In controversial remarks, that have inadvertently offended some in the LGBT community, writer-director Nick Cassavetes has placed incest alongside gay marriage.
In an interview with TheWrap at the launch of his new movie Yellow at the Toronto Film Festival, Cassavetes started to defend the main character’s incestuous love affair with her own brother.
Cassavetes whose father is actor-director John Cassavetes stated he could not condemn it.
“I have no experience with incest,” he told TheWrap. “We started thinking about that. We had heard a few stories where brothers and sisters were completely, absolutely in love with one another. You know what? This whole movie is about judgment, and lack of it, and doing what you want.
“Who gives a shit if people judge you?” he continued. “I’m not saying this is an absolute but in a way, if you’re not having kids – who gives a damn? Love who you want. Isn’t that what we say? Gay marriage – love who you want? If it’s your brother or sister it’s super-weird, but if you look at it, you’re not hurting anybody except every single person who freaks out because you’re in love with one another.”
Yellow is described as a dramedy and stars Heather Wahlquist as Mary, a young woman with a drug habit and a variety of other problems. Yellow also stars Sienna Miller and Melanie Griffith.
He should have never mentioned the same-gender freedom to marry, and rather just stuck with consenting adults in general, but cut him some slack. He’s not a rights blogger who has dealt with these issues in precise language every day.
Gay marriage (or same-sex marriage, or most accurately same-gender marriage) and incest (consensual, not talking about rape or molestation) are usually two different things.
In the US, the bigotry against marriage equality currently extends to preventing first cousins from marrying in a little over half of the states. As of this writing, bigotry still prevents any same-gender couples from marrying in all but six states and Washington, D.C. There are currently four states and D.C. that allow first cousins to marry and also has the same-gender freedom to marry. If you consider cousin marriage incestuous, then those are the only places where gay marriage and incest have an overlap, as same-gender first cousins can marry.
There are some states that do not criminalize consensual incest between closer relatives than cousins, but they will not marry those lovers. Most US states still have laws against consensual incest (consanguinamory), and in most of them, people do continue to be prosecuted for simply loving each other.
Laws against gay sex have been struck down by the Supreme Court. So, gay sex is legal nationwide, consanguinamory isn’t.
Mixed-gender consanguinamory (such as brother-sister sex) involves sex between consenting adults of who are closely related.
Gay marriage is a commitment between consenting of the same gender.
Those are usually not the same things.
What they do have in common: 1. They are between consenting adults. 2. They don’t hurt anybody. 3. Both have been subject to discrimination and being banned by the sex-negative busybodies who like to interfere in the love lives of others. 4. There is no rational reason, consistently applied to other relationships, as to why either of these are banned where they are banned. 5. Gays and lesbians do not choose their orientation and people do not choose the parents to whom they are born.
Otherwise, they are two entirely different freedoms to marry. I support both freedoms to marry, and others, because I support relationship rights for all and full marriage equality.
An adult should be free to share love, sex, residence, and marriage with ANY consenting adults, without prosecution, bullying, or discrimination. Don’t like it? Then don’t do it. (That’s a good, easy response to bigots that doesn’t throw anyone under the bus.)
Different people have different likes and dislikes, different biases and prejudices than others. Some LGBT people are in consanguinamorous relationships. Other LGBT people are supportive, some neutral, and some disgusted by the idea. Just like everyone else. But nobody’s disgust should interfere in another’s life.
Consenting adults may do things with each other that might disgust a majority of other consenting adults, but that disgust of others should not prevent the consenting adults from having their sex or love lives. Each of us should stand up for the relationship rights of all consenting adults. Gay sex may disgust someone. Heterosexual sex may disgust another. BDSM may disgust someone else. Interracial sex may disgust someone else. Polyamory may disgust one person. Consanguinamory may disgust another. So what? The disgusted person doesn’t have to do it, but should recognize that other adults should be free to have orientations, feelings, and relationships they may not understand, and free to express their sexual desires with, and affections for, other consenting adults in the ways they want.