Discovering Identity

Debbie Harry Sings in French explores an adolescent boy's journey in discovering his own identity. Due to his slight build and his Goth style, Johnny has always been teased as gay, but he has never felt attracted to men.

Johnny mentions wanting to feel beautiful and strong like Debbie Harry, so Maria gives Johnny the opportunity to explore trying on a woman's dress. Maria's support of this is central to Johnny allowing himself the exploration. Even in the dress, he doesn't immediately recognize that this is what he wants to be. Maria encourages him to take a second opportunity to dress like a woman, this time in front of other people. The first person to see him, aside from Maria, is Sam. The accidental meeting goes much better than Johnny could expect, and Johnny does not walk away from it feeling embarrassed at all. When Johnny gets...