Gay activists who had threatened to disrupt the Oscar award ceremonies Monday night are incensed over the portrayal of lesbian lovers in the movie thriller "Basic Instinct." One tactic has been to discourage viewers by giving away the ending as they arrived.

We don't want to spoil the fun for those who've not seen the movie, but the activists' ire is misdirected: It is not so much gay women who are portrayed negatively in the film, but all women. The premise of the film seems to be that women, be they housewives or professionals, are unpredictable, irrational creatures subject to sudden, homicidal impulses over which they have no control and for which they are incapable of remorse.

Members of feminist groups are the ones who should be upset. But they seem to understand that artistic interpretations -- be they paintings or literature or cinema -- don't always offer "politically correct" stances. Nor should they.