Interrogating Chasing Amy

The "sexual natural attitude" that is reflected through our Western culture differs greatly from that of other cultures. Our sexual natural attitude includes human beings falling into two distinct and complementary categories: male and female. Our culture denotes normality as only when two people of different genders have sexual relations or get married. It is a male dominated society where norms are often based on androcentric beliefs (McGann 2005). Our society labels people as heterosexual or homosexual with many inherent stereotypes that go along with the word "homosexual". An alternative point of view is the "sexual script" theory which states that sexuality is socially learned (Seidman 2003). In the film Chasing Amy, many features of the "sexual natural attitude" are both evident as well as challenged. The film also shows many of the characters to have "sexual scripts" which seem to be based on age, race, and class.

The film Chasing Amy is based on a middle class, white male (Holden McNeil) who falls in love with a lesbian named Alyssa Jones. Holden is portrayed as a conservative male who is bound by rigid ideas of what is 'normal' and is ruled by his stereotypes. Alyssa Jones is as experienced as one can get in her search for sexuality and is portrayed as a "non-agenda, male friendly lesbian", by Holden's friend Banky who in himself has problems with finding his true sexual nature. Alyssa is the main character of focus in this essay in that she described herself as not "given a map at birth". Throughout her lifetime she experiments with people of both genders and believes that by confining herself to only one gender she is in turn limiting her options to find true love.

Throughout the film, Holden is burdened by the fact that his relationship with Alyssa could never be "normal". A key component of the "sexual natural attitude" is heteronormativity which implies that each gender has certain natural roles in life. In a heteronormative society, men and women are interpreted to be natural compliments, socially as well as biologically, and especially when it comes to reproduction. Women and men are necessary for procreation, therefore male/female coupling is assumed to be the norm (Schwartz and Rutter 1998). In the movie, Holden desperately wants to be in a 'normal' relationship with Alyssa but finds that this is impossible because he lives in a society in which a relationship with a woman who is known as a lesbian is unusual. He is confined to these views and is unable to break these societal ties even though he is in love with her.

Androcentrism is also a key component of our "sexual natural attitude". In context, it is the fact that male acts of sexuality are taken as the norm and are seen as superior to that which is associated with the female (McGann 2005). Androcentrism is expressed in the film in a multitude of scenes, the most obvious being when Holden and Alyssa get in an argument about what constitutes the act of "sex". Holden believes that "sex" can only be called sex when there is penetration. Alyssa opposes this view vehemently by arguing that just because his view of sex is by penetration with the opposite sex doesn't mean that it is the only way. She explains how there is emotional and physical penetration and a penis is not necessary for the act of sex to occur. As pointed out by sociologist Steven Seidman, "in male dominated America, "normal" women are supposed to be oriented toward vaginal intercourse with the ultimate aim of procreation" (Seidman 2003). Holden's "standards" are directly related to the idea of androcentrism in our western society and how normal sex is viewed as only relations with the opposite sex (meaning a penis is necessary).

The binary aspect of "sexual natural attitude" regards the fact that our western culture views people as being either "heterosexual" or "homosexual" (Schwartz and Rutter 1998). This position is opposed in the movie through Alyssa's character. Alyssa says that love has no gender. She doesn't want to limit her options by only being with people of one sex. She has relations with both men and women and is said to be very sexually experienced. Alyssa is originally identified as being lesbian but it is apparent that she also has feelings for men. Seidman conveys that a women's heterosexual identification may be emotionally weak because of their intimate ties to their mothers (Seidman 2003) Going a step further, it is apparent that all of Alyssa's friends are lesbian women with the exception of Holden which promotes a homosexual atmosphere that is hard to stray away from. Her friends give her a very hard time when they find out she is dating a guy. Alyssa is "bisexual" and therefore does not fit into the binary category of being "heterosexual" or "homosexual".

The common understanding for years had been that homosexuality is largely genetic, based on physical attraction, and unchanging (Stepp 2004). This view is challenged in the movie through two characters. Alyssa Jones' sexuality has been changing ever since she was in high school. She experimented with both guys and girls in high school until eventually she let go of her ties to men. Up until she meets Holden, she calls herself a "lesbian".