Hustler as queer road protagonist

Group One: Why is the hustler emblematic of the queer road protagonist? Use one quote from the readings to support your analysis.

In a "typical" road movie, Easy Rider for example, the males on the road are strong masculine heterosexual males. There is an underlying sense of homophobia among the men on the road, which is why they seem to poses traits that exaggerate their masculinity. For example, in Easy Rider both men have their own motorcycle and are depicted in extremely masculine clothing. In contrast to this in My Own Private Idaho Mike, the only character who is admits to desiring homosexual intercourse without being paid, is never seen driving. Instead, he falls asleep and is taken from one place to another without his knowledge or input. This shows how the two road movies are different and the queer road protagonist is a different character structure. Lang also says, "Almost every mainstream road movie in which two men travel together...contains at least one scene that turns on homosexual anxiety and the taboo of same-sex attraction". The hustler is emblematic of the queer road hustler because there is no taboo of this homosexual anxiety. When Scotty and Mike are by the fire and Mike tells Scotty that he loves him, and would not expect money from him for sexual relations he breaks this mainstream road movie taboo and breaks into the queer road movie genre. However, because homosexuality does bring caution and discomfort to audiences and societal norms it makes sense that the queer road protagonist is a hustler because being a prostitute is also frowned upon in common society. It is a subject that also brings discomfort and is seen as something "not correct" or frowned upon, just like homosexuality.