The 2013 film Pelo Malo was quite impactful as it touches on a subject to which is taboo in most Latin American households. Beginning with thoughts of changing one’s hair, Junior decides he wants to be a singer and change multiple means of his personality, acting more feminine as a means to acquire this culture. Being homophobic, the mother Marta begins to notice these patterns, claiming Junior is “sick”, gay and delusional. This film spoke to me as it was always a question in my household that would be dismissed due to a bigoted mindset. Being younger I too would question the state of my identity, would play Polly-Pockets with my sister and even try on my mothers shoes. Although out of curiosity and not so heavy, there would be phrases my family would say after seeing these actions. “Are you gay?” “I’m okay with you being gay I will still love you although it’s not natural.” These phrases would trigger me so often as I saw nothing wrong with those of LGBTQ+ background, and the thought of ever being dismissed or rejected by my family would hurt so.

With time passing on this nature would soon be taught to my family as they would grow out of their homophobic tendencies as they know it is wrong. After my sister coming out and bringing her girlfriend home, I was relieved as I thought my family would be more accepting of this topic, allowing me to explore if I so please. What the film touched on however is the brutal nature of whats taught to lineage so young, and the impact it has on a young person, with the film concluding with the beautiful hair of Junior being chopped off, just for approval from his mother. I pray for those who still feel this sense of being trapped, and hope they become who they are.