Boys on the Side
The film Boys on the Side introduces many bianaries to viewers, often favoring the marginalized as opposed to the normative, more valued traits. For example, Whoopi Goldberg displays many of these non-normative traits. She is black (or not white), lesbian (not straight), working class (not privileged) and she does not act her gender (female-feminine). Mary Louise-Parker in most cases fits into the more powerful “normal” bianary. She is white and privileged. She is straight but falls out of this bianary due to her relationship with Goldberg. Louise-Parker’s struggle with AIDs challenges the “normal” social structure as those with disabilities fall into a marginalized bianary. Drew Barrymore and Louise-Parker both act their gender roles. They are both feminine and pay special attention to their appearances. Barrymore is white and straight but she also challenges normal as she is not really privileged, she is in an abusive relationship and has a criminal record. Barrymore also challenges normal as she is pregnant and not married. She doesn’t know who the father of her baby is, she is flirtatious and promiscuous, traits which challenge her portrayal of her female gender which normally means quiet, innocent and monogamous.
In the end Boys on the Side redefines and reinscribes "the normal." Barrymore succombs to normative expectations of a heterosexual white woman. She gets married to the all-American police officer and fulfills her womanly duty as a mother. However, her baby is black and isn't the biological son of her husband therefore challenging "normal" bianaries. Louise-Parker and Goldberg completely reject "the normal:" a bi-racial lesbian couple plagued by AIDs. I also noticed that the soundtrack to these women’s lives was comprised of songs written by males and initially sung by males but adapted by women suggesting a shift of bianaries and power.