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Jovanna Garcia

Professor Batty

English 102

24 October 2019

Conformity: Influences on Genders

Using the queer theory lens, we can express sexuality through gender identity, gender

expression, biological sex, and sexual orientation. Similarly, the play Angels in America by Tony

Kushner, acknowledges the topic of homosexuality, gender roles, and identity. The characters

Joe and Roy are in denial of their homosexuality. While, Louis and Prior embrace their

homosexuality. On the other hand, Harper and Joe are forced to shape their sexuality based on

their Mormon religion. Although, some people might argue that the play is about the

transmission of AIDS through homosexuality. However, I argue that it’s about influences of

religion on sexuality, power on identity, and society views on gender roles.

One of the themes in the play is how religion plays a big role on female and male

sexuality. Sexuality is how we express ourselves through feelings, desires, and behaviors. While,

religion enforces the ideals of God creating only two genders: male and female. And, how God

forbids any behaviors of impure thoughts, actions, and feelings. This is shown in the play with

Joe and Harper and how their Mormon religion is based on old ideals. For example, when Harper

expresses her sexual thoughts and desires to Joe:

HARPER. I heard on the radio how to give a blowjob.

JOE. What?

HARPER. You want to try?

JOE. You really shouldn’t listen to stuff like that. (27).

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This conversation between Harper and Joe enforces how Mormons shouldn’t express their

sexuality through their pleasures. In other words, they’re supposed to be free of impure thoughts

because it is looked down upon. Which is why Joe tells Harper, she shouldn’t be listening to

such things. Another example is the repression of homosexuality by religion in the play. Which

is why Joe is repressing his true sexuality. He conforms to his beliefs and sticks to them even if

his true desires are yearning to come out. This can be seen when Harper, after finding out from

Prior that Joe is gay, tries to get the truth from Joe. As Harper keeps taunting Joe about his

sexuality, he replies:

Stop it. Stop it. I’m warning you. Does it make any difference? That I might be one thing

deep within, no matter how wrong or ugly that thing is, so long as I have fought, with

everything I have, to kill it. What do you want from me? What do you want from me,

Harper? More than that? For God’s sake, there’s nothing left, I’m a shell. There’s nothing

left to kill. As long as my behavior is what I know it has to be. Decent. Correct. That

alone in the eyes of God. (40-41).

In other words, Joe acknowledges his homosexuality and suppresses those feelings. He does this

because he feels his desires of being with a man is incorrect. Meaning, that Joe is influenced by

his beliefs to act a certain way. In this case, he acts as a heterosexual man because it’s the right

way “in the eyes of God” (41). The article, “The Angels of Fructification”, further touches Joe’s

struggles with his homosexuality. According to the author, “[Joe] has lived according to the rules

by which he was raised--to be a family man, to be devoutly religious, and to be a conservative

Republican” (Fisher). Put differently, Joe grew up with those beliefs being pressed upon him. It

explains why he represses his sexuality, because he was raised to follow and abide by his

religion. In sum, a person’s sexuality is shaped through their religion and through power.
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Another theme is how having power influences identity. Identity is how a person sees

themselves. Based on how a person identifies within themselves, they also want the world to

view them that way. Similarly, the character Roy is an example of a powerful man defining his

identity. Although, it becomes known in the play that Roy is gay, he doesn’t identify himself as a

gay man. Being in a powerful position as a lawyer, Roy creates his identity around it. In Act 1

Scene 9, Henry, Roy’s doctor, gives him the news that he has AIDS. To which Henry claims Roy

contracted while having sex with men. Roy responds by neglecting his homosexuality identity:

Now to someone who does not understand this, homosexual is what I am because I have

sex with men. But really this is wrong. …Because what I am is defined entirely by who I

am. Roy Cohn is not a homosexual. Roy Cohn is a heterosexual man, Henry, who fucks

around with guys. (46-47).

In short, Roy defines himself through his power, not by his sexual preference. He still considers

himself as heterosexual because powerful men aren’t known to be gay. Roy identifies as a

straight male because he believes gay men have “zero clout” (46). Which, in his powerful

position, Roy does have clout. Roy’s “clout” comes from being an important lawyer that people

know. As well as, Roy’s relationships with powerful people. Overall, identity can be influenced

by power and society alike.

Lastly, society impacts the characters’ gender roles. In a traditional society, women are

expected to be housewives and obedient. On the other hand, men are expected to be successful

providers for their family. For example, Harper is a housewife who is addicted to Valium pills.

Therefore, society views drug addict housewives as women who don’t take care of their home.

After finding out from Prior that Joe is a homosexual, Harper decides to burn his dinner. She

claims, “…It just seemed like the kind of thing a mentally deranged sex-starved pill-popping
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housewife would do” (36). Meaning, that Harper is acting out based on how society portrays a

hurting woman. Societal views depict a woman as fragile and feminine. While men are depicted

as masculine and strong. This mindset is shown during Harper’s hallucination with Prior. As she

sees Prior in makeup, she says:

HARPER. You’re wearing makeup.

PRIOR. So are you.

HARPER. But you’re a man. (31).

Harper’s gender role ideals are shaped by society that she only associates makeup with women.

Traditionally, makeup is labeled for women. Which is why, Harper reminds Prior that he is a

male. She is close-minded because of how society categorizes genders into specific boxes/roles.

Another example is when Roy says to Joe, “…The father-son relationship is central to life.

Women are for birth, beginning, but the father is continuance. …” (58). Which means that Roy’s

viewpoint is biased. It is biased because he considers women to only be useful for birth.

According to the article, “Ambivalence, utopia, and a queer sort of materialism”, the reveal of

Harper claiming to be pregnant “not only reinforces the link in the play between femininity and

maternity but also literally hystericizes her” (Savran). Due to Harper’s addiction, her news of

expecting a baby makes her delusional. Furthermore, her femininity is labeled from her fragile

state and maternity capabilities. Next, Roy continues to say, “…Sometimes a father’s love has to

be very, very hard, unfair even, cold to make his son grow strong in a world like this. …” (59).

In their paternal roles, males are often the ones teaching their sons how to be tough. For instance,

fathers aren’t supposed to be nurturing since that is the role of the mother. Overall, the play

portrays males as strong and females as fragile based on societal views.

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In conclusion, the play Angels in America shows how religion, power, and society can

shape a person. Back in the day, being gay was frowned upon. People had to conform their

identities to what society told them was right. Additionally, people were afraid to come out with

their true identities because of fear. Fear of hate crimes, rejection, and of the bad stigma

homosexuality had. But today that has changed. In today’s age, it is more common to see

acceptance and unconditional love in the community. Over the years, society has grown to

embrace the LGBTQ+ community. As newer generations are born, being part of the LGBTQ+ is

no longer considered “weird”, it has become the new normal.

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Works Cited

Fisher, James. “`The Angels of Fructification’: Tennessee Williams, Tony Kushner, and Images

of Homosexuality On..” Mississippi Quarterly, vol. 49, no. 1, Winter95/96 1995, p.

13. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=31h&AN=9706032306&site=eds-live.

Accessed 26 October 2019.

Kushner, Tony. Angels In America : a Gay Fantasia on National Themes. New York :Theatre

Communications Group, 2013.

Savran, David. "Ambivalence, utopia, and a queer sort of materialism: how 'Angels in America'

reconstructs the nation." Theatre Journal, vol. 47, no. 2, 1995, p. 207+. Literature

Resource Center,

https://library.lavc.edu:2480/apps/doc/A17181486/GLS?u=lavc_main&sid=GLS&xid=b

792aeea. Accessed 26 October 2019.