Is James Cameron’s “Avatar” offensive to transgender people?

It’s been quite a few years since James Cameron’s blockbuster, Avatar, first graced the silver screen. Have you had a chance to watch it yet? Probably, it was one of the highest grossing films ever. But it’s success, and spawn of a second, won’t stop us from weighing in on the grassroots effort to boycott the film because it offends transgender people.

We’re still trying to understand the perceived connections between the movie and concerns from transgender individuals or those who believe in evolution. We get more colonizer vibe, to be honest. I mean, it’s Ferngully with a multi-million dollar budget.

But let’s hear the thoughts of Internet conspiracy theorists on why Avatar is offensive to transgender people. Here’s some snippets of the convo with Stop Avatar Movie:

Why stop the Avatar movie?

In short, Avatar has hetrosexual themes, that’s why. Not that hetrosexual themes are anything new in American films but when you consider the context in which the Avatar story is set, the message of this film is highly irresponsible.

Here’s a summary of what is wrong with the Avatar film:

1) Avatar assumes that the hetrosexual, “male” and “female” attraction will still be the primary relationship basis in the future.

2) Avatar ignores the fact of Evolution. Humans are evolving to be being Transgender, NOT hetrosexual.

3) Avatar also assumes that intelligent beings on other worlds would be hetrosexual.

In addition, the film uses militaristic themes and promotes violence as a means of story-telling and social context.

Quotes from a conversation with Stop Avatar Movie protestors

While we’d LOVE to see a world that’s evolved into mostly transgender humans, are we the only ones who envision 2154 as a world where heterosexuality still reigns supreme? And where “conventional” biological sexes outnumber transgender individuals? Let’s not forget, a lot of people would have to get cool with things REALLY quickly in order for that to happen. (We’re looking at you, Mitch McConnell.)

But, hey, remember, folks, we’re talking about a movie here! So while we appreciate these musings, let’s not lose sight of the fact that cinema thrives on imagination and alternative realities. Like, y’know, the straights still being okay over a hundred years from now.

There were even protests mounted, which the website promised “thousands” of people will be taking part in. You know, because of all the ridiculous gender norms Cameron employs:

One has to wonder about the thought process involved in the making of Avatar. Who decided that the Jake Sully character in Avatar had be “hetrosexual” or “straight”? And why have him engaged in a hetro-type relation with someone from another world? Was there anyone who pointed out that this film was taking place in the FUTURE and it would be more likely, given current evolutionary trends that Jake would be gay, bi or transgender?

The film also makes a gross assumption that the old hetrosexual ways on Earth would somehow be occurring with another race of being on a totally different world with its own unique culture.

But the bigger point this whole protest misses? There is a human being having a sexual relationship with a space alien! Isn’t that a better reason to get upset? ‘Cause, like, ews-ville. Plus, the obvious Native American references are pretty gross.

Even though these allegations of Avatar being offensive to transgender people didn’t stop us from getting Avatar 2, we can see where they’re coming from. Solidarity, folks.

Why did the Na’vi from Avatar subscribe to the Queerty newsletter? To learn about humans, one dick pic at a time!