It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives

In this film, the word “homosexual” (Schwul) is uttered 90 times, which in 1971 was still used in derogatory terms, two years after the abolition of Section 175 of the German Penal Code, which criminalized homosexual acts between men. Homosexuals had not yet taken the word back. 

The film’s commentary track is presented in a declamatory tone to images showing clichéd scenes with homosexuals, which provoked both those who did not want to hear about it and those who could not bear the use of the word. The film was aimed specifically at the homosexual scene, which Praunheim accused of self-imposed invisibility. The modern German gay movement developed from the discourse of visibility triggered by the film. A rare example of a film that has had a direct socio-political impact, and is as relevant today as it was when it was released.