Queer people are so often abused and killed in media, to the point where representation hurts more than it helps. Now, we know this as the “kill your gays” trope, but this pattern of writing dates back to 19th media censorship. If a queer character befell a terrible fate or was painted as a villain, then it was deemed acceptable for air. If they were happy, then that was seen as promoting “immorality,” therefore it was not suitable for the public.
This trend continues into modern day media, like in Brokeback Mountain, and even in how people reacted to this story. This movie quickly became a laughingstock on social media, when, to many queer people, this is reality.
Wildhood, on the other hand, is a touching coming of age story as Link, the main character, connects to his culture, family, and ultimately finds love. Link was told by his abusive father that his mother was dead, but he finds out she is alive. He then escapes his father’s home with his little brother, Trevor, and makes his way to the reservation that his mother supposedly lives on. Along the way he meets Pasmay, a Mi’kmaq powwow dancer. Link travels to find his mother, reconnect with his culture, and falls in love in the process.
Watching this movie brought me to tears — it’s rare to see a queer movie full of such joy and belonging. There is no tragic twist ending to rip your heart out, just joy. In a world where queer people are in danger, it is healing to see a movie depicting how we can be happy and fulfilled in our families.
Link and Pasmay’s relationship is far from perfect. Instead, it is real, and that’s what people want in reputation. Perfect relationships tied up in a bow don’t encapsulate what real queer relationships looks like. The writing is devoid of the deep emotions that come out in a trusting relationship with real people who aren’t a list of character traits. In Wildhood, Link and Pasmay fight like young people in relationships do, but these fights reveal layers of their characters and how their environments affected them. Their writing and chemistry feels genuine, an act of storytelling meant to connect to queer people rather than entertain straight people.
While there is a central and compelling love story, each of the characters have their own story and arcs. They are written as real, complex characters rather than a caricature. They have complex family situations to work through, queerness to come to terms with, biases to unlearn, and a culture to reconnect to.
If you are looking for some queer joy in your life, Wildhood is a movie that will leave you crying for the right reasons.