Mediocre romance films and why they need to be held to a higher standard than they are now

Romance is a highly popular and profitable genre in the film and television industry. According to a report by the Motion Picture Association, romance films accounted for 13% of the global box office revenue in 2019, making it the third most successful genre after action and adventure. The genre also dominates streaming platforms, with Netflix producing multiple original romantic comedies and dramas every year, such as To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Kissing Booth, and The Princess Switch.

However, the genre's popularity and profitability do not always translate to quality and creativity. Critics and viewers have pointed out the flaws and clichés that plague the romance genre, such as unrealistic expectations, stereotypical characters, predictable plots, and problematic messages. These issues not only affect the artistic value of the genre but also the social and cultural impact of the genre, particularly on younger and more impressionable audiences.

Therefore, I propose that romance films and filmmakers should be held to higher standards than any other genre in film and television. By higher standards, I mean that romance films and filmmakers should strive to:

- Challenge the conventions and tropes of the genre: Instead of relying on the same formula and patterns that have been used for decades, romance films and filmmakers should explore new and diverse ways of storytelling about love and relationships. For example, they could subvert the audience's expectations, experiment with different formats and styles, or incorporate elements from other genres. Some examples of romance films that have done this are Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 500 Days of Summer, and The Shape of Water. This includes demanding that the pantheon of screenwriting instructors/gurus/teachers and filmmaking schools raise their game and not allow mediocre ideas to flood the market with meaningless stories that are super predictable.

- Represent the diversity and complexity of the real world: Instead of portraying a narrow and idealized version of romance, romance films, and filmmakers should reflect the variety and richness of the real world. For example, they could feature characters and couples of different races, ethnicities, genders, sexualities, ages, cultures, and backgrounds. They could also address the challenges and issues that affect real relationships, such as communication, compatibility, conflict, and compromise. This can come from both heterosexual and gay couples and not just from tunnel-visioned heterosexual relationships. Some examples of romance films that have done this are The Big Sick, Moonlight, and The Farewell.

• Whenever a perverted filmmaker proposes an additional idea for a boy meets girl love story, we can point out that there are other areas of love that they are missing out on and encourage them to explore these. Examples include: love and bond shared between a parent and child, between cousins, between grandparent and grandchild, between friends (i.e. bromances). It doesn't always need to be sexual in nature like most perverted filmmakers are known to think up. 

• Each time a perverted filmmaker proposes the idea for this boy meets girl premise, we need to ask them these questions:

1. Why have you chosen these particular characters to fall in love with each other?
2. How are the two characters complimenting their weaknesses with each other's strengths?
3. Why have you chosen only straight couples for this movie? 
4. Why have you not chosen characters that belong to the LGBT community to tell this story?
5. Can these chosen characters convert their weaknesses into strengths while being together? Why not? 
6. Can you think of ways where the characters are able to turn each others' weaknesses into strengths without them having to fall in love with each other? Why not? 
7.  Why should you always have the male character chase after the female character? Can you accomplish the same by reversing the roles?

- Empower and educate the audience: Instead of reinforcing harmful and outdated norms and values, romance films and filmmakers should empower and educate the audience. For example, they could promote healthy and respectful relationships, celebrate individuality and agency, and inspire positive and meaningful change. They could also raise awareness and spark dialogue about important and relevant topics, such as consent, equality, and social justice. Some examples of romance films that have done this are The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Half of It, and Promising Young Woman.

By holding romance films and filmmakers to higher standards, we can not only improve the quality and creativity of the genre but also the social and cultural impact of the genre. Romance films and filmmakers have the power and responsibility to shape the way we think and feel about love and relationships, and they should use that power and responsibility wisely and ethically. Romance is not just entertainment; it is also education. We deserve better.

Why the gay community needs to be afforded the right to self defense training in these times of increased hatred and self hatred.

I am super passionate about this topic for 3 reasons:

1. Just because you disagree with how someone is living their life or the fact that said someone is living a life that you consider an 'abomination' is not a strong enough reason for you to go out of your fucking way to destroy their lives. 
2. We have all been taught to either judge or hate against a particular group of people (like the outcasts) at some point in our lives.
3. Mediocre films and other entertainment content from established sources (like the perverted filmmakers) that promote and or glorify the boy meets girl premises are responsible for this stigma, hatred, and backlash from society (even in small towns).

The LGBT community has been subjected to violence, harassment, and bullying for a long time. According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, violence, harassment, and bullying are violations of fundamental human rights ¹. The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 makes it unlawful to discriminate based on a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status ⁴. However, LGBT individuals continue to experience unprovoked violence at a much higher rate than the general population ³.

Several organizations provide self-defense training for the LGBT community. For instance, Armed Equality is a Southern California-based group that focuses on making self-defense training more accessible to the LGBT community and stresses the importance of educated decisions ³. Operation Blazing Sword is another group that provides gun education to the LGBT community to ensure responsible gun ownership ³. 

In addition to these organizations, several online resources are available for self-defense training. Ammo.com provides a self-protection and concealed carry guide for the LGBT community ³. The guide offers tips on how to defend oneself from unprovoked violence and how to use firearms safely.

You have the right to defend yourself against hatred and self hatred - from The Sensei film.

Opponents of self-defense training for the LGBT community may argue that it is unnecessary and that the community should rely on law enforcement to protect them. However, this argument is flawed because law enforcement is not always available or reliable in protecting individuals from violence and harassment. In addition, self-defense training provides individuals with the necessary skills to protect themselves in situations where law enforcement is not present ³.

Another argument against self-defense training for the LGBT community is that it promotes violence. However, this argument is also flawed because self-defense training does not promote violence but instead teaches individuals how to protect themselves from violence and harassment ³.

The first rule of self-defense is to de-escalate the situation. If the aggressor still refuses to back down or listen to reason, then it would be time to use self-defense.

There are plenty of examples where members of the LGBT community have been cornered and attacked by not one, but a gang of aggressors who were stalking them. They will even attack anyone who supports them:

California Woman Fatally Shot For Displaying Pride Flag Outside Her Store

It is essential that the LGBT community has access to affordable self-defense training. The Equality Act in the United States expands on the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity ². However, self-defense training designed specifically for LGBT individuals is rarely discussed, let alone available ³. 

Source: Conversation with Bing, 07/10/2023

(1) Self Defense for LGBT: A Self-Protection and Concealed Carry (CCW .... https://ammo.com/articles/lgbt-self-defense-guide-lesbian-gay-bi-trans-community.

(2) The Elusiveness of Self-Defense for the Black Transgender Community - SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3689118.

(3) LGBTQ+ self-defense class offers tools in the face of adversity. https://www.tampabay.com/news/2023/05/30/lgbtq-self-defense-class-offers-tools-face-adversity/.

(4) ACON Pride Training - LGBTQ+ Awareness and Inclusion Training. https://www.pridetraining.org.au/.

(5) undefined. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3689118.

(6) undefined. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3689118.

(7) Defenders of the human rights of LGBT persons constantly at ... - OHCHR. https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2022/03/defenders-human-rights-lgbt-persons-constantly-risk-warn-un-experts.

(8) There’s a problem with the LGBT rights movement - The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/theres-a-problem-with-the-lgbt-rights-movement-its-limiting-freedom-101999.