CODA Explores the World of a Hearing Child With Deaf Parents

There's a theme in CODA -- the film that swept the Sundance Film Festival and will now premiere in theaters and on Apple TV+ on August 13 -- to which many an LGBTQ+ teen can relate. When 17-year-old Ruby (played perfectly by Emilia Jones, above) is torn between love of her family (who are all deaf, except her) and who she really is and wants to be (a singer, something they can't understand), she struggles to bridge the gap between what her family wants and what she needs. She hides it as long as she can, but even they see that something is happening. (And, yes, there's a boy, but really that story is secondary at best, and Ruby codes queer throughout, so it's easy to read the character as such.)

While she spends much of her time acting as an interpreter, navigating the hearing world for her working-class parents (The L Word's Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, pictured below), Ruby sneaks time to join the high school choir. For a girl who talked "deaf" in elementary school, her ability to sing is a surprise to many. With the encouragement of her choir teacher (Eugenio Derbez in a role that should have been gay), she considers applying to a prestigious music school (which would mean leaving her parents).

Trending stories

Elon Musk deadnames his 'killed' child — his trans daughter claps back

How climate disasters hurt mental health in young people

Exclusive: Mike Maimone honors late husband Howard Bragman in new single “On My Way”

SFAF's Dr. Tyler TerMeer says he'll continue to fight for health care for all

Gerald Garth is determined to keep people of color happy and healthy through trying times

BREAKING NEWS: Trump admin moves to end federal HIV prevention programs

Discover why chic Costa Navarino is Europe's luxury getaway

'White Lotus' S3 E6 recap: We need to talk about the incest storyline

Pride journey Walla Walla: An LGBTQ+ wine, food, and adventure getaway

Trump's orders prompt CDC to erase HIV resources

Kelly Marie Tran says all of her roles are queer — including her latest in 'Control Freak'

10 lesbian sports movies that are total game-changers

Lana Ja'Rae was the ingenue of 'Drag Race' S17. Why are you mad, sis?

All 6 rogue Mississippi cops got long prison sentences in 'Goon Squad' torture of 2 Black men

Elon Musk uses burner accounts on X, doesn’t fact-check: report

France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution

Lexi Love goes public with HIV status after Trump wipes resources from federal website

Vivian Wilson calls father Elon Musk a 'pathetic manchild' in new tell-all interview

11 hypocritical MAGA politicians and supporters accused of sexual harassment and assault

Suzie Toot says the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' cast 'got hate crimed' in Las Vegas

Yellowjackets' Liv Hewson: Breaking Hollywood's binary is 'doable'

Where to stay in LGBTQ+ Ireland: Castles, domes and luxury retreats

From rock legends to Pride flags: Discover the vibrant LGBTQ+ scene in Asbury Park

How RuPaul dragified Las Vegas with a triumphant comeback

Joe Biden has tied the record for most LGBTQ+ judges confirmed in federal courts

• 0
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8

This film, which was the first to win all the top drama prizes at Sundance, is really about a girl falling in love with something so foreign to her parents that it seems like they're losing her to something they don't quite approve of (how do you understand music if you can't hear?) Ruby, like many kids before her, faces agonizing choices, but it's the journey of the discovery that makes the film great.