Caveat
As a heterosexual female, I have had the luxury of falling in love without fear. I’ve not had to hide my love so I’m perhaps not equipped to pass comment on Jack and Ennis’ sexuality as I cannot speak from experience. That being said, I would like to join in this discussion.
Jack
I think that Jack was gay. He checked out the rodeo cowboy in the bar and was given a fairly swift brush off. He was told by Ennis that their relationship would never be out in the open. Lureen came along after these events and we saw him dance with her, but gaze of into the distance whilst looking over her shoulder. He looked ‘thoughtfully sad’. I think he was contemplating whether or not he should continue with her. He had sex with her that evening and the next thing we, the viewers, see is that she is pregnant-was it a one night stand? Did he simply do his duty, or see her as his ‘cover’? We never see Jack with any other female, only Ennis, male prostitutes and the assumption that he started a relationship with Randall. He had sexual desire for men.
Ennis
I honestly believe that for Ennis, what he did with Jack was not a homosexual act. He talks about “two guys living together” and “get together once in a while”. He doesn’t actually talk about them BEING together. He is with women throughout, there is not even a hint that he has had a relationship with any other man. I think that he controlled his life, however “this thing” he had with Jack was the one thing he couldn’t control, “because a’ you I’m like this”. I have said in other posts that I do not think that Ennis EVER tried to rationalise his feelings deeper. I think that his relationship with Jack was what it was and he didn’t ever actually think through what it meant for him. Ultimately, I don’t think that he saw himself as having sex with a man, I think he made love with Jack.
