MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

A common focal point in the analyses of Real Women Have Curves (2002) is often centered on the protagonist Ana (America Ferrera), and her relationship with her mother Carmen (Lupe Ontiveros), most likely due to the stereotypical perspectives tied into Latinx mother-daughter relationships. Nevertheless, the film presents several well-constructed supporting characters that are not only integral to the storyline, but also greatly influence Ana’s growth – one key character being her older sister Estela (Ingrid Oliu).

In this project, I analyze the relationship between Ana and Estela in connection to cultural identity and female sexuality. Deconstructing each character separately in relation to the two aforementioned concepts, as well as the intricate relationship between them, serves to provide a deeper understanding of character development and how it influences the film’s overall narrative. I specifically analyze Estela’s character with a queer lens in order to assess what a contextual deconstruction offers her cinematic character – a reading that is intended to highlight the importance of acknowledging the act of queer coding in film. Identifying and acknowledging queer coding is the first step towards debunking cinematic stereotypes and celluloid closets.

Utilizing the queer lens to read films can therefore serve as a foundational groundwork for an improved representation of queerness in film, which is essential to improve the portrayal of female sexuality, particularly beyond heteronormative perspectives. Consequently, the ultimate goal of this project is to shed light on various aspects of Real Women Have Curves and its characters that have not been studied in-depth before. This analysis contributes to the fight for accurate representation in film, by providing a new angle and a different reading that highlights the importance of acknowledging queer coding, and transforming the way it is used in cinema.