NICHT DER HOMOSEXUELLE IST PERVERS, SONDERN DIE SITUATION, IN DER ER LEBT

Daniel, a young man from the countryside, comes to Berlin and happens to meet Clemens there. The two fall deeply in love. They move in together and try to emulate a conventional marriage. But after four months, their happiness comes to an end. Daniel has since met an older, wealthy man and moves in with him at his villa.

But soon, during a music evening, his older boyfriend cheats on him. To him, Daniel was just an object. Daniel now works in a gay café, dresses in the latest fashions, and quickly learns to adapt to the ideals of the subculture. He spends his free time at the beach and basks in the admiration. At night, he goes to gay bars and becomes increasingly addicted to his constantly changing sexual adventures. After some time, he discovers the exotic allure of gay parks and restrooms. He witnesses older gay men being beaten up by bikers. Eventually, he ends up in a transvestite bar, where everyone who hasn’t found a partner by that late hour gathers. There he meets Paul, who takes him to his gay shared apartment. The group discusses his problems with him. They make it clear to him that he’s leading a superficial life. His duty as an emancipated gay man is to come out and create something more meaningful than just fashion and sex. They suggest that he get involved in political organizing and, together with other gay men, reflect on humane ways of living together.

Praunheim’s attacks are directed not against external oppressors, but against his own community. The situation in which the gay man lives is of his own making: that is the film’s thesis. The result was confusion, outrage, and consternation within the gay community, but it also sparked movement, action, coming out, and solidarity. The film’s broadcast on German television became a scandal. WDR, which had commissioned the film, was the only broadcaster to air it. The planned simultaneous broadcast on ARD was canceled at the last minute. ARD aired the film a year later; Bavaria subsequently pulled out of the broadcast.