Disassociated Masculinities and Geographies of the Road
"It's funny, we all sit around mindlessly slagging off in that vile stink hole of a city, but in some strange way it takes care of us. I don't know if that ugly wall of suburbia has been put there to stop them getting in or us getting out."
I agree with Aitken and Lukinbeal in that the liberatory aspect of the road for masculinities in 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' are suppressed by the return to hegemonic masculinities. In this movie the bus, Priscilla, is their safe-haven and where they are most comfortable. Back home in Sydney they are not an unusual spectacle, but the road leading out of Sydney brings nothing but homophobic responses. The gaze on this movie is a heirarchical one. The fact that their bus breaks down is ironic because it demonstrates how immobile they are because of their sexuality.
I believe that there was definitely some change within themselves after this trip. It was a period of growth for all of them in different ways, and although they felt liberated at the end, take Tick and his son for example, no matter where they go they are approached with homophobia, everywhere but Sydney. And sadly, people don't change. Sydney just protects them.