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Arely Alvarez

Professor Holly Batty

English 102

24 October 2019

Breaking Binary

Angels in America is a play written by Tony Kushner that plays around with the dynamic

of binary groups in American society. Playing with common themes in life that don't reach the

mainstream media. It is not often that we see a queer Mormon or a successful lawyer with aids,

especially in the time period the play is set and was written (the 1980s). The play also plays with

character casting, a character can be played by one person, like with the characters the Rabbi and

Hannah, breaking the binary. ​Angels in America​, the play plays with ideas and themes that

weren’t so talked about in the 20​th century and have only started to graze the surface in the 21​st

century. Whether it be forgiveness and redemption, inner conflict, and community. While there

are some that believe there is enough LGBTQ+ representation, American still has ground to

cover in regards to Queer Theory esecially in the media and day to day life, Angels in America

helped start a notion for change.

Angels in America takes place in the 1980s during the AIDS crisis in the States. ​ Angels

in America​ follows the stories of two troubled couples, a gay couple and a straight couple. Louis

Ironson is a "word processor" and his partner is Prior Walter. On the other side, we have a

Mormon lawyer Joe Pitt and his wife Harper. The play stats off after the funeral of Louis's

grandmother, Prior tells him that he has AIDS, which leads Louis to go into a spiral. He attempts

to take care of Prior but realizes he cannot. Meanwhile, Joe is offered a job in the Justice
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Department by Roy Cohn, his so-called mentor, and friend, to go to Washington. However,

Harper, who is addicted to Valium and suffers anxiety and hallucinations, does not want to move

to Washington. The two couples' fates quickly become intertwined when Joe stumbles on Louis

crying in the bathroom of the courthouse where they work. They strike up an unlikely friendship

based in part on Louis's suspicion that Joe is gay. Harper and Prior also meet, in a fantastical

mutual dream sequence where Prior is operating in the "threshold of revelation. " He reveals to

Harper that her husband is a closeted homosexual. Harper then confronts Joe, who denies it, but

the struggle to deny it is obvious, (Kushner).

Kushner uses actors to double on characters to break binary. Both the Rabbi and Hannah

are played by the same actress. Breaking the concept that only males can play cis males and only

females can play cis females that are commonly seen. Leading to conversations of nonbinary

pronouns. Similarly to how there are children cartoon shows on the rise that have touched upon

LGBTQ+ topics, specifically ​Steven Universe. I​ n an article by Athena Schwartz, ​Breaking The

Binary: How 'Steven Universe' Empowered Me To Claim My They/Them Pronouns, ​Schwartz

touches upon how some characters fuse together to form a more powerful being since they are

the protectors of the world called the Crystal Gems. Being able to see characters, whether it be in

a cartoon, play, or book, it helps empower those individuals that struggle with their self.

Especially when they do not see others similar to them in the media. Kushner used this subtle

form of being nonbinary because this kind of representation was not common at the time the play

was published. It truly is those small details that can make a world of difference to others, that is

how Kushner is breaking binary.

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While it is common to see LGBTQ+ acceptance around some major cities like San

Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, not everybody is on board. There are parts of the States

that are homophobic and transphobic. They believe that because the Bible said that Adam and

Eve were made that there being a same-sex couple is ungodly. It is against God’s work. Having a

pride parade for them is more than enough representation in the media for them. If anything for

some it seems excessive. In some schools in the South, the LGBTQ is not talked about, and Pride

events are not even streamed on the local television. Traditions say that there is an excessive

amount of LGBTQ+ representation in the media.

Since there are some that have traditionalist beliefs on the LGBTQ+ community is held

so closely to them, others have suffered. Some have lost their jobs and even their lives to this

kind of mindset. It is truly heartbreaking to read on the media of suicides of young people simply

because their own family could not handle the fact that their son or daughter is gay. In the play

Angels in America Joe calls his mom Hannah late one night drunk. He confesses to her that he is

gay and that he goes to central park at night to watch other men. Hannah quickly shuts it down

and says that hes just drunk and should go back to his wife (Kushner). This a very common

situation, many have tried to come out to family members to only be shoved back in the closet

that they were originally trying to get out of. Many people feel trapped because they have no role

model in their life that could help them get out and find that support system that they need and

crave. Due to this very reason and stories like these in the LGBTQ+ community there is a

stronger need for more representation in the media and the world at large. So people do not feel

isolated.
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It is common to see what brings harmony to others can bring the conflict to others.

Forgiveness and redemption is a common theme among most religions. In the play both Joe and

Louis explore these ideas in their own religion. In Mormonism forgiveness is a thing, while in

the Jewish community it is not and they have to live with their guilt (Kushner). This is what

brings both characters into a spiral with their beliefs. They both are trying to do what is right, but

their inner conflict with their feelings is holding them back. Inner conflict in a person is a lot

more intense than having a conflict with another individual. Looking deep in one's self is a

challenge on its own but when there is an inner fight, the individual is their own worst enemy.

Fighting for what's right for their own person versus what is right in their morals that they grew

up with. All leading them to seek forgiveness and redemption. It seems as if they are in a

restrictive chair where the straps are tie tight. Only by setting themselves free and accepting their

conflicts will they be able to be untied.

Finding the right community can be a breath of fresh air. No longer having the

feeling of isolation. Being able to feel part of a community to have a support system of peers that

are going to similar situations. ​Angles in America​ served as that starting spot for LGBTQ

representation. There is still a long way to go but progress is being made. We have kids tv shows

that are showing them from a young age that they are normal and there is nothing wrong with

them. Helping prevent that isolation that many of thos in the LGBTQ feel. Angles in America

helps break that binary.

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Works Cited

“Breaking the Binary: How ‘Steven Universe’ Empowered Me to Claim My They/Them

Pronouns.” ​States News Service​, 2018. ​EBSCOhost,​ search.ebscohost.com/login.

aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.543563526&site=eds-live.

Kushner, Tony. ​Angels in America​. "L'avant-scène théâtre, 2007.