Geography Club (2013) shows the importance of coming out on your own terms
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The film Geography Club (2013) is about a group of teens at Goodkind High School who form an afterschool club to explore their feelings around their sexual orientations. They call the club “Geography Club” because it sounds boring; they do not think anyone will come to the club without being invited. That way they can have a safe space where they are not being judged.
I was 12 or 13 when I first watched this movie. At the time I was questioning my sexuality and I was terrified that if I was honest about my feelings I would be judged by my friends and family. Seeing a movie where high schoolers not much older than me were able to carve out a safe space for themselves was very inspiring. Throughout the movie we follow the protagonist, Russell, who is outed to the whole school by another character in the middle of the movie, and then has to endure bullying because of his sexuality. Being outed can be a very traumatic and potentially dangerous situation for many queer people, but Russell keeps attending the Geography Club for support. Towards the end of the movie, the Geography Club opens up to the school and rebrands itself as a Gay Straight Alliance. The members of the new club put posters all over the school, encouraging other students to join them, and at the end of the movie characters of various sexualities attend the Gay Straight Alliance.
I believe that the high school was called Goodkind High School in this movie in order to emphasize that this was a typical high school and the people in it were “good” and “kind” meaning that they were for the most part accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. Despite Russell being bullied for being gay, the overwhelming majority of the school is accepting of LGBTQ+ people. Even in a school where many allies attended the Gay Straight Alliance one of the other main characters, Kevin, who is Russell’s love interest, does not attend the meeting because he is not ready to come out.
Additionally, Kevin has gay uncles who both his parents are very accepting of. Even though he has people that are supportive in his life and accept the LGBTQ+ community, Kevin still is not ready to come out. This could be because he has not truly accepted himself yet, which is a completely valid part of the process. Kevin not coming out at the end of the movie is an important detail because it shows that everyone is on a different path in life and it is important to let everyone come out in their own time. This is also an important lesson in boundaries and sacrifices people are willing to make in their relationships. I ended up telling my friends about my sexuality a few months later and they accepted me wholeheartedly. Now, years later, I am out to most people, although there are still people I have not told. Coming out is an incredibly personal journey and it does not have to happen all at once.
The movie Geography Club (2013) taught me that not everyone has the same journey. It is important to make space for yourself and others who may want or need it, as well as accept that everyone is at a different place in life. Russell was outed but he was able to make space for himself and embrace himself authentically. Kevin was not ready to come out and he preferred to explore his feelings in private. Other characters came out on their own terms when they felt comfortable. All of these are equally valid and valuable perspectives on the LGBTQ+ community.