Extra credit blog.

          I watched a movie recently that I believe is a very good example of a subverted oppositional reading on heteronormativity.  Dallas Buyers Club is the story of a hyper-masculine, Christian male that becomes infected with the HIV virus.  Go figure, Matthew McConaughey plays this homophobic, racist Texas rodeo gambler to perfection.  Although his character is crude and lure, he very much represents the hegemonic everyman.  A blue collar, lower middle class good ole boy.
         However, when he diagnosed with the disease, he is forced into meeting a transgender woman that is also diagnosed with the disease.  The amount of venom and hate he spits towards her in the beginning would give this movie anything but an oppositional feel.  The transformation in their relationship is a very cool thing to behold.  It moves from hatred, to tolerance, to acceptance, to friendship.  They even go into business together.  I feel it makes the case that if an extremely uneducated, country bumpkin in the 80's can come to grips with a transgender person as not only a human, but a good human and an asset, anyone should be able to do the same.
        I am positive that Dallas Buyers Club is an subverted oppositional reading because I liken it very much to the example in the book, Dances With Wolves.  It is the story of a man that grew up with a certain status quo, very much sheltered from the outside world.  As in Dances With Wolves, the main protagonist is thrust into an unfamiliar situation, and as a result becomes a completely changed man.
        It is also a subverted oppositional reading in regards to women.  Jennifer Garner, a doctor who aids the protagonist, is extremely smart and is much more moral than other doctors in the film.    There is one seen when they first meet in which McConaughey is screaming for a doctor.  When she asks him how she could help, he simply says he wants and f'ing doctor, not a nurse.  When she shoots back that she is a f'ing doctor, he completely changes is tone.  It is quite an empowering scene.
        Obviously I am not transgender and this is my opinion.  Many transgender people do not feel the same as I do about the film.  While I don't think there was much outcry with the portrayal of transgender people or Jared Leto's performance (for which he one best supporting actor),  many were upset that the film did not give the part to an actual transgender person.  Apparently the roles of transgender people rarely do.  I personally think that is fine.  If you are going to spend such a great amount of money on a movie, you want to make the biggest profit possible.  Therefore, you want the absolute best actors and actresses.  For those transponders that disagree though, this possibly is anything but an oppositional reading.  I find it hard to believe that they would disagree with the message of the story however.
        In conclusion, while sometimes hard to watch for multiple reasons, I recommend this film.  The acting is second to none and the message wonderful.  While homosexuals have been making incredible progress recently, transgender people are still mostly shunned and misunderstood.  It definitely helped mold my views in a positive manner and I feel would do the same for everyone else.