Why do the gay characters always die in movies?

Why is there never a happy ending for gay characters on film? Naw, you know what we mean.

There's no settling down in the suburbs, no walking hand-in-hand into the sunset - heck, there's rarely even a break-up. For gay characters on the big screen, there seems to be only one end and that end is resolute: death. Yes, from awards season fare to independent dramas, same-sex sirens don't get a fair deal. The credits roll with either a horrific or poignant death. Those with a happy ending are so rare (Imagine Me & You), the ones where the couples end up broken-hearted yet - significantly - still with beating hearts are considered a win (Carol, Blue Is The Warmest Colour). And this isn't a minor trend either: it spans decades and directors. Here's a quick look at some of the movies that haven't seen their protagonists defeat the Grim Reaper.

Warning: SPOILERS ABOUND.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Not only does one of the main characters end up the victim or a hate crime, there's also a graphic flashback to a homosexual character who was dragged around the desert by his penis until dead.

Monster (2003)

The story of serial killer Aileen Wuornos ended in her death, with the fictional narrative playing very closely to her real-life one.

Philadelphia (1993)

Hollywood's default method of killing of gay characters: AIDS. It surged in popularity on screen in the 90s before 'random, tragic accident' over took as the leading cause of death.

Rent (2005)

In a story where essentially every character has AIDS, is HIV-positive or suffering from some form of serious addiction it's actually remarkable only one main protagonist passes away.

Holding The Man (2015)

Based on the real-life memoir of Australian writer and activist Tim Conigrave, this Aussie film is a harsh look at the realities for a young gay couple growing up in Australia.

Hilary Swank and Chloe Sevigny in 'Boys Don't Cry' (1999), a film that highlighted trans hate crimes. Source: AAP

Boys Don't Cry (1999)

The true story of American trans man Brandon Teena is not a cheery one, with little time spent in the film on the burgeoning romance between Brandon and Lana and more time given to his brutal death and sexual assault at the hands of male acquaintances.

Prayers For Bobby (2009)

The whole premise is based on the suicide of a young, gay teenager who can no longer handle his mother's religious intolerance which  - evidently - leads to her becoming a gay rights campaigner.

Milk (2008)

Again, an argument could be made that since this was based on a historical figure the ending to their story - tragic or otherwise - was unavoidable. Yet Harvey Milk wasn't the only gay character to meet a grisly end in this Academy Award-winning biopic.

A Single Man (2009)

Two deaths for the price of one, which is doubly brutal when you factor in the already tear-inducing doomed romantic arc of the central characters.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

AIDS. Again.