I wrote a piece: Fantastic Beasts: Making LGBT Not an Obscurity

[Debra]

SPOILERS WARNING. If you haven't seen the movie, read at your own risk!

I wrote an opinion piece that draws a parallel between an obscurus and being LGBT:

http://liftedgeek.com/featured-articles/2016/12/9/fantastic-beasts-with-an-lgbt-theme-not-an-obscurity

Quick excerpt:

Anyone who grew up with other children knows that being different is never good. Our teachers and our parents tell us to celebrate our uniqueness but at a young age, our peers often point out and make jabs at our differences when they don't relate to them. And so we suppress, we conform, we try to be like other people so we can fit into society. Sometimes we suppress things so well that we even suppress the realization of who we are, setting us back years until we can embrace our true selves and that it is possible to live a happy life.

[Tessa James]

Thank you Debra.  Your essay is perfectly spot on! 

I just saw the movie last night and was fore armed about the LGBTQ undercurrent.  I found the movie intensely dark, beautiful, evocative of so many LGBTQ lives and the sad self loathing I too experienced.  I wept during many scenes and laughed at others.  I could also relate to the character Credence, who is befriended by an older man who uses him and expect too many of us may have had early queer experiences this may suggest.  The shame and self loathing turning to horrible and terrifying anger was also a palpable and introspective bit.

I highly recommend your essay first and feel the movie can be better understood that way.

I asked a Hetro couple I know as they emerged from the movie if they got any sense of the LGBTQ theme and they looked at me as if I had hit them with a rock.   Oh heck NO, we don't think like that   Just wow!

[Michelle_P]

Great essay.  Many folks won't notice the relatively subtle things we spot because of our experience.  Pointing things out a bit, as you've done, is a good service for our community. Thank you, Debra. 

[Debra]

Thanks, both of you.

I'm kinda surprised nobody else has written about it yet (that I've seen).

[Raell]

Fantastic piece!

I tweeted the link, which fed to my Facebook page. Also I copy/pasted the meme about Harry Potter not being held in a closet onto my Facebook page.

Sadly, J.K. Rowling has done little to openly champion diversity except to "out" Dumbledore as gay. Which was referenced in Fantastic Beasts, by the way.

[Debra]

Fantastic piece!

I tweeted the link, which fed to my Facebook page. Also I copy/pasted the meme about Harry Potter not being held in a closet onto my Facebook page.

Thanks! I appreciate it.

Sadly, J.K. Rowling has done little to openly champion diversity except to "out" Dumbledore as gay. Which was referenced in Fantastic Beasts, by the way.

Yeah interesting. I wonder if she doesn't want to push away conservatives.

[RobynD]

Fantastic piece!

I tweeted the link, which fed to my Facebook page. Also I copy/pasted the meme about Harry Potter not being held in a closet onto my Facebook page.

Sadly, J.K. Rowling has done little to openly champion diversity except to "out" Dumbledore as gay. Which was referenced in Fantastic Beasts, by the way.

She has been very vocal as anti US administration on twitter recently.

[Aidenwillson]

great movie! thank you for this essay!