Gay Activist Review of Philadelphia

Philadelphia the movie, starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington is a groundbreaking, astonishing piece that spotlights AIDS and homosexuality through a revealing tale of a gay lawyer. Andrew Beckett (played by Tom Hanks), a gay, AIDS-stricken man was fired from his career for what he deems to be discrimination against his disease and sexual orientation. Andrew feels that he has a case on his hands and takes his case to 10 different lawyers. All of them, except one, had turned him down without any true reason. Joe Miller (played by Denzel Washington) was a homophobic, small town lawyer when we first met him. After a change of heart he compassionately dedicates himself to Andrew’s case. Through out the entire story line we see Andrew undergo immense changes physically and emotionally. The portrayal of the effect of AIDS on a person is very realistic when compared non-fictional people in today’s society. The defendants in this story try to justify their actions by pointing out Andrew’s flaws in society, i.e. being a gay man. After much deliberation the jury comes to the general consensus that Andrew was discriminated against because of his personal life style and disease. He had won the case and a large denomination of money, but right after his health was stricken by his life-long plague. Shortly after his final battle against AIDS, Andrew departs us with lots of warm memories and a legacy that will live forever.

As a gay activist, I can widely compare the information that was displayed in this movie with today’s events. There are many scenarios in this play that reflect the views of many individuals in today’s society. It is very common to see people not hired, not promoted, or even fired because of their sexual orientation. Activists, like myself, tend to attack this issue in all the wrong ways. Instead of pushing “gay rights” we need to take more of an equality stand point. As the LGBT community continues to grow and become more of a voice in today’s politics, it is vital to our success that we approach things in the right manner. AIDS is an especially a sensitive topic that can easily be misconstrued without proper care. Since AIDS was seen in the early to mid-80s as a “gay-only” disease. Many issues involved in AIDS come up that can affect the work environment.

The main debate in Philadelphia is the fact that Andrew, one of the top lawyers in they city, was fired without justifiable cause. His employer was an older conservative man that had an anti-gay aura about him. When they had finally noticed signs of his disease they immediately disposed of him. This action was done out of panic and fear of the unknown. They didn’t understand what AIDS was exactly or how it was contracted. A specific scene where this is demonstrated is when Joe Miller was in the doctor’s office and he was talking about “faggots.” He wanted to know how AIDS was transmitted and the doctor replied with “blood, semen and vaginal fluids.” Joe then asked if it was possible to get it by casual contact. He in actuality knew very little about the disease itself, but was soon to “cast stones” at those who had it. This is a very realistic truth to the people that were oblivious during the 80s.

Gay activist today are responsible for maintaining a positive, healthy and respectful environment among social, educational and professional atmospheres. In our attempts to do so, we encounter many rocky paths and road blocks. It is our job to successfully break down these barriers