Billy Elliott

During the film Billy Elliott, Billy is a young kid who is struggling to fit in due to gender stereotyping. Gender stereotyping is a simple generalization of the way society thinks males and females should act within their lives. This is evident in many ways throughout the film. Billy is born in a depressed area of England with his father, Jackie, his brother Tony, and his Grandmother. Due to the impact of the industrial revolution, the only enjoyment Billy could get was playing with other children, or paying fifty pence a week to attend boxing lessons. With Billy having to grow up in a single parent family, because of the death of his mother, this puts a more of a strain on him because his grandmother is now suffering from dementia. While Billy boxes of an afternoon, during his boxing lesson, girls participate in ballet in the same hall. This starts to influence Billy in two ways. Aurally, as Billy has to listen to the ballet teacher across the hall giving directions to the girls. This makes Billy start to move to the sound of the teacher’s voice and the music being played. Also visibly, as the ballet is in sight. Billy’s father is a massive influence to continue boxing, as it is perceived as a typically male sport. But unknowingly to Billy’s father, Billy would much prefer to dance. As Billy’s courage builds stronger, he eventually decides to join the ballet session. The ballet teacher’s approval of him joining the lesson is within the quote “Boots off”. The approval continues as she throws him a pair of ballet slippers. Another influence for him to join ballet is when the teacher and her daughter pull up in their car alongside Billy as he’s walking down the street. As the teacher is conversing with Billy, her daughter Debbie yells out the window, “But you’re crap at boxing!” This is another influence pushing Billy towards choosing ballet rather than boxing because he knows he is “crap”. Billy’s father Jackie is a grown man participating in the UK miner’s strike. He is out of money and only has enough for necessities and Billy’s fifty pence a week for boxing. It is evident in the scene when Billy is getting ready for boxing, he is scared of his father finding out he enjoys ballet. Billy is making it look like he is getting ready to go to boxing when in fact he is getting ready for ballet. Billy hides his ballet slippers under his mattress and goes to pull them out, but Jackie walks past, luckily enough, Billy puts his slippers in his bag before Jackie notices. Jackie asks Billy what he’s doing, and Billy lies and says he is

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looking for something. As Billy goes to ballet that afternoon, another encouragement factor for him to join dance is that is teacher compliments his ”technique”. Billy then leaves ballet and goes to his close friends house, he tells him that he dances, but is scared of anyone else finding out as he thinks everyone will think he’ll “look wicked”. Billy’s father is suspicious Billy isn’t doing boxing of an afternoon and pressures Billy into doing more boxing because it’s a “boys sport”. Billy grows up in an era of gender stereotyping. He will be considered “gay” or a “poof” if any of his family, especially his father, finds out he enjoys ballet. When Jackie finds out Billy actually does ballet instead of boxing, he loses his temper. “Lads do football or boxing or wrestling, not friggin’ ballet!” His father acts this way in fear that his son will be considered a poof by the society and neighbourhood they live in. This fear is also visible in his brother as he yells at the dance teacher “I’m not having any brother of mine running around like a twat for your gratification!” Billy then starts to exert aggressive behaviour toward his teacher because that’s what he knows best. He uses this aggressive behaviour towards his teacher because he is confused about which role in society he plays. Billy doesn’t fit in with his community, because he dances. He doesn’t feel comfortable at home because it’s a masculine environment and he dances. He also doesn’t feel comfortable in the dance world because he’s a male. As Billy’s family begin to argue, Billy defends his love for ballet and says “I don’t want to be a child, I want to be a ballet dancer”. Billy’s low shy tone contrasts with his brother’s anger. During the end of the movie, Billy and his newly homosexual friend are in the hall where he learnt to dance. Billy then begins to teach his friend how to dance. As this continues, Billy’s father walks in and spots them. Showing his male friend how to dance is also breaking typical stereotypes. Billy stops and is startled by seeing his father watching him dance. It is evident Billy has overcome his fear of his father as he continues to dance in front of him.