Sexuality
The Sisters
A group of homosexual prison rapists, lead by Bogs Diamond.
The group constantly terrorizes the main character, Andy, through violent sexual advances. They even beat him "within an inch of his life" on one occasion. Andy tries to avoid them and must fight for his life against them often, until the Warden decides to use Andy and has Byron Hadley, one of the prison guards, beat Bogs until he is paralyzed and transferred to a different prison.
"I don't suppose it would help any if I explain to them I'm not homosexual."
"Neither are they... have to be human first."
The films only inclusion and portrayal of homosexual characters are violent, and hated villians; people who harm and terrorize the main character. While there are individuals and scenarios very similar to this in actual prison life, it can be detrimental to the image the public sees and accepts when they think of gay men. Without a counter-image, this singular harmful image is all that the public sees and may think of when they think of homosexual men in prison.