A Thought on Movies

We just saw "Billy Elliot" for the second time, and I had a few thoughts.

I guess that the main theme of the movie is that a strong drive can force people to disregard morals and mores that surround them, to become what fate wants them to be.  (Okay - I couldn't help twisting it a little).

The movie is set in the early eighties in Yorkshire and is built around a young teens interest in ballet.  A major sub plot is the fact that his father and elder brother are deeply involved in a strike against their employer and things are nasty enough - but made worse by the fact that his awakening interest in dancing is considered effeminate by his father and brother.

He is hetero - but has a few doubts - with the classifications of  "Poof", "Nancy Boy", and "Pansy" swirling around it's no wonder.  To further complicate things, his best friend (The only friend he has in the movie) is decidedly gay.  Billy puts up with this in a sort of bemused manner, but really doesn't care too much.

The movie is decidly daft in a few areas.  Billy joins a ballet dancing class - where he is surrounded by girls in tutus.  But nobody seems to know or find out about this?  My credulity is stretched by one scene in particular.

Late one night he takes his friend into the gym that is used as a dance class.  Somehow or other, he gets a tutu which his friend dons over his jeans.  Billy then starts teaching him some ballet steps - when they are caught by Billy's ex boxing teacher and another guy..  Billy's dad is called upon to come and vent his righteous anger and Billy and his friend split up.

Now, I was brought up in a much earlier period than the 80's - and it was in a working class neighborhood in Scotland.  I couldn't figure out why I wanted to dress up in girl's clothes - but there was no way in hell that I intended to tell anyone about this.  I never have been feminine in looks or actions so it wasn't too difficult for me.  But if a boy had been caught dressed in a skirt?  A frilly tutu at that?  I honestly think that his parents would have had to move, even though that was damn near impossible as a war was going on.  Not only that?  A boy who was caught fraternising with such an 'abomination' would have been pilloried just the same.

I think that what caused me to write this was something that has never crossed my mind before.  Transvestites, cross dressers, and suchlike spend a large part of their childhood listening to adverse comments about boys they gradually realise are JUST LIKE THEM.  Is it any wonder that we end up disliking ourselves?  We're brainwashed from an early age.

I had major problems well into my forties - disliking myself so much.  Extremely bad tempered.  Luckily, I had taken a major Aptitude and Vocational testing.  They pointed out that I was intelligent enough to do just about anything - BUT - that my temper HAD to be controlled.  There were other things they pointed out  (although I didn't accept them) that turned out to be absolutely accurate - so I started to work at reducing my temper.  Took me years - but I think it was a good thing.

I'm a helluva lot older now - and not much wiser.  But I do know one thing for a fact.  Many of us accept  what society thinks of us.  I'm not advocating that we change anyone else - but we are not really that awful.. After all - what threat do people who want to be ladies maids offer?  Start to like yourself - it DOES pay off!

Still on the subject of movies?  If you are a male submissive who would like to be a maid?  Get hold of a Spanish movie - "Belle Epoque".  If you haven't seen it before?  Trust me.  It's a good movie in it's own right - but there's a portion of it that's gonna have you squirming!