Key Words

Alternative: Describes any media product that challenges dominant or mainstream values and ideology.

"Breakfast On Pluto" features many characters from minority groups, such as disabled, ethnic minorities and obviously protagonist Kitten who is a cross-dresser. Furthermore, Kitten is a homosexual which also challenges society's norms.

Art House: A cinematic production generated by aesthetic and cultural production values rather than commercial considerations.

"Breakfast On Pluto" is an arthouse film. I found a website that looks at the box office takings for the film: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=breakfastonpluto.htm.

Butler, Judith (1956-): Professor of comparative literature and rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley. Butler is associated with the 'queer theory'- studies that question sexuality, gender identity and their representation in the media.

The Queer Theory is very important to my independent study as cross-dressing is classified based on a clear definition of the clothing of each gender. If considered in terms of the queer theory, the label of cross-dressing would be redundant.

Circular Narrative: A narrative in which the story-line ends where it began.

The opening scene of "Breakfast On Pluto" is where the story finally comes to an end.

Coming-Of-Age Film: A film type that deals with puberty, adolescence, the growth of maturity and the search for sexual identity as set against the loss of innocence, childhood dreams and the difficulties of growing up.

The film begins with Patrick "Kitten" Braden left as a baby on the priest's doorstep and follows him from trying on his sister's dresses as a young boy to his schooldays as a teenager and beyond.

Counterculture: A subculture that rejects the mainstream values of a society and offers a parallel, alternative way of life.

This can be seen in Kitten's life as a transvestite, a prostitute and is evident in the 1970s glam rock movement.

Gender: Psychological and cultural aspects of behaviour associated with masculinity or femininity, acquired through socialisation, in accordance with the expectations of a particular society.

Gender is obviously a very important issue when discussing cross-dressing. The definition of masculinity and feminity in our society dictates what is classified as clothing or behaviour belonging to each gender.