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A QUEER STUDY ON THE STRUGGLE AGAINST
HOMOPHOBIC PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION IN
DUSTIN LANCE BLACK’S MILK

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of SarjanaSastra
In English Letters

By
CHRISTIANI DWI PUTRI M.
Student Number: 094214042
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014

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A QUEER STUDY ON THE STRUGGLE AGAINST
HOMOPHOBIC PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION IN
DUSTIN LANCE BLACK’S MILK

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of SarjanaSastra
In English Letters

By
CHRISTIANI DWI PUTRI M.
Student Number: 094214042
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that the ideas contained in words, phrases, and sentences except the
cited quotations of this thesis are stated by the writer with full awareness of degree

revocation based on the fact of plagiarism.

Yogyakarta, August 15th, 2014.
The Writer

ChristianiDwiPutri M.

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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertandatangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama

Nomor Mahasiswa

: Christiani Dwi Putri M.
: 094214042

Demi pengembangan ilmupengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul
A QUEER STUDY ON THE STRUGGLE AGAINST HOMOPHOBIC
PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION IN DUSTIN LANCE BLACK’S MILK
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bilaada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan
dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data,
mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain
untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan
royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian lembar pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta.
Pada tanggal 15 Agustus 2014.
Yang menyatakan,

Christiani Dwi Putri M.

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Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it's all the same love
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Hope is never silent.
Politics is theater!
Harvey Milk

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F or t h e m,
Who believein the SAME LOVE

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My greatest gratitude to Jesus Christ, who always listen to all my talks.
Because of His love, I can accomplish this, my undergraduate thesis. His blessing has
encouraged me to finish what I have started few years ago. I would also like to
address my deepest and greatest gratitude to Eduward Simanullang () and Hermina
Hutagalung for their eternal love, support and trust, and Dame Rinda M. for her big
support.
I also deeply thank my advisor, P. Sarwoto, S.S., M.A., Ph.D., for his
guidance and comments during the process of my writing. I am grateful to be one of
his students. Also for my co-advisor, Adventina Putranti, S.S., M.Hum., I thank her
for the comments and guidance.
I also thank all the lecturers in English Department, for teaching and helping
me during my study at Sanata Dharma University.
My great gratitude also goes to the wonderful people: Aul, Momon, Rissa,
Mbak Pipik, Boni, Putri, Nino, Ivan, Jesi, Dori, Kezia, Gita, Debby, Febi, Anik, Lolo,
Samsul, Sakha, Pita, Wei, Li, Wawan, Rena, Tiara, SLP Batch V, Peer Partners, and
Hipwee Team. My best gratitude to NgeneThePerv: Mbak Nina, Mas Moto,
MbakWulan, Mas Anto, Mas Egi, Mas Anu, Mbak Anya, Delvin, Bani, Khalid. I

thank themall for the inspiration, support, and everything.
Christiani Dwi Putri M.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………………………..
APPROVAL PAGE ……………………………………………………………
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ………………………………………………………..
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY …………………………………………..
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI…………………..
MOTTO PAGE …….……………………………………………………..........
DEDICATION PAGE ………………………………………………..………..

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...…………………………………………………..
TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………….......
ABSTRACT ...…………………………………………………………………..
ABSTRAK ...……………………………………………………………………

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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...…………………………………………..
A. Background of the Study…………………………………….
B. Problem Formulation ………………………………………..

C. Objectives of the Study ……………………………………...
D. Definition of Terms ...……………………………………….

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CHAPTER II:THEORETICAL REVIEW ………………………………….
A. Review of Related Studies …………………………………..
B. Review of Related Theories …………………………………
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ………………
2. Theory of Setting ………………………………………..
3. Theory of Screenplay and Drama ……………………….
4. Queer Theory and Discrimination toward Homosexual…
a. Queer Theory ………………………………………..
b. Prejudice and Discrimination toward Homosexual …
C. Theoretical Framework ……………………………………...

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CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY …………………………………………..
A. Object of the Study ……………………………………….....
B. Approach of the Study……………..………………………..
C. Method of the Study ………………………………………...

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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ………………………………………………….
A. The Character and Setting in Milk…………………………..
1. The Major Character ……………..……………………..
a. Harvey Milk …………………………………………
2. The Minor Characters …………………………………...
a. Mc Conelly ………………………………………….

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b. Anita Bryant …………………………………………
c. John Briggs ………………………………………….
d. Dan White …………………………………………..
3. The Description of Setting ………………………………
a. Physical Setting ……………………………………..
b. Social Setting ………………………………………..
B. The Depiction of Prejudice and Discrimination in Milk……..
1. The Depiction of Prejudice ……………………………..
2. The Depiction of Discrimination ………………………..
a. The Use of Offensive Words in Everyday Speech ….
b. The Discrimination in Employment ………………...
c. The Violent Threats toward Homosexual …………...
C. The Character’s Struggle against Prejudice and
Discrimination
1. Forming Castro Village Association …………………….
2. Getting Involved in Politics and Government…………...
3. Suggesting to Homosexual to Come Out of the Closet …

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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION …………………………………………….....

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BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………..
APPENDIX…...…………………………………………………...……………

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ABSTRACT
CHRISTIANI DWI PUTRI M. A Queer Study on the Struggle against
Homophobic Prejudice and Discrimination in Dustin Lance Black’s Milk.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University, 2014.
This undergraduate thesis examines Dustin Lance Black’s screenplay Milk. It
tells about a true story of a gay politician in 1977, Harvey Milk, in his struggle
against the homophobic prejudice and discrimination in the society. This study
analyzes how the sexual orientation becomes a problem in a society and it encourages
homosexual fight against all the negative opinion and discrimination toward them.
In this study, there are three problems to be discussed. The first problem
discusses the characters and setting in the screenplay. The second problem analyzes
the homophobic prejudice and discrimination towards the homosexual through the
character and setting. The last problem examines how the characters and setting
reflect the struggle against the homophobic, prejudice and discrimination.
The writer uses library research method to finish this study. The writer
collects and reads some books, encyclopedia, article, journals, which contain
important theories that are related to this study. The writer applies queer criticism and
its relation to literary work to analyze this study.
The result of this study shows Harvey Milk, as the major character, is
successful to break the generalization stereotype of homosexual by getting involved
in politics and he can get power to get the equality for homosexual community. This
analysis also shows that the homosexual get negative treatment from the heterosexual
who dislike the existence of homosexuality. The depiction of prejudice and
discrimination is reflected from the minor characters, who also represent the
heterosexual society in the story: McConelly, Anita Bryant, John Briggs and Dan
White. The discrimination is seen from the use of offensive words to homosexual,
discrimination in employment, and violent threats. Those prejudice and
discrimination are related to heterosexism and homophobia, which mean the stigma
of sexuality is linked to cultural norms and social institutions, as family, religion, and
law. Harvey Milk sees that sexual orientation should not be a problem in society. For
Harvey, every person should be treated equally without seeing the sexual orientation.

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ABSTRAK
CHRISTIANI DWI PUTRI M. A Queer Study on the Struggle against
Homophobic Prejudice and Discrimination in Dustin Lance Black’s Milk.
Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma,
2014.
Skripsi ini mengulas teks film karya Dustin Lance Black, Milk. Teks film ini
bercerita tentang kisah nyata seorang politikus homoseksual di tahun 1977, Harvey Milk
dalamperjuangannyamelawanprasangkadandiskriminasihomofobisdalamlingkunganmasy
arakat. Studi ini menganalisa bagaimana orientasi seksualitas menjadi suatu masalah
utama dalam masyarakat dan itu membuat kaum homoseksual berjuang melawan semua
opini negative dan diskriminasi terhadapmereka.
Dalam studi ini, ada tiga malasah yang akan didiskusikan. Masalah pertama
mendiskusikan karakter-karakter dan latar di dalam teks film ini. Masalah yang kedua
menganalisa prasangka dan diskriminasi homofobis terhadap kaum homoseksual melalui
karakter dan latar. Masalah yang terakhir mengulas bagaimana karakter-karakter dan latar
merefleksikan perjuangan melawan kaum homofobis, prasangka, dan diskriminasi.
Penulismenggunakanmetodepenelitianpustakauntukmenyelesaikanstudiini.
Penulismengumpulkandanmembacabeberapabuku, ensiklopedia, artikel, danjurnal yang
berisikanteoripenting yang berhubungandenganstudiini. Penulismengaplikasikankritik
queer danhubungannyakekaryasastrauntukmenganalisastudiini.
Hasil dari studi ini menunjukkan Harvey milk, sebagai karakter utama berhasil
mematahkan penyamarataan stereotip kaum homoseksual dengan terlibat di dunia politik
dan dia mendapatkan kekuasaan untuk mengembalikan persamaan untuk komunitas
homoseksual. Dalam analisis ini juga menunjukkan bahwa kaum homoseksual
mendapatkan perlakuan negative dari kaum heteroseksual yang tidak menyukai
keberadaan homoseksualitas. Penggambaran dari prasangka dan diskriminasi tersebut
direfleksikan dari karakter-karakter minor, yang juga mewakili masyarakat kaum
heteroseksual di dalam cerita ini: McConelly, Anita Bryant, John Briggs dan Dan White.
Diskriminasi tersebut dilihat dari penggunaan kata-kata kasar untuk kaum homoseksual,
diskriminasi dalam pekerjaan, dan ancaman kekerasan. Prasangka dan diskriminasi
tersebut berhubungan dengan heteroseksisme dan homofobia, yang berarti stigma
seksualitas dihubungkan dengan norma kebudayaan dan institusi sosial, seperti keluarga,
agama, dan hukum. Harvey Milk melihat orientasi seksual seharusnya tidak menjadi
suatu permasalahan dalam masyarakat. Bagi Harvey, setiap orang harus diperlakukan
secara adil tanpa melihat orientasi seksual.

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Nowadays, literary work has developed, it is not only novel, poem or
prose, but also a movie can be called as a literary work, including the screenplay
itself. Gerald Mast states
Films are works – indeed a works of art – sequential, patterned, temporal
wholes that begin and end and, progressing from beginning to end,
elaborate some kind of content in some kind of style that illuminates,
reflects, or reveals that content. As works, films are analogous to plays,
novels, poems, and essays, the specific kinds of works implied by the
general study of literature (1982: 285).
It can be said, a movie or its screenplay can be analyzed as a literary work. A
screenplay can be analyzed just like analyzing a play or drama.
In a literary work, there must be a picture of society inside the story.
Literature is reflecting norms and values which are explicitly or implicitly as an
imitation of an outside world (Langland, 1984: 4). Like a play or other literary
work, a movie script is an autonomous literary product that reflects the reality of
human life by presenting characters with their social lives and interaction with
other characters(Giannetti, 1987: 256). Society itself is a place where people can
interact with others and share some values they have but still in the same border of
the society’s norm. The people within society can express their thoughts and
feelings which are considered as acceptable things in the society they belong to.
Society also creates such unwritten conventions about whether something is
acceptable or not.

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The depiction of the explanation above is captured in a literary work. In
this research, the literary work that is going to be analyzed is the screenplay by
Dustin Lance Black, entitled Milk. Milk is written based on the true life of a gay
politician in America, Harvey Milk, who was famous as the first openly gay
politician in San Francisco in 1977. This screenplay is representing the real
situation of homosexuals’ life in America in late 1970s until 1980s. During that
time, homosexuals were legally and socially discriminated against in the United
States. Through the characters, also the depiction of the society in this screenplay,
the life of homosexual at that time and how they react toward the prejudice,
discrimination of the homophobic society can be seen.
In this story, Harvey Milk, was new in San Francisco, made a decision to
open a business, a camera shop. He moved to San Francisco with his partner,
Scott Smith, and lived in Castro District, which had the largest concentrations of
homosexual residents. However, even in this “tolerant” area, the gay and lesbian
community faced discrimination by local businesses, as both consumers and
employees. Milk became involved in local politics and ran for public office to
encourage equality and enhance the lives of working-class San Franciscans and
minorities. To be elected into public office as supervisor was not easy for Milk.
He got threatened by homophobic and the society itself considered that a
homosexual cannot be a supervisor. Harvey Milk and his friends kept continuing
to get a position in a public office. Harvey Milk was helped by some gay and
lesbian people. There were Cleve Jones, AnneKronenberg, Jim Rivaldo, Dennis
Peron and other gay people who volunteered to help Milk to be supervisor. They

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kept fighting together to get sexual equality and expansion of civil liberties for
gays and lesbians.
For the writer, this screenplay is worth to be analyzed because it contains
the idea of sexuality and its relation to the society. In general society, talking
about sexuality is taboo and it is a complex subject. It is supported by the
statement from Brook-Gunn and Graber (1999), stating that sexuality is a complex
and controversial subject. Sexuality is an inherent part of what it means to be
human and for most is an integral part of one’s individual identity. Sexuality is
defined as something personal and private. On the other hand, throughout history,
individual’s sexuality, and in particular their sexual behavior, has been subjected
to societal control and regulation. The beliefs about sex and sexuality and how
individuals come to understand their own and others’ sexuality are often
influenced by the societal conventions and norms. Both the societal conventions
and norms have developed to regulate and control the manifestation of sexuality.
Thus, there is a tension between viewing sexuality as a private and
personal issue that is under the control of the individual and viewing sexuality as a
public and societal issue that is under societal control through cultural norms and
societal conventions. One of the societal issues about sexuality is homosexual. For
heterosexual society, homosexuality is a complete taboo. Nobody talks about it in
public; nobody openly defines themselves as gay or lesbian, nor live as gay or
lesbian. There is a perception in society which thinks homosexuality is a disorder
of sexual, homosexuality is not normal, homosexual is against the morality. Those
prejudice makes some people treat the homosexual differently. According to

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Levine, in his article Gay Ghetto (1979: 202), Americans strongly prejudice
against homosexuality, perceives homosexuality as a loathsome deviation.
Lesbian, gay people encounter extensive prejudice, discrimination, and violence
because of their sexual orientation. Gays are discriminated in employment and
often fired upon discovery of their sexual orientation. They are also considered as
criminals under various laws and became the subject to police surveillance. They
are frequently treated brutishly by homophobic and even they got killed. Thus,
gays were socially isolated from the larger society. Based on those fact and
information, the writer is interested in conducting the research about homosexual
and homophobic society through the screenplay, Milk.

B. Problem Formulation
To understand this research better, there are three problems which are used
to analyze this:
1. How are the characters and the setting described in the screenplay?
2. How is the homophobic prejudice and discrimination towards the gay and
lesbian described through the character and setting?
3. How dothe character and setting reflect the struggle against the homophobic
prejudice, and discrimination?

C. Objectives of the Study
The intention of this research is to find the struggle against homophobic
prejudice and discrimination as seen in Milk. This research focuses on three

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important objectives. The first is to find out the characters and setting in the
screenplay. The second is to explore the homophobic prejudice and discrimination
which is done by the society towards gay and lesbian community through the
characters and setting in the screenplay. The last objective of this research is how
the characters and setting reflect the struggle of gay and lesbian community
against the homophobic prejudice and discrimination in their society.

D. Definition of Terms
There are several terms that should be defined in order to avoid
misunderstanding in this research.
1. Homophobia
VandenBosin Dictionary of Psychologydefines homophobia as hatred and
fear of gay men and lesbian, associated with prejudice and anger focused on them.
This results in discrimination on such issues as employment, housing, and legal
rights and may also lead to violence. Extreme homophobia may lead to murder
(VandenBos, 2007: 446).
2. Prejudice
According to Dictionary of Psychology, prejudice is a negative attitude
toward another person or group in advance of any experience with that person or
group. Prejudice includes an affective component (emotions that range from mild
nervousness to hatred), a cognitive component (assumptions and belief about
groups, including stereotypes), and behavioral component (negative behavior,
including discrimination and violence). They tend to be resistant to change

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because they distort the prejudiced individual’s perception of information
pertaining to the group (VandenBos, 2007: 723).
3. Discrimination
Dictionary of Psychology defines discrimination as differential treatment
of the members of different ethnic, religions, national, or other groups. It is
usually the behavioral manifestation of prejudice and involves negative, hostile,
and injurious treatment of the member of rejected groups (VandenBos, 2007:
287).

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CHAPTER II
THEORITICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies
In this part, the writer takes some studies, which were done by another
researcher or writer related to the same screenplay, Milk. The first study is a thesis
by ErniDewiRiyanti, A Study of Lexical Features of Gay Community in the Script,
Milk. She focuses on the use of lexical features and it reveals that the gay
community uses of taboo words which express various emotive elements and gay
slang is used extensively. Her thesis indicates that
In general, the words reflect the condition of the users whose
egalitarian circumstances ensure intimacy within their utterances.
Yet, the extensive use of taboo or swear indicates psychological
condition of the characters in the script. Additionally, these words
also mark a tendency of being exclusive and secretive (2012: 101).
The words which are used can be related to the social condition of gay community
itself in 1960-1970s, where the oppression and marginalization gave effect to
shape the psychological condition of the community members.
Another study is taken from a thesis by YulinarFirdayanti, Sexual
Stratification in Gus Van Sant’s Milk: A Queer Study.The Firdayanti’s study
explains the gay sexual stratification in the society by using queer theory. In her
study, she states
Milk interprets sexual stratification as the powerful tool used by
both heterosexuals and gays, more specifically Harvey Milk, to
legally secure their own rights as a citizen. Sexual stratification is
the idea that there is a system of rank or hierarchy. As such, there

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is an imbalanced power between the two sexualities since they are
not ranked in the same level (2012: 40).
From her study, it can be said that the sexual stratification plays an important role
in society. The homosexuals are in the lowest position and it shows the
imbalanced power. So, Harvey Milk’s strategy to break out the heterosexual
society is by bringing out the sexuality in public.
Another study is taken based on a similar topic, which talks about
homophobic society. It is a study of Geraldine Skeete in Representations of
Homophobic Violence in Anglophone Caribbean Literature. She examines about
depictions of homophobia in some literary works which are novels and short
story. Skeete argues that the homophobic attitude is connected to the social
environment of the characters. Social environment that she means is the church,
the law of government, family and school.
Homophobic attitudes and practices in the Anglophone Caribbean
stem from underlying and ingrained heterocentrismand
heterosexism. Heteronormative discourses of Church, State, home
and school are the underpinnings of the society‘s prejudicial and
discriminatory views and actions against non-heterosexuals (2010:
3).
In conclusion, these previous studies have the difference in the focus of
the research compared to this study. The first study, Riyanti concerns about the
lexical features which are used in gay community. In the second study,
Firdayantifocuses in sexual stratification by using queer theory. This second study
has similarity with this study. Firdayanti and the writer of this study use the same
screenplay and same theory; queer theory, while the differences are (1) her study
uses Queer Theory from Gayle Rubin about sexual stratification in society, (2) her

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study includes the narrative and non-narrative film elements: camera shots,
camera angles, which is not included in this study, (3) her study does not describe
the main character, Harvey Milk, explicitly. While this study (1) analyzes the
screenplay from the literature’s perspective (the characteristic of main character
and the setting), (2) states about the heterosexism, homophobia in society, (3)
explains the reaction of homosexuals against heterosexism, homophobic society.
Then, the last study, Skeetefocuses on homophobic in Anglophone Caribbean
Literature.
Regarding those studies, the writer of this research goes to reveal the
matter of sexual orientation of gay people as the center focus in a heterosexual
society and the homosexual reaction against the homophobic prejudice and
discrimination in the society.

B. Review of Related Theories
1.

Theories of Character and Characterization
Each story in a literary work must have the character. Through the

character, the reader will know the point of the story. Abrams and Harpham states
in A Glossary of Literary Terms
Characters are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative
work, who are interpreted by the reader as possessing particular
moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from
what the persons say and their distinctive ways of saying it—the
dialogue—and from what they do—the action (2009:42).

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It can be said that the reader recognizes the character in a story as a person who
has motivation and emotional feeling which are shown through the dialogue and
the behavior.
According to Asher Garfinkel, the characters supply hearts, soul,
dimension, direction, emotion, message, and universal appeal to a story (2007:
23). It means that the character must seem real and understandable for the
audience or the reader as people who might really exist.
Reading a character in a screenplay requires imagination similar to reading
a character in a drama. Reaskestates that there is no narration or description in a
drama, instead the characterization must be portrayed through dialogue and the
action on the stage(1966: 40). He also says that the characterization in a drama
can be seen from some elements: the appearance of the character, asides and
soliloquies, dialogue between characters, hidden narration, language and character
in action (Reaske, 1966: 46-48).
2. Theory of Setting
Setting is one of the important intrinsic elements of a literary work which
can give the information about when and where the action occurs. By analyzing
time, place, and the social environment in a literary work, the reader can
understand the general locale, historical time, and social circumstances in which
its action occurs (Abrams and Harpham, 2009: 330).
Richard Gill (1995: 148) states
A word is necessary on just how broad a term ‘setting’ is. It can be
used to cover:
- the places in which characters appear

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- the social context of characters, such as their families, friends,
and class
- the customs, beliefs, and rules of behavior that give identity to a
society
- the particular locations of events
- the atmosphere, mood, and feel that all the above elements create.
According to Gill, it concludes that setting is not only about the physical setting or
place or time, but setting is also about the general environment of the characters;
social context, customs, belief, and the atmosphere or mood of the story.
3. Theory of Screenplay and Drama
It is needed to be understood that film shares many similar elements with
other literary works, such as novel, short story, and drama or play (Boggs, 1978:
4). Among novel, short story, and drama, film has more things in common with
drama. Film presents its story completely in dramatic form, gesture, and
expression, and verbally through dialogue(Boggs, 1978: 4).
Barrangerstates that “Like a screenplay, a play is also given life by actors
although the medium and technology are significantly different”(1994: 4). It
means a screenplay and play has similarity, although they are different in
technology.
Related to reading a screenplay and a play, it is found that reading plays is
a unique challenge. Barrangersays that
As readers we must visualize all the elements the playwright has
placed on the page to convey a story to us: its characters in action
and conflict, its happening in time and space, and at the end, the
completed meaning of all that has happened(1994: 4).
His statement has similarity with the statement from Boggs (1978: 19) that says
that “The screenplay requires so much ‘filling in’ by our imaginations that we

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cannot really approximate the experience of the film by simply reading it.” Based
on those understandings of film and drama, it is concluded that even film and
drama are two different media, but they have similarity in dramatic form in their
script and reading a play or a screenplay involves the reader’s imagination.
To study a screenplay, it is important to understand the definition of
screenplay itself. According to Trottier in The Screenwriter’s Bible, a screenplay
is a unique literary form. A screenplay is written using technical jargon and tight,
spare prose when describing stage directions. Unlike a novel or short story, a
screenplay focuses on describing the literal, visual aspects of the story
(Trottier,1998:4).
Reading a screenplay needs the comprehension of screenplay terms.
According to SimmplyScripts.com, these are some general terms which are needed
to be understood to read a screenplay
CONTINUOUS:
Sometimes, instead of DAY or NIGHT at the end of a
SLUGLINE/Location Description, you'll see CONTINUOUS. Basically,
continuous refers to action that moves from one location to another
without any interruptions in time. For example, in an action movie, the
hero may run from the airport terminal into a parking garage. The
sequence may include cuts, but the audience would perceive the action as a
continuous sequence of events from the terminal to the lobby to the street
to the garage to the second floor to a car etc. CONTINUOUS is generally
optional in writing and can be dropped altogether.
CUT TO:
The most simple and common transition. Since this transition is implied by
a change of scene, it may be used sparingly to help intensify character
changes and emotional shifts. The transition describes a change of scene
over the course of one frame.
EXT.
Exterior. This scene takes place out of doors. This is mostly for producers
to figure out the probable cost of a film project.

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INT.
Interior. This scene takes place indoors. This is mostly for producers to
figure out the probable cost of a film project.
V.O.
Voice Over. This is the abbreviation sometimes seen next to the
CHARACTER'S name before certain bits of dialog. This means the
character voices that dialog but his or her moving lips are not present in
the scene. Voice over is generally used for narration, such as in the
beginning of The Mummy. Or, as Austin Powers would say, a character's
inner monolog. The inner thought processes of the character said out loud
such that only the audience will hear it. A general example of Voice Over
can be seen (heard, actually) in Election or in the Sixth Season Finale of
The X-Files.
Those terms will be used to help the writer to read and to analyze the whole story
of the screenplay.
4.

Queer Theory and Discrimination Toward Homosexual

a.

Queer Theory
The word ‘queer’ itself, as it appears in the dictionary, has a primary

meaning of odd, peculiar, out of the ordinary. Encyclopedia of Homosexuality
states that the term ‘queer’ was used as a slang word for homosexual in the mid
eighteenth century. It connotes strangeness, and a term of homophobic abuse. It
shows that gay people was marginal in society. People used to call gay people as a
queer because their odd sexual orientation. Gay people also felt offended with that
term (Dynes, 1990:1902).
In recent years, the term queer has developed differently. Queer becomes a
term that shows a movement or an act against the abuse toward LGBTQ
community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer). This fact is supported
by Tyson as quoted in this following.

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The use of the term queer can be seen as an attempt to
reappropriate the word from what has been its homophobic usage
in order to demonstrate that heterosexists shouldn’t be allowed to
define gay and lesbian experience. The act of defining the terms of
one’s own self-reference is a powerful move that says, among other
things, “We’re not afraid to be seen”, “You don’t tell us who we
are—we tell us who we are!”, and “We’re proud to be different!”
Or, as the popular queer slogan sums it up, “We’re here, we’re
queer—get used to it!” As gay men and lesbians have learned, the
term is a tool for oppression, but it’s also a tool for change.
Furthermore, some lesbians and gay men have adopted the word
queer as an inclusive category for referring to a common political
or cultural ground shared by gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and all
people who consider themselves, for whatever reasons, nonstraight (2006: 334).
Nikki Sullivan who cites from Cherry Smith’s statement also says that queer
defines a strategy and attitude which articulates a radical questioning of social and
cultural norms, the notion of gender, reproductive sexuality, and the family (2003:
43).
To get a better understanding of queer theory, the difference of lesbian,
gay and queer studies need to be understood. Edgar and Sedgwick (2005: 321)
states that queer theory emerges from gay/lesbian study’s' focus of the social
construction of categories of normative and deviant sexual behavior. It is also
supported by Tyson (2006: 322-336), who states that basically, lesbian, gay and
queer studies discuss about homosexuality, liberation movements, and the
relationship between same-sex, while the thing which differentiate those studies
are:
1. Lesbian study examines both hetero-homosexual female desire and must
deal with psychological, social, economic, and political oppression

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fostered not only by patriarchal male privilege, but also by heterosexual
privilege as well.
2. Gay study examines about hetero-homosexual male desire, but this study
doesn’t tend to focus on efforts to define homosexuality. It involves
responses to drag (the practice of dressing in women’s clothing), camp (a
form of irreverence, artifice, exaggeration and theatricality), and deals
with the issue of AIDS.
3. Queer study examines not only about gay and lesbian but also bisexual,
transgender, prejudice and discrimination toward homosexuality, sexgender system, civil rights struggles, and asserts gender roles and sexual
identity as socially constructed and performed rather than essential and
“natural”.
From those differences, the focus of each study is clearly understood. Then, queer
theory expands its interest which has a political critique of anything that falls into
normative and deviant categories, particularly sexual activities, and identities,
which is also automatically, to be linked to the defense of the politics of gay and
lesbian in the face of repression and homophobia (Edgar and Sedgwick, 2005:
321-322).
Another definition of queer theory, which is used for this research is from
TamsinSpargo. He states that queer theory describes a diverse range of critical
practices and priorities: readings of the representation of same-sex desire in
literary texts, films, music, images; analyses of the social and political power
relations of sexuality; critiques of the sex-gender system; studies of transsexual

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and transgender identification, of sadomasochism and of transgressive
desires(1999: 9). It can be said that queer theory does not only analyze about the
same-sex relationship, but it also analyzes the transsexual and transgender
identity.
According to Tyson (2011: 175), to understand the queer theory in a
literary work, it is a must to have understanding about some definition related to
homosexual life. Those concepts are used to examine about gay life in a text and
the problem which they have in heterosexual society (Tyson, 2011: 175-177):
1. Heterosexism
Heterosexism is institutionalized discrimination against LGBTQ people. It
is based on the belief that heterosexuality is the natural sexual orientation.
This matter is starting in social institutions as the family, education,
religion, and the law enforcement system.
2. Homophobia
Homophobia is the fear and loathing of homosexuality. Homophobes
(homophobic people) hate LGBTQ people because homophobes are
uncertain about their own sexuality and they are trying to prove that they
are heterosexual.
3. Homosocial bonding
Homosocial bonding is the depiction of same-sex strong emotional. The
term homosocial was popularized by Eve Sedgwick in her discussion
about male homosocial desire. The word homosocialdenotes same-sex
friendship of the kind seen in female- or male-bonding activities.

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Homosocial activities are simply same-sex bonding activities. Going to a
movie, playing cards, preparing a meal, fixing cars, or any other activities
which performed by two or more members of the same sex can be
included in homosocial activities.
4. Homoerotic imagery
Homoerotic imagery consists of erotic visual images that imply same-sex
attraction or that might appeal sexually to a same-sex reader. The
homoerotic images can be found in literature, paintings, sculpture, film,
and photography.
To analyze a literary work using queer criticism, Lois Tyson also states
that there are seven points that will help the reader to understand the text:
1. What are the politics or ideological agendas of specific gay, lesbian, or
queer works, and how are those politics revealed in, for example, the
work’s thematic content or portrayals of its characters?
2. What are the poetics (literary devices and strategies) of a specific lesbian,
gay, or queer work? What does the work contribute to the ongoing attempt
to define a uniquely lesbian, gay, or queer poetics, literary tradition, or
canon?
3. What does the work contribute to our knowledge of queer, gay, or lesbian
experience and history, including literary history?
4. How is queer, gay, or lesbian experience coded in texts that are apparently
heterosexual? (This analysis is usually done for works by writers who
lived at a time when openly queer, gay, or lesbian texts would have been
considered unacceptable, or it is done in order to help reformulate the
sexual orientation of a writer formerly presumed heterosexual.)
5. How might the works of heterosexual writers be reread to reveal an
unspoken or unconscious lesbian, gay, or queer presence? That is, does the
work have an unconscious lesbian, gay, or queer desire or conflict that it
submerges (or that heterosexual readers have submerged)?
6. What does the work reveal about the operations (socially, politically,
psychologically) of heterosexism? Is the work (consciously or
unconsciously) homophobic? Does the work critique, celebrate, or blindly
accept heterosexist values?
7. How does the literary text illustrate the problematic of sexuality and sexual
“identity,” that is, the ways in which human sexuality does not fall neatly

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into the separate categories defined by the words homosexual and
heterosexual?(2006: 341-342)
Based on Lois’ statement, the writer decides to use queer criticism to
answer the problem formulation of this research. The writer uses the perspective
of queer criticism because the writer wants to understand the gay character in the
screenplay and his life as homosexual in a heterosexual society. From this
perspective, the attitude of the heterosexual society toward the gay people can be
seen and this perspective also helps the writer to understand the struggle of gay
community to achieve the equality in the society.
b. Prejudice and Discrimination toward Homosexual
Queer theory and discrimination are closely related. Discrimination comes
up from the prejudice itself. According to Psychology of Prejudice and
Discrimination, prejudice is the attitude which is considered to be an evaluation of
a social group. Prejudice itself is related to the way people think and feel about the
other people or members of certain group. Prejudice is commonly a negative
attitude toward another person and it includes negative feelings, stereotyping, and
discrimination. The prejudice itself is based upon stereotypes. Stereotypes are as
belief and opinion about the characteristics and attributes, and also the behaviors
of members of certain groups. The stereotypes and prejudice may result in
discrimination (Whitley, 2010: 11-12).
Still,

according

to

Whitley

on

Psychology

of

Prejudice

and

Discrimination, discrimination is about treating people differently from others
based primarily on membership in a social group. Discrimination itself refers to

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the negative or unfair manner toward others (2010: 12, 370). Discrimination
consists of unequal and harmful treatment in different ways. There is
discrimination that visible or less visible, hidden, purposeful and often
maliciously motivated. The examples of extreme cases of discrimination are the
murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay man who was beaten and left to die on a fence
in Wyoming, and the murder of James Byrd, a Black man who was chained to the
back of a truck and dragged along a road in Texas until he died. This harmful act
often receives national attention, is illegal and generally condemned. Not only
violence, making someone’s race or sexual orientation as a joke is included to the
act of discrimination (Whitley, 2010: 372).
This research concerns about the prejudice and discrimination toward gay
people. Many times gay people face the problems and stereotypes as other
minority groups, according to McCarthy in Handbook on Critical Issues, he
mentions that there are four stereotypes widely still accepted in society:
-

That all homosexuals are attracted to children and adolescents
and wish to have physical contact with them.
That all male homosexuals are effeminate and lack the typical
male characteristics of courage, aggressiveness, and strength.
That all homosexuals are sexually active.
That all homosexual can change their orientation merely by
willing to do so and by cultivating heterosexual friendships
(1984:183-184).

Those stereotypes of gay people producean unfair image of all homosexual
persons. Those stereotypes lead to the discrimination and negative attitudes
toward homosexuals. Gay people frequently get sexual assaults, beating, murder,
and unfair treatment in employment.
c.

Theoretical Framework

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The writer uses four theories to answer the problems of the research. The
theories are theory of character and characterization, theory of setting, theory of
prejudice and discrimination, and queer theory.
The first theory is theory of character and characterization. It is chosen to
analyze the characters in the screenplay. Second, theory of setting is written as
related theories in order to find the setting of the story which reflects the society at
that time and it reveals how society treats the homosexual. Third, theory of
screenplay and drama is chosen to help the writer in reading a screenplay as
reading a drama. The fourth is queer theory which is used to understand the matter
of sexual orientation that can affect the life of minor community, particularly
homosexual, and this theory also helps to reveal how gay community reacts
against the discrimination in the society and political ground of gay community to
get social justice. In this theory, the writer also puts the explanation about
prejudice and discrimination to analyze the forms of prejudice and discrimination
toward homosexual in the society.

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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of this study is the movie screenplay entitled Milk, which was
written by Dustin Lance Black, an American screenwriter, director, film and
television producer, and LGBT rights activist. The screenplay consists of 104
pages, while the movie itself runs for about 128 minutes. The movie was released
in 2008 in the United States and it has won several awards, including Academy
Award (2009), Independent Spirit Awards (2009), GLAAD Media Award (2009),
Writers Guild of America (2009) and many more. For the screenplay itself, it also
has won several awards, including Academy Awards, Best Original Screenplay
(2009), Writers Guild of America, Best Original Screenplay (2009), American
Film Institute (AFI) Awards (2008), Film Independent's Spirit Awards, Best First
Screenplay (2009) and many more.
Milk is a biographical movie based on the life of a gay rights activist and
politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to
public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of
Supervisors in 1977. The story begins in New York City, where a 40-year-old
Milk ponders what steps he can take to make his life more meaningful.
Eventually, Milk makes the decision to relocate to the West Coast, where he and
his lover, Scott Smith, found a small business in the heart of a working-class
neighborhood. Empowered by his love for the Castro neighborhood and the
success of his business, Castro Camera, Milk somewhat unexpectedly begins to
21

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emerge as an outspoken agent for change. With a growing support system that
includes Scott and a young activist named Cleve Jones, Milk decides to take a
fateful leap into politics, eventually developing a reputation as a leader who isnot
afraid to follow up his words with actions.
In short order, he is elected as the supervisor for the newly zoned District
5, though this seeming triumph is in fact the catalyst for a tragedy that starts to
unfold as Milk does his best to forge a political partnership with Dan White,
another newly elected supervisor. Milk serves San Francisco well while lobbying
for a citywide ordinance protecting people from being fired because of their
orientation and rallying support against a proposed statewide referendum to fire
gay schoolteachers and their supporters; he realizes that this fight against
Proposition 6 represents a pivotal precipice for the gay rights movement. Over
time it becomes apparent that Milk and White's political agendas are directly at
odds, a revelation that puts their personal destinies on a catastrophic collision
course.

B. Approach of the Study
In analyzing the topic of this research, the writer uses the perspective of
queer criticism. The explanation from Lois Tyson about queer