Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno Sparks Concern By Gay Marriage Group

Courtesy of SplashNews.com

New film Bruno could harm a campaign by gay men for the right to marry and adopt children. Gay advocates have reacted with caution to Sacha Baron Cohen's movie about an Austrian fashionista. The film's maker, Universal, has said it intends to satirise homophobia.

"We do feel the intentions of the filmmakers are in the right place - satire of this form can unmask homophobia - but at the same time it can heighten people's discomfort with our community," said Rashad Robinson, senior director of media programs for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Robinson said a scene where Bruno appears to have sex in a bathtub with a man while a baby sits nearby worried him. "That wasn't really unmasking homophobia, and especially in a country where same-sex couples can still be denied the ability to adopt children that they've raised since birth.

Trivialising gay families isn't a joke," he said. GLAAD has reportedly asked for a message to be added to the movie in which Cohen would address the importance of gay rights and tolerance.

Universal said: "Bruno uses provocative comedy to powerfully shed light on the absurdity of many kinds of intolerance and ignorance, including homophobia."

Provided by: Philippa Bourke / Splash News