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[LordOfLore]

Link. Spoilers of course.

Everything is not awesome with “The LEGO Batman Movie,” at least according to a pair of right-wing websites. As reported by The Advocate, America’s leading LGBT magazine and website, John-Henry Westen of Canada’s LifeSiteNews cautions that the children’s movie is “chockful of pro-gay propaganda.”

“Think the sexual innuendo of the Flintstones minus the real humor,” Westen wrote. “It seemed the creators [of “The LEGO Batman Movie”] were so anxious to subtly indoctrinate the little ones into the gender ideology that making it humorous came as a distant second thought.”

Not content to milk his own discontent at “The LEGO Batman Movie,” Westen quotes Michael Hamilton of PJ Media, a faith-based site whose “main focus is on the three main areas that will have the most impact on the future of America: politics, parenting and lifestyle.” Hamilton worries that the film may lead to “an awkward conversation with your kid a few years before you want it,” and goes on to spoil one of the film’s best running gags: the fact that Dick Grayson doesn’t know that Bruce Wayne is Batman.

“[T]wo men adopting a son together sounds like a dream come true to Richard, the orphan Bruce Wayne adopts without telling him he’s Batman,” writes Hamilton, “That’s why, when Richard hesitates to board a bat vehicle without Bruce-Dad’s permission, Batman tells him he and Bruce-Dad share custody of him. Richard doesn’t need Bruce-Dad’s permission; he has Bat-Dad’s!”

Hamilton goes on: “This solution thrills Richard, who unblinkingly climbs aboard (and later becomes Robin). The bubbly young man is tickled as he spells it out for viewers: Yesterday he didn’t have a dad, and now he has two dads!”

He then attacks the film’s central conflict, calling the relationship between Batman and the Joker a “he-ro-mance—like ‘bro-mance’ (a platonic sort of romance between dudes).” Hamilton explains that “Batman essentially ‘breaks up’ with Joker early in the story, making Joker cry and setting up Batman as a cold egomaniac.” He then argues, “Rehabilitating Batman for relationships is a plot priority. Batman and Joker’s relationship is the flagship. Piecing together a non-nuclear family is close in tow.”

Stating the obvious, Hamilton adds that all of this results in “making ‘LEGO Batman’ about bringing two dudes together without making it about bringing two dudes together.” Hamilton believes that the “subliminal nature’ of these questionable themes” is “subtle enough most people won’t notice.” He considers this a “mixed blessing.”

Hamilton is more concerned about what he calls a veiled “anatomical joke.” When Richard Grayson tells Bruce that all the other orphans call him Dick, the older Wayne replies, “Well, kids can be Cruel.” Hamilton asks readers, “Dick doesn’t get it. Will your kid?” (Don’t anyone tell these two pundits about Rainbow Batman.)

Give me a Batwoman movie if old.

 

[The Kree]

Wouldn't even occur to me to see the gay angle, but maybe that's because I'm so goddamn heterosexual.

When you start seeing gayness everywhere and feeling threatened by it, perhaps it's time to look inward.

 

[Wanda/Wander]

 

[Amalthea]

So it took them nearly 80 years to get the wacky innuendos in Batman?

 

[Dead Man]

So it took them nearly 80 years to get the wacky innuendos in Batman?

That was my take away from it.

 

[Ravek]

Perfect.

When I saw the movie I figured stereotypical conservatives would rage about that plot point. But this is all I have seen so I'm glad it's virtually a non issue.

 

[Shanlei91]

That article is ridiculous, even more so considering Batman's history.

Wouldn't even occur to me to see the gay angle, but maybe that's because I'm so goddamn heterosexual.

When you start seeing gayness everywhere and feeling threatened by it, perhaps it's time to look inward.

You seriously didn't pickup on any homosexual undertones with Batman not wanting to commit to the Joker because he doesn't do relationships? It was basically the plot of tv Hannibal for kids.

 

[The Kree]

That article is ridiculous, even more so considering Batman's history.



You seriously didn't pickup on any homosexual undertones with Batman not wanting to commit to the Joker because he doesn't do relationships?

I thought it was obvious that I was joking and mocking the criticism by referring to myself as so goddamn hetero. My bad.

 

[Shanlei91]

I thought it was obvious that I was joking and mocking the criticism by referring to myself as so goddamn hetero. My bad.

I just know people who talk like that seriously haha

 

[Sesha]

Hahahahahahaha.

Oh wait, you're being serious. Let me laugh even harder.

HAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAhahahahahahaahaahahaahahaaahaaaaaaaaa

”Think the sexual innuendo of the Flintstones minus the real humor,"

You know what, fuck you. Calling Lego Batman part of the "gay agenda" is one thing, but for this I will not stand. I grew up watching the Flintstones. I think I laughed at it twice. That shit was not fucking funny. It was as bland as the toast you have every morning, and more boring than your entire life put together.

 

[shingi70]

I mean the subtext is there in batman in general, but the two men adopting a kid are literally the same man.

 

[Rebel Leader]

They can't be serious.

 

[Sesha]

There is a joke in here about these people being stuck in the 60s with him talking about Batman being gay and referencing Flintstones and claiming it's funny.

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

These damn Hollywood phonies and their gay agenda are out to get us again!

And don't forget the same director is now doing a Nightwing movie. Yet another sinister ploy to turn American men gay thanks to the dark magic of Dick Grayson's beautiful butt.

Robin, corrupting children since 1940.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Or for more of an ear-worm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-RVW1aC6_U

This is nothing new for the franchise. Hell, the Joker having an obsession with Batman, and vice versa, bordering on some sort of an actual relationship has long been a particular observation, whether as just basic one liners by Joker in various adaptations, or an underpinning of the Arkham game series. Sounds like the film just lampoons it along with everything else.

 

[Dryk]

So it took them nearly 80 years to get the wacky innuendos in Batman?

A lot of people only realised that Star Wars has antifascist overtones last year. The world is disappointing.

 

[PhantomX1313]

Only if children would know that it means gay.

 

[Dynasty]

 

[caliph95]

People have been calling out gay subtext of batman since the 50s

 

[WarRock]

I remember the same happening with the first SpongeBob movie. I also want to see these people reading the issue in the current Flintstones comic where marriage is discussed.

 

[Astral Dog]

Oh my

 

[TheRedSnifit]

Joker and Batman are the best couple.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

I did notice it and I was very happy. Especially the "two dads" bit.

Normalise this shit when they're young pls.

 

[LewieP]

Hey lets ignore them.

 

[Count Dookkake]

A refreshing change from the tears over Bruce and Barbara.

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

There is a joke in here about these people being stuck in the 60s with him talking about Batman being gay and referencing Flintstones and claiming it's funny.

Flintstones cartoon humor is alright but more importantly I'd like to see this guy react to this:

Fred in the comic has a mother but for the majority of his childhood he was raised by two gay men.

 

[stuminus3]

Au contraire, the LEGO Batman movie wasn't gay enough for my kids.

 

[caliph95]

Flintstones cartoon humor is alright but more importantly I'd like to see this guy react to this:

Fred in the comic has a mother but for the majority of his childhood he was raised by two gay men.

Weirdly relevant

 

[EGM1966]

One: now they're getting the joke?

Two: why would it matter unless you're a bigot?

 

[adamsappel]

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Bromances are bad now?

I wonder how these writers would handle Pineapple Express, I Love You Man, or Superbad.

 

[MoonsaultSlayer]

My son watches Loud House and is obsessed with reading Captain Underpants. Both of which feature a gay male couple with a kid. And whenever we mention relationships, we make sure we include every pronoun and not just a static "him and her".

The horror!

 

[markofhavoc]

I have a child, help me if I ever get to the point where I see deeper messages in things

 

[WadiumArcadium]

You know you're doing something right when these idiots have a problem with it.

 

[Sou Da]

Next thing you know we're going to pieces about how Superman undermines the police again.

 

[-shadow-]

“Think the sexual innuendo of the Flintstones minus the real humor,”

What film did they watch? I was laughing from beginning to end...

 

[JCX]

Bromances are bad now?

I wonder how these writers would handle Pineapple Express, I Love You Man, or Superbad.

Idk, this felt pretty gay to me compared to Superbad or Pineapple Express. I was actually pretty happy about the movie because of it.

I mean you have

Spoiler

Batman, the body/muscle obsessed archetypal "gay masc bro" who mistakes emotional distance for emotional depth and constructs an elaborate impressive external facade to hide the inner childhood trauma that he never fully got over.

Yes, these things aren't exclusive to gay men or descriptive of all gay men, but they are prevalent enough in my experience as a gay man that it stuck out to me while I saw the movie.

 

[aGuyInaBearSuit]

Just popping in to say how weirdly awesome it is that The Flintstones of all things is one of the most socially aware things in current pop culture.

 

[QuantumZebra]

Fucking laughed out loud

 

[Zombine]

Just popping in to say how weirdly awesome it is that The Flintstones of all things is one of the most socially aware things in current pop culture.

I see your The Flintstones and raise you Snagglepuss

 

[The Technomancer]

Weirdly relevant

Yo is this comic any good? Because I like the look of this

 

[KenzinFive]

People have been calling out gay subtext of batman since the 50s

Shit, they called it out so hard that it partially led to the comics industry being crippled creatively from the 50s through maybe the 80s-90s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seduction_of_the_Innocent

Stupid Comics Code...

 

[Goodstyle]

Joker and Batman are the best couple.

Ya, the gay innuendo between Batman and Joker has existed for years.

 

[hidys]

I chortled

It's just two dudes doing important crime stopping research

Spoiler

Yes boner meant something different in the 60s

 

[Cronen]

They really go out of their way to call the character Richard, and not Dick

 

[Killa Sasa]

Soooo what are and how many of them are there of dope comics like that Snagglepuss or Flintstones?

Also that article is a special type of farce. What an ultramaroon.

 

[RipperGrim]

I guess you could see it from the way joker and batman are with each other but you have to be a massive twat to feel threatened by that.

Also that movie was one of the funniest to come out in a while, I love that version of batman.

 

[Gaogaogao]

if you dont let your kids see the lego batman movie, its just gonna make them want it more, and also hate you.

 

[foppy79]

They really go out of their way to call the character Richard, and not Dick

Spoiler

"Well, children can be cruel sometimes."

 

[shaneskim]