Homosexuality In 'Brokeback Mountain'

Homosexuality has not always been accepted in the past and can still perceived as wrong. Heterosexuality remains to be the leading sexuality, but the LGBTQ community is starting to be accepted and embraced by all. In the story, Brokeback Mountain, written by Annie Proulx, Ennis’ and Jack’s love caused them to deny and repress their true feelings for each other demonstrating that homophobic beliefs and compulsory heterosexuality were enforced in their society during the 1960’s. Jack and Ennis deny and repress their urges and love for each other, while Ennis resorts to violence when confronted as a defence mechanism. One night on Brokeback Mountain, where they were both working, they both have a sexual encounter, and their relationship begins.

Furthermore, once they both leave Brokeback Mountain, their feelings for one another developed. They both genuinely had a connection, but they both return to their separate lives, marry and have children with their wives. They act as if the relationship they had was inexistent and seek to live normal lives, in order to hide their true selves, avoid judgement and going against the social norms of the 1960’s. However, they reunite once again in Riverton and Alma catches them kissing and hugging each other tightly. Their marriage ends quickly not only because of what she witnessed, but because Jack and Ennis’ love grew stronger. Furthermore, once Alma and Ennis divorce, she confronts her husband about their relationship and Ennis states, “ ‘Shut up,’ ” he said. “ ‘Mind your own business. You don’t know nothin about it’ ”(271). Ennis denies his love and sexual encounters with Jack, most likely because he is ashamed to admit that he likes men. Therefore, he resorts to violence as a defence mechanism against Alma’s truthful accusation and grabs her wrists threatening to hurt her and her new

When Ennis was a little boy, his father made sure to tell him the story about Earl and Rich whom were ranch workers that lived together (268). Earl was killed in a gay bashing, so Ennis’ father made sure to show Ennis what homosexuals receive as a punishment., “They’d took a tire iron to him, spurred him up, drug him around by his dick until it pulled off, just bloody pulp (268). If a person was discovered or suspected to be gay, then hate crimes would be sought out and would cause men to be harmed or even killed because they were not heterosexuals. Furthermore, near the end of the story, Ennis discovers that Jack died and directly assumes that it was a gay bashing since Earl was killed in a similar manner with a tire iron. However, once he visits Jack’s father it becomes clearer that Jack was intentionally attacked because someone knew of his sexuality. Violence, anti-gay laws and negative stereotypes of heterosexuals in media, movies and literature enforced compulsory heterosexuality in the past (Queer Theory Powerpoint). According to the queer theory, “ No identity or group can be defined as abnormal, lacking, complete or incomplete” (259). Back in the 1960’s this was the particular mindset that most of society believed in since gays were seen to be different and lacking something in their lives to be attracted to the opposite sex.