If the allegations are true and Megan is a lesbian, it would explain her vegetarianism, Melissa Etheridge poster, and, most of all, her deep admiration for the female form.
Even her friends and family have recognized the signs, and her totally hunky boyfriend has detected some glaring distaste for their make-out sessions. Evidence of Megan’s orientation is even revealed in the furnishings of her high-school locker, with cut-outs of partially-nude women in seductive poses. Of course, this is no right behaviour for a respectable cheerleader.
The critical measure now is to convert Megan (Natasha Lyonne) into the man-loving young lady she was always meant to be, with the help of heterosexual professionals.
Sent away to True Directions, a camp dedicated to imposing gaudy straightness, Megan is thrown into a mix of various gays striving for a new life full of heteronormativity. In a funhouse of ultraconservatism, the group adheres to a set of five steps, starting with “step 1: admitting you’re a homosexual,” forcing a naive Megan in the hot seat to the grand realization of her lesbianism. Gasp!
The following steps involve further hands-on methods—performing rigorous traditional-role rehearsal including, but not limited to, washing the dishes, changing a diaper, chopping wood, and repairing a car, under the supervision of specialists Mike (RuPaul Charles out of drag) and Mary Brown (Cathy Moriarty). Ditzy, happy-go-lucky music serenades their ritualistic routines as their chores play on.
In pairs, Megan and fellow lesbian Graham (Clea DuVall) complete their duties in close proximity, rubbing shoulders and exchanging suggestive glances. Their flirtatious giggles rebel against steps two through five. Unlike some of the other inmates, Graham has no intention to live under a falsehood. Instead, she contributes sarcastic remarks to every occasion, cigarette in hand, eyes in a perpetual angsty squint. Love, however, always finds a way to break through a cold and unforgiving heart. Love wins.
Directed by Jamie Babbit, But I’m a Cheerleader (2000) parades Dr. Seuss-like camp around in both production design and in script. Saturated pinks and blues that engulf the screen satirize the binary, ridiculing an obsession with conformity and mocking the very notion of traditionalism.
While the film utilizes a cutesy and fictional visual language to portray disturbing topics of conversion therapy, But I’m a Cheerleader does not reduce itself to a cutesy and fictional level. It allows humour to flow and intertwine with cruelty, nurturing a space for pain and laughter to coexist in concert with one another.
Beyond all else, the film is deeply funny, compelling even the nastiest homophobe to crack a smile. We can thank Douglas Splain as Andre for that.
1, 2, 3, 4, being straight is such a bore!