Why 'The Healer' Is Not The Representation We Need
- Hannah Costello
- Apr 8, 2020
- 3 min read
New to Netflix is a movie called The Healer (2017) about, you guessed it, a man with the ability to heal. That wasn't obvious. Anyway, the movie begins as you'd expect, it builds up to his power and he meets his partners. One of which is a women. As soon as they meet you think they'll be ending up together because that's how it always goes. Boy meets girl. Which is fine because that's not the point in the film, it's just a side note. Except that's not how it goes because Cecilia, the female character, expresses her sexuality, that she is a lesbian. Fantastic! A new take on a typical story line.
But wait...
*spoilers ahead*
When the main character finds out about his partners sexuality he begins by asking if they could just try and make out, see if it'll help Cecilia figure out if it's real or not. Which is ridiculously disrespectful to begin with. Just as I was about to jump into the screen to beat his a** Cecilia spits back about him kissing his male friend to see if it'll help him fix his sexuality. Yes! You go girl! This movie is pretty good... I thought.
As we go through the movie I begin to appreciate the focus on the main story rather than it being about love. Then things start to change... A little girl gets brought into the movie that needs healing. She finds out Cecilia is "into women" when she is curious about Alec's, male lead, and Cecilia's relationship. Immediately after this information is shared she shows her disapproval. No way is she a lesbian! But why? Is it because she's feminine? This isn't discussed but it is highlighted that she just can't be a lesbian, she doesn't fit the label. Okay this movie is beginning to spike my annoyance...
The young girl then talks to Cecilia about this and BOOM! Yep, yep, she's not in fact a lesbian at all and lied so that Alec wouldn't want to be with her. She used the very real situation of being part of the LGBTQ+ community somewhat decreasing the seriousness of someone's identity. They laugh it off. Now using the excuse of the LGBTQ+ community is a joke.
I understand not wanting a man to like you back, everyone's been there... Am I right? But lying about your sexuality in a very serious way is not the right answer. Maybe, you know, just tell him you don't want anything other than friendship? If he is a decent man, and person, he will seemingly respect that and not cross that line.
This movie highlighted to me that people can question other people's sexualities, people can lie about their sexualities and you need a concrete excuse for someone to not expect more than friendship.
What could have been a very good opportunity for a movie about friendship between hetero and homosexuals to allow specific focus on the very important message in the film merely turned into the expected boy meets girl with the addition of being disrespectful.
Other than that, good movie and for a good reason.
Your sexuality matters and it is real no matter what anyone else says about it. If you have the option, please do not lie about being LGBTQ+, we go through enough as it is without it being made a joke.
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