Sexuality in the Movie "shortbus"

Jared Haiar

Professor Heather Hamilton

Theatre of Diversity

10/14/2011

Sexuality in the Movie "Shortbus"

Throughout the years, society's perspective on sexuality has changed dramatically, especially in the media. For example, fifty years ago, many of the themes and sexual content that are in very common and popular in the movies and television shows of today would not have been able to be addressed. The movie "Shortbus" is attempting to push these boundaries even further by exploring sex and sexuality in a more realistic way than other media sources in hopes to open people up to new experiences and understandings about the sex and sexuality that is around them.

"Shortbus" is a very controversial film produced in 2006 about a group of New Yorkers "caught up in their romantic-sexual milieu converge at an underground salon infamous for its blend of art, music, politics, and carnality" (IMDB). This film was written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell (Director and Star of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"). John Cameron Mitchell states that, " 'Shortbus' is the first film to be released in United States theaters with such a large publicity push and with virtually unanimous critical acclaim that explores human sexuality (homo and hetero) in an unbelievably realistic manner – no holds barred" (Nasson).

The statement "no holds barred" is obvious within the first five minutes of the film. The movie opens with a camera sweeping over the skyline of New York City, where the film takes place. It then enters the rooms of buildings, in one we see a man attempting to orally stimulate himself, in another a dominatrix whipping and beating her client, and then a heterosexual couple having sex throughout their entire apartment. The scene ends with a montage of these men ejaculating. Scenes such as these are the ways in which Mitchell pushes these boundaries in this movie.

The plot in this movie revolves around the problems of three central characters: a young gay man, James; a married therapist, Sofia; and a lonely dominatrix, Severin. Sofia is a sex therapist (or couples' therapist as she like to be referred to) who deals with a major relationship problem -- she's never had an orgasm, and her husband Rob doesn't seem capable of giving her one. Two of Sophia's clients are James and Jamie, a gay couple who have been together for five years and are beginning to grow tired of one another. As James and Jamie discuss the possibility of bringing another man into the bedroom, Sophia accidentally mentions her problem, and they tell her of an upcoming "Shortbus Party." The "shortbus" is a sexual "free-for-all" in which straight, gay,