It is great to have a mainstream film that depicts the life of a gay high school student. It brings attention to a wider audience than any independent short films. "Love Simon" also displays acceptance, which is quite unusual because a fear of disclosing one’s true self still exists. It brings hope for future generations.
However, the film is a one-sided experience.
When taking into account other aspects of intersecting identities, those that are non-dominant, such as race, class, ability, religion, citizenship, etc. live with a complex layer of misunderstandings and stigma from their communities that were not portrayed in the film.
Acceptance may be provided for the love you may have for another person of the same sex, but your life may hold other factors that would require you to hide the fact that you are gay because of safety. There are other forms of oppression that could heighten with a simple disclosure of announcing the name of the person you love.
The fact that someone is Mexican, Black, or Indonesian does not fade away once they disclose their sexuality.
Their race is still very visible to the eye of society. Their stereotypes are still present, with another tag added, which adds a whole new layer of stereotypes. Additional ways to discriminate that individual. Another complexity is added for anyone who is undocumented or has a disability.
The video lacks diversity, especially when there is an array of experiences when disclosing oneself to others. The movie depicts a world where everyone is equal and nothing matters besides our own humanity. Unfortunately, we live in a world that does not provide even the basic needs a human would need. The USA, as an example, has not provided equal treatment for as long as it has existed.
From what I can see, there a lot of work to be done to where everyone has their needs met.
