‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’:Just the Tip of the Iceberg with LGBTQIA+ Issues

 

One of the most damaging actions a parent or guardian can take against their children is discouraging them from being who they truly are. This is precisely what occurs in The Miseducation of Cameron Post. A fairly new film, based on a 2012 novel of the same title, the movie follows Cameron Post (Chloë Grace Moretz), a teenage girl that gets caught having sex with her female friend and is subsequently sent to a gay conversion therapy center. While at the center called “God’s Promise,” she becomes acquainted with several other “disciples” (nickname for campers) who, despite having vastly different backgrounds and upbringings, were sent to the center for reasons quite similar to Cameron’s.

In his essay, “Breaking into the Movies,” Henry A. Giroux writes about how “films both entertain and educate” (585), and this movie is no exception. While watching this film I became completely unaware that I would need to analyze its components. Not one scene feels exaggerated or overplayed, which allowed me to simply enjoy it for the sake of recreation. However, upon further reflection and a recap of my notes it became quite clear just how many layers are woven into the movie. With this being said, although the film attempts and even succeeds in touching on various topics (conversion therapy practices, genital mutilation, etc.), the film typically did not go in depth other than the mere introduction of these issues.

Despite the lack of further explanation with some topics, a recurring theme that is present throughout the film is perhaps best summarized when Cameron is being interviewed by a case worker following a fellow disciple named Mark’s (Owen Campbell) genital mutilation. When asked about if any misconduct is taking place at the camp Cameron rhetorically asks, “How is programming people to hate themselves not emotional abuse?” (The Miseducation of Cameron Post). More of an outright confrontation rather than a pressing question, this exchange proves that forcing someone to deny, alter, or suppress any aspect of their identity is a severe form of emotional abuse, regardless of whether it’s cloaked by love, religion, or any other “supportive” guise.

In the film’s opening scene the bible study leader tells the teenagers seated around him, “You’re at an age when you’re especially vulnerable to evil.” Although this notion proves true in some respects, this warning is merely a scare tactic used to discourage behavior deemed inappropriate by adults. Teenagers are shaped by their experiences as well as their environment, and they are in the midst of figuring out who they are. This is further proven when Cameron is in a session with the camp’s director, Dr. Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle),  and she states, “I don’t really think of myself as anything.” While this may be the case, recalling the scene where Cameron is getting dressed for prom, her facial expressions and body language indicate just how uncomfortable she is playing a role to please those around her. Even though she may not view herself in clear-cut terms, she is well aware of who she is not.

Oftentimes, when teenagers are trying to figure out who they are it becomes crucial for them to cling to definitive pieces of themselves. Despite this, the leaders of the camp actively and tirelessly attempt to pry these essential characteristics from the disciples and destroy them altogether. In a manner that is reminiscent of the Boarding School Era for Native Americans, the teenagers are stripped of any and everything that signifies their identity. From the way in which their personal items are confiscated upon arrival, to the implementation of uniforms, the camp forces the disciples to assimilate into straight Christians. This historical connection becomes finalized in the heartbreaking scene where Lydia shaves the head of a Native American two-spirit disciple named Adam (Forrest Goodluck). However, in this case, the mantra transforms from “Kill the Indian, Save the Man,” into “Kill the Homosexual, Save the Disciple.”

Yet another tactic that’s used to rob the disciples of their identities is the Iceberg Exercise, where the tip of the iceberg represents S.S.A (“same-sex attraction”) and is therefore only what appears to be the problem. The disciple’s job is to fill out the bottom portion of the iceberg with the underlying and deep rooted issues that have caused them to be homosexual so that they may be “cured.” Listing these moments, experiences, and/or traits makes them adopt negative undertones and causes the teenagers to feel as though they must entirely dissociate from them in order to be accepted in society. Just because the damage left as a result of this camp cannot be physically seen does not take away from the fact that it is a toxic environment with potentially deadly effects, as is seen with Mark when he self-harms.

Despite all the hateful actions taking place on screen, one positive aspect that emerges is the sense of community that Cameron gains from her fellow disciples, especially with Jane (Sasha Lane) and Adam. With the help and support of one another, the three of them are able to hatch a plan that enables reclamation of their stolen identities. Greg M. Smith points out how “if something is in a film, it is there for a reason,” and this notion rings true in the film’s closing scenes when Cameron, Jane, and Adam decide to abandon the camp and all of its twisted teachings. The carefully crafted plan contains several symbolic actions that were conscientiously composed by the production team. The friends naturally had to ditch their uniforms to not draw attention to themselves outside of camp, but putting on their street clothes additionally serves as a way for them to be distinguished from one another.

Even though there wasn’t necessarily a need to do so, Cameron and her friends all decide to burn their icebergs prior to fleeing. Record of them being at the camp exists with or without the icebergs, yet by burning the pieces of paper they are able to eradicate the self-hate the conversion center tried to passionately instill within them. Fire and ice are polar opposites, therefore burning their so-called “mistakes” or “errors” is a seemingly perfect way to resist and combat the camp’s teachings. This moment represents the beginning of their fresh start and the destruction of the labels others placed on them. Although, when given the opportunity to burn the picture of her aunt that sent her to “God’s Promise,” Cameron instead puts the photo into her pocket, proving that even though she is starting anew she still recognizes that her past shaped her into the person she currently is. This signifies that Cameron has ultimately developed a larger acceptance of herself, negative experiences included.

Leaving the theater after watching the film, I could not help but feel unresolved. Sure, Cameron and her friends escaped the horrid conversion therapy center, but what is to come of them now? With this being said, I was satisfied knowing that they found acceptance (both from others and within themselves) and I was even more relieved that they did not experience complete identity erasure nor the untimely death that usually concludes these stories.

While I found myself wanting more content from the film in certain areas, I agree with Bell Hooks when she writes about how films not only illustrate specific circumstances, but “they provide a shared experience, a common starting point from which diverse audiences can dialogue about these charged issues” (2). The Miseducation of Cameron Post introduces a variety of topics and even though the movie only skims the surface with many of them, it still manages to jump-start a conversation about LGBTQIA+ themes between viewers, which is the first step toward creating real change within a society.

Works Cited:

Giroux, Henry A. “Breaking into the Movies: Pedagogy and the Politics of Film.” Policy Futures in Education, vol. 21, no. 3, 2001, 585. Web. 31 Aug. 2018.

Hooks, Bell. “Making Movie Magic.” Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies. Routledge, 1996, 2. Web. 31 Aug. 2018.

Malecs. The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018). Tumblr, 6 May 2018, http://malecs.tumblr.com/post/173643884182/the-miseducation-of-cameron-post-2018-dir. Accessed 31 Aug. 2018.

Smith, Greg M. “‘It’s Just a Movie’: A Teaching Essay for Introductory Media Classes.” Cinema Journal, vol. 41, no. 1, 2001, 65. Web. 31 Aug. 2018.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post. Directed by Desiree Akhavan, performances by Chloe Grace Moretz, John Gallagher, Jr., Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, FilmRise, 2018.