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Insects in the Backyard
Movie

Insects in the Backyard

2011 • Unknown

Woke Score
9
out of 10

Plot

In the absence of their parents, Johnny and Jennifer are being brought up by their sister Tanya, an overdressed transvestite. Both kids mess up their pursuit of romance, and both look for ways to break away from the family home and become independent.

Overall Series Review

The film centers on the deeply dysfunctional family life of a transgender parent, Tanya, and her two sexually active teenage children, Johnny and Jenny. The narrative explores pervasive loneliness and the collapse of the traditional family unit, with Tanya being a neglectful parent who engages in erratic behavior. Both children, uncomfortable with their parent's identity, seek independence by entering the sex trade, a plot point that caused the film to be censored. The narrative strongly avoids moralistic judgment, instead proposing that moral truth is entirely subjective. This commitment to moral relativism, combined with the centering of non-normative gender and sexual identity, places the film squarely in the realm of highly politicized media.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics7/10

The narrative is primarily driven by a central character defined by a non-traditional gender identity. The conflict for the children is rooted in their discomfort with their father being a transgender woman. The story architecture is built around this specific identity, prioritizing it as the core subject matter.

Oikophobia9/10

The central institution of the family is presented as fundamentally broken, with an irresponsible adult and children who seek escape by engaging in prostitution. This deconstruction of the home and familial stability is severe. The film’s rejection of moralistic commentary operates as a critique of cultural and public morality, especially given its censorship.

Feminism8/10

The primary parental figure, Tanya, is not a 'Girl Boss,' but the depiction of parenthood is entirely anti-natalist. The biological mother died in childbirth, and the new caregiver is neglectful and self-absorbed. The daughter's journey toward independence involves self-destructive sexual behavior, reinforcing a deeply negative view of familial structure and traditional female roles.

LGBTQ+10/10

The narrative centers entirely on alternative sexuality and gender identity. The primary character is a transgender woman who was the biological father. The core familial conflict is her gender identity, which deconstructs the nuclear family structure by placing a transgender figure in the parental role. Teenage children engaging in prostitution further foregrounds alternative and transgressive sexual activity.

Anti-Theism9/10

The film explicitly promotes moral relativism through a character stating that 'Nothing in the world is wrong. It depends on who judges it.' This philosophical centerpiece dismisses the existence of Objective Truth and higher moral law, framing morality as subjective power dynamics rather than a transcendent reality. The refusal of 'easy explanations' is a refusal of moral accountability.