Representation of Fallacies against Homosexuality

Abstract

Cinema fulfills, in some occasions, an argumentative role: in one hand it reflects
reality and states of beliefs of large social groups in a specific moment; on the other hand, it provides tools to the spectator in order to consolidate or criticize those beliefs. In this article, I have analyzed how cinema is able to carry out both tasks spreading and denouncing arguments supported in prejudices around homosexuality: I use as a point of departure, the analysis of the movie “But…
I´m a Cheerleader” (Babbitt, 1999).

In which it can be noticed how movie complies with this double role: It shows the vision that a large part of society has of homosexuality and how this vision is supported in arguments without any support (although they are psychologically
persuasive): what in logics is denominated “fallacies.”