Pretty much every member of the gay community experiences prejudice in different forms. While it may not seem like much to the average viewer, to a bisexual person that stands out like a sore thumb. There's a subtlety to the fact that she rarely calls herself a lesbian in the film, she just says gay. But many people still view that since Holden starts the story with that binary mindset, it means that the film is also reinforcing the binary.
This common criticism is not altogether an unwarranted one, and his comment about it being about growth is evident, because it's about evolving beyond the point of even considering that someone can be 'turned' into a different sexuality. It's a plot that on face value is almost insulting, insinuating that a lesbian is waiting for the right man to 'turn' her straight. The story follows a lesbian character named Alyssa ( Joey Lauren Adams) starting a relationship with a man, Holden ( Ben Affleck). Smith has stated the movie as being what 'resurrected my fledgling career after the world largely ignored my second film.' But on the other hand, he has also said that the film 'was chiefly a vehicle for change and growth, both professionally and personally.' The need for growth is even established in the plot. Directed by Kevin Smith, the film is a pretty early example of a mainstream movie being about queer culture. Chasing Amy is a movie is that, for better or worse, wears its heart on its sleeve.
