The idea of "visibility at any cost" is an interesting concept. Visibility is the first step towards normalization in our society: the more people see it, the more they get used to it, the less they see it as something strange and even potentially dangerous. However, if people are exposed to the same thing over and over again, such as the sissy, then that's what they expect to see. There's still the stereotype today that gay men are flamboyant and "feminine", so gay men who don't fit into that stereotype are often discounted or are challenged to "prove" that they really are gay. And this idea stretches across all identities, not just gay men. However, that stereotype can be worked with, as well. Movies have evolved over time, first playing along with the stereotypes and then starting to move away from them. I think it's easier for people's ideas to be challenged through media--and especially in movies--so when movies like The Birdcage (1996) or Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (1994) came out and confronted people about their notions of, especially, gay men, ideas started to change. And then when other movies like Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Milk (2008) came out, it was easier to accept what was on the screen about gay men and their lives. Though the stereotype of the "sissy" still definitely exists, I think more and more people are starting to see that it is a stereotype and that it's not entirely representative.
"Visibility at any cost..."
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I agree that movies like Brokeback mountain challenge the stereotypes of the sissy as the two men in Brokeback Mountain were both very brawny people who did not have lisps. I think that by making these two characters sort of the "opposite" of the original "sissied" stereotype there will be room to branch out and eventually be able to portray an even wider array of identities as they actually exist in queer communities.
I like the fact that you said it is a step towards normalization in society. I agree with that because it is true that once it is visible then it becomes easier to depict and talk about. I also agree that more and more people will be starting to see the "sissy" as a stereotype and not how all people are. This is important to note because people cannot be categorized from stereotypes that are so old, they don't pertain to many people of that culture anymore. I liked when you said the idea stretches across all identities and that can be worked with.