Since its inception Hollywood has attempted to include representation of queer identities. Sometimes the representation has been inaccurate and harmful, and sometimes it has been empowering and life affirming. Join us as we explore the different ways queer communities have been represented throughout the history of Hollywood cinema.

Each week we will analyze a different Hollywood film from different decades and the way they represented queer individuals. We’ll begin with an intro about the film’s production, director, stars, and its cultural impact on queer and non-queer cinema, then we’ll watch the film and finish off with a group discussion about our reactions.

Psycho (1960)

Perhaps one of the most well-known thriller films of all time, Psycho is also responsible for introducing several controversial and harmful troupes of trans people into cinema. We’ll examine the way Hitchcock preyed on mainstream misconceptions to create his infamous serial killer Norman Bates, as well as how the tropes introduced in Psycho plague Hollywood to this day.

109 min. Rated R