Parents' Guide to

Do I Sound Gay?

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Very personal docu explores gay stereotypes, self-discovery.

Movie NR 2015 78 minutes
Do I Sound Gay? Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 3+

Based on 1 parent review

caca B.
caca B. Parent of 2-year-old
March 16, 2023
age 3+

No gay child pese

My kids are reading des. why are you teking tem bout gaayness monster.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Finding himself suddenly single and in his 40s, filmmaker David Thorpe decides to take a deep dive into his psyche, trying to figure out what it means to be a modern gay man. Specifically, in DO I SOUND GAY? he wants to find out more about his speech patterns and whether he has what some might describe as a "gay accent" ... and if so, how did he pick it up, and can he change it? From there, he expands his focus to social norms in the larger gay community, including vocal habits, and how certain traits have come to be seen as stereotypical homosexual traits.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

This interesting film follows Thorpe as he explores what he considers a "problem" that has bothered him for years: his obsession about "sounding gay." He wonders, "Who can respect, much less love, an old braying ninny like me?" So begins this film, which takes Thorpe on visits with experts including a speech pathologist, a voice coach, and a speech scientist -- as well as friends and celebrities like Tim Gunn, David Sedaris, and George Takei) -- all while he examines the stereotypes people knowingly or unknowingly tap into as part of daily life.

Fascinating and often funny, though at times overly detailed with minutiae, Do I Sound Gay? is part linguistics study, part sociology, and part memoir, making for a compelling whole. Thorpe invites viewers to join him on his journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance, taking interesting detours into TV and film history, speech therapy, and his South Carolina family's past. There are some surprising takeaways, such as how villains speak in Disney movies, which somewhat justifies the movie's meanderings. But it would have benefited from a more refreshing ending -- or at least a more refreshing route with fewer breadcrumbs on the trail that viewers couldn't easily spot coming.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the premise of Do I Sound Gay? Is there such a thing as a "gay accent"? What does David Thorpe learn about himself and about stereotypes throughout the course of making the film?

  • What does Thorpe's examination of his speech patterns reveal about the broader gay community?

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