The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
I slightly disagree with the article because although the characters in the film are vulnerable to insecurities, they also test the rural society by embracing many of the characteristics about their lifestyle that are the source of discrimination. Many of their actions result in discriminatory responses, yet they never become so afraid that they cease to be who they are. Their insecurities about themselves stem from their job as performers; They want to entertain, be considered beautiful, and have a positive response. To not have that desire would be to give them a superhuman strength. The surface of this film is to show how fantastic their performances can be, and how their beauty, contrasted with the beauty of the outback, is only observed differently because of the rural interpretation. The concerns about acceptance that Mitzie feels does not stem from insecurities about himself. It comes from a pessimistic perspective on the ability for other people to accept him, even his son. His responsibilities as a parent keep him from embracing his identity until he realizes that he chose the right wife to raise the child with an open-mind and the ability to transcend the pressures to conform from the rural Australian society.
PS. The scenes with the mail-order bride remind me of Breakfast at Tiffany's, when Mickey Rooney dresses in "yellow face" and exploits racist Asian stereotypes. It really pollutes a fine film, as with this one.