Topic > Chiron's sexual identity and general well-being in Moonlight, a film by Barry Jenkins

The film under consideration here is Moonlight directed by Barry Jenkins based on the unpublished autobiography of Terry Alwin. The film follows the plot of the main character Chiron who faces enormous challenges growing up. The main social concern, in this case, revolves around his sexual identity and overall well-being, especially since he is a gay black man. Sexuality is considered a huge issue within the black community, and so there is a strong focus on establishing very meaningful engagement both at school and at home. He is forced to live in denial about his sexual orientation, which is detrimental to his overall well-being. Must be able to overcome all negativity encountered to be successful. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The life that Chiron lives plays a key role in influencing who he will become as an adult. It embraces a phrase that seeks to recognize the fact that each individual can only discover himself and no one should decide for anyone. Being gay in a commonly known society is not an easy thing to undertake especially for a young person who is tormented by a difficult past both at school and at home. The film highlights important aspects of black society and their culture, as well as their preferences. Being able to stand up for what you believe is right is one of the key aspects that has kept Chiron going despite the difficult time. The transformation he manages to undertake over the course of the film demonstrates his resilience even in adversity. The black characters integrated into the film show an outright hatred for the gay characters, which makes it very difficult for Chiron to come out and express himself and what he feels deep down about his sexual orientation. Chiron, however, does not allow himself to be weakened by his community's negative attitude towards people of his kind. He is very determined to succeed. In one of the scenes, Chiron approached Terrel who was a bully and had ordered Chiron's friend to beat him up and smash a chair over his head. This demonstrates the lengths Chiron is willing to go to in order to establish his own identity in a very difficult environment. Sexual identity has remained a key issue among black Americans as most of them have been unable to accept the existence of gay men in society. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The film was clearly derived from the existing reality on key issues involving sexuality, especially homosexuality in the black community. The general understanding of the difficulties that Chiron goes through explains why it has not been easy for many black individuals to come out and declare their gay sexual orientation. Being gay is seen as a very serious mistake, for which the community cannot forgive an individual since it is not inscribed anywhere in African culture, which forms the basis on which members of the community engage. Although there have been significant developments, it is clear that homosexuals are highly despised and segregated where they are considered outcasts and paint a bad image.