It was a good night for lesbians at the Golden Globes. At last night's ceremony out actor Jane Lynch won Best Supporting for Glee, and thanked "my wife" from the podium. And 52-year-old beauty Annette Bening won Best Actress in a Comedy for her complex and moving performance as an alpha lesbian in The Kids Are All Right. When her name was announced as the winner, Bening reached for her co-star, Julianne Moore, who was seated nearby, and kissed Moore on the lips. It was just an affectionate peck, but still significant, considering the two women played a married couple in the movie and provided mainstream audiences with the most visible portrayal of a lesbian couple ever on film. (Does anyone want to dispute that?) To my surprise and delight, Bening elaborated on the lesbian relationship during her acceptance speech, referring to Moore as "my partner" and their on-screen children as "our kids," as if the relationships maintained a real presence in her life. Bening seemed truly proud of Nic, not just proud of the praise her performance has received. I assume she will be nominated for an Oscar, and I very much hope she wins.Bening's graciousness toward the queer community is made all the more relevant by a sensitive situation in her own family. Her 19-year old daughter is trans, identifies as male, and has announced plans for sex reassignment surgery, according to the UK's Daily Mail. Bening is reportedly trying to be supportive but is upset with the news. Husband, father, and Hollywood legend Warren Beatty is apparently "crushed." I can imagine it is difficult for parents to adjust to having a trans child. The offspring, meanwhile, is enrolled at a fine East Coast college that is a leader in supporting transgender students. The college has de-genderized its housing and bathroom facilities, adopted policies to support trans students, and offers an undergraduate program in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies. While I wish the best for young trans people and support their right to choose their identity, I do hope there is not a rush to surgery at such a young age when one's identity is still in flux. Plus, we like butches.
