James Bond made me gay.
Of course, this is impossible, for, as we all very well know, being a part of the LGBTQ community is not as simple as that. But indulge me for a moment. As an average, white English-speaking woman I have bought into the James Bond phenomenon — not only the new Daniel Craig version, but also the classics, starring Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and Roger Moore. I grew up with all of these beloved British Secret Service agents and they always held a special place in my heart. But what were their movies doing to me — what was I learning?
The long sensual introductions with silhouetted women dancing for my viewing pleasure or the hyper-sexualized female characters with names that you would only otherwise find in a porno — how were these things affecting me as an audience? These movies were obviously made for a male audience and, as such, when we as women watch them, we are put into the male role. We are asked to identify with this hairy, muscular, dangerous man who can get Pussy Galore. We look through his eyes as he ogles these women and we are asked to go along with this sexist narrative.
In short, James Bond is asking us to be ok with women being the object of his gaze. And why wouldn’t we? He is a hero, a real man, and one who is just collecting his just reward for all of the work he does to keep us safe. It is these Bond women’s job to keep him happy and satisfied until he can return home to his steadfast Money Penny, who epitomizes all other desired womanly qualities: obedience, compliance, stewardship.
And so ends another day in the perfect world of James Bond, right? Wrong. Why is it that this kind of overt sexism is tolerated by women, who not only watch it but strive for the standard that is being set? Has no one noticed the type-cast roles women have been restricted to in the media, specifically the movie industry? Some might justify it with, “Well, women like attention.” Well, there is a difference between attention and objectification. So as I sit here and watch these movies and am bombarded with images of beautiful and sexually appealing women, I can't help but think, "Is James Bond making me gay?!"
