June is Pride Month and I thought it would be a great time to review “Soldier’s Girl,” an iconic, cult classic based on a true story. Sixteen years have passed since the original 2003 release. Several historic achievements have occurred. The U.S. Supreme Court removed a 50-state ban on same-sex marriage and access to medical benefits increased. Unfortunately, the queer community continues to face many of the same challenges.
In “Soldier’s Girl,” many in the queer community can relate to new Army recruit Barry Winchell (Troy Garity). His story is their story. It’s a story that needs to be told. Barry is assigned to a base in Tennessee. He meets Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace), a transsexual drag queen that dazzles Barry. When they become romantically involved, Barry’s friend and fellow soldier Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy) become jealous. Justin recruits another soldier (Philip Eddolls) to help get revenge on Justin.
Barry is harassed and the pressure builds until he is murdered by another soldier, Calvin Glover (Philip Eddolls). The takeaway is not just the obvious, which is the hate crime against Barry, but Justin’s inability to embrace his own truth. Justine becomes jealous of Barry’s relationship with Calpernia. His anger and need to seek revenge go beyond what he may feel about Barry’s queer relationship. It speaks of his attraction to Barry and denial of that attraction. The rage the Justin exhibited was personal. He loved Barry. This was evident in his inability to kill Barry himself. He had another person commit the murder.
“Soldier’s Girl” resonates with those who can identify with Justin. Not having anyone they can speak with for fear of retribution. The desire to live their truth is hindered by situations they can’t control. They feel trapped and alone. Even though Justin could have confided in Barry, he used drugs to escape the pressures he was experiencing. Instead of speaking with his friend, he kept his angered bottled until it swelled with rage. It was clearly a mixture of deep pain, resentment, and guilt. This is a dangerous combination that must be diffused.
In the military, there was the “don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) policy about a soldier’s sexual orientation. It ended in 2011. Now, a soldier can request a sex-change operation. Again, times have changed, but the issues remain. Many still believe they can’t reveal their orientation for fear of retribution. There are still hurdles to climb and “Soldier’s Girl” continues to shed life on issues the queer community currently experience.
Lee won a Gotham for Breakthrough Award. The film was nominated for several film awards and won a Peabody Award.
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