When we lie, don’t we think How long we can keep it going? How far can we keep something from reaching the light? In Pariah, Alike’s parents found out she was a lesbian after a short period of time. Her mom especially realized by her choice of clothing and her acquaintances. But, how is it to hide something for up to 15 years? Hiding your sexuality and even building a family just to hide behind the closet. It’s basically living a life of lies. What is even sadder is if it’s because of your parents. Parents usually want the best for their kids and many people don’t like the idea of lesbianism or the idea of being gay. They have a stereotype that people are going to hell for liking someone from the same gender. What’s even worse is that some people may tell their kids that they rather have them being “whores” rather than being gay. What does it even matter? I see our bodies as bones. If we have x-rays done on us, all you see is our bone. There is no female or male parts to be seen.

In Pariah, Alike should’ve been able to express herself however she wanted to, but it’s not simple to just be accepted when it comes to being gay. Has there ever been a time in which you actually acted differently in front of a certain group of people? I know for a fact that I have. When it’s just my teacher, I act a bit more silly and joke around alot. When the principal comes in, I act like an angel.  This is similar to what Alike did. She was much more of a tomboy when she was out with her friend Laura (Pernell Walker). When she was on her way back home, she put on a girly shirt and earrings. She simply couldn’t express herself as she wanted to due to the fact that she was hiding her real self. Her battle was exterior as well as interior. She didn’t know how to feel, especially in the scene where she wore a strap-on. She seemed to still be pure in mind and not as open to being gay. When she was in the lesbian club, she didn’t know how to act, while the others were touching, kissing, doing much more experienced stuff.  It’s rather hard accepting yourself if others won’t, and the only way she felt better was through writing her emotions in small poems.

My relative did something just as similar but hers was a diary in which she wrote how she felt, but eventually her mom found it and burned it. At the end of Pariah, Alike didn’t find her happy ending and her mom ended up not accepting her. Well, my relative on the other hand had a minor cliché moment. She came out to both her parents a second time after 15 years. Her mom was in denial and didn’t accept it at all and so did her dad. It was to the point that her father threatened her a second time. They believed that it was some sort of witchcraft.

When she came out to her daughter, it was rather odd. She was astonished that she didn’t care, and that all cared about was that the woman made her happy. Her husband was in shock. He didn’t want to believe it, but the marriage was already falling apart. She never loved him. She had deep care for him, but she loved the girl ever since she was 16. She had a relationship with her for three years and it had been hidden until they got caught. The only reason that she got married was to make her parents proud. But she felt that it was time for her to accept herself for what she was. By making that decision, she was very strong and it took a great toll on the daughter because she is the only one to support her. The family wasn’t okay with the daughter helping her.

Being gay is not easy. Gay men and women face many problems and it’s even worse when the people closest to you are homophobic and “religious.” I had put that in quotation marks because this family often uses religion only when they think it’s convenient since half of them are not the best people. It’s hard hiding what you are to everyone, for fear of their reactions and how people would act towards you. Alike’s mom shunned her daughter for being gay. In their last scene together, the shots were depressive and the mom seems to be in disappointed.

Gay men and women get called awful names but people don’t see that being gay is nowhere near being bad. What’s bad is how people judge, especially when they have no right. They should respect the decision of the person. In my relative’s case, the people that were judging her, especially some of her family members, are liars, cheaters, and drug addicts. They are also in no position to be speaking about homosexuality being “wrong.” Pariah is a coming of age movie as it portrays current events and discussions. It shows how a person can hide what they really are because of fear.