I'm so thankful I saw this film when I did.
I was 12, living in the bigoted shit hole known as the Bible Belt. Teachers at school literally made Matthew Shepard and AIDS jokes.
But when Brokeback hit, I noticed a huge change in people's attitudes. I think it was seeing two rural roughneck guys living life as gay men. It decoupled queerness from the stigma of being a "sissy" or unmasculine.
It really was a courageous film, and it remains one of my favorites.
It gave a confused little boy the courage to eventually embrace his queerness, lube up his tight little boipussy, and go cruising for cock at the bear and twink bars. It made assfucking "cool", and even though I bled during my first few bathhouse and gloryhole visits, it was soooo worth it.
Thanks, Ang Lee, for your bravery in deifying the magic of butthole tingles on-screen.
