movie, or anything that makes fun of individuals that are not conforming to social norms, to have discussions about it and think about the message that is being received. That's all I ask.
And because I can, here is an adorable picture of my lovable cats, who probably would cuddle with the Lorax, would he be real:
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