Boys on the Side
By openly discussing the taboo issues of homosexuality and interracial relationships "Boys on the Side" is able to mask the realistic hostilities towards these issues. The characters in the movie create a safe environment to talk about the issues of race and sexuality by adding humor and blunt honesty. Whoopi's character is obviously the one who adds humor to race and sexuality in a blunt way, while Drew's character speaks of race and homosexuality in a nonchalant manner, making it humorous. As the characters grow closer to one another, any taboo issues are over looked. However, once Mary Louis's character allows her mother to come visit, the issues of race and sexuality are brought up again, with her mother seeming to have more of a problem with Jane being a lesbian than her race. But once again, through the bonding of friendship and sisterhood, these things are over looked. Even when Drew's character had a black baby, it was also humorous. And the characters in the movie did not make Drew's character feel ashamed, but invited her with open arms after she got out of prison. If this were a real life situation, I can see where each character would face some harsh realities of society's views on interracial relationships and homosexuality. I doubt it would've been as harmonious as we saw in the movie.