By Tina Ranjbar
Heartstopper is hands down one of the most vital queer TV shows. Based on the comics of the same name by Alice Oseman, the show follows an openly gay teenager, Charlie Spring, who falls in love with his school’s best rugby player, Nick Nelson. However, this isn’t just another love story. It also delves into the lives of the people around them and their struggles with school, love, coming of age, and conformity. It is funny, sickeningly adorable, touching, and heartbreaking – all at the same time. Not only does this show have a wide range of POC representation, but all sorts of queer identities that audiences can relate to, including gay, lesbian, trans, and bisexual characters. It also tackles serious, heavy topics like homophobia, bullying, and closeted relationships with beauty and grace. The show doesn’t sugarcoat these dilemmas but solves them the way they should be in the real world. But the biggest reason why Heartstopper will quite literally stop your heart is because of how real and raw it is. It perfectly captures the shared experiences of growing up queer, like having a crush on your best friend and kinship with your Arts or English teacher or taking a Buzzfeed ‘Am I Gay’ quiz at three in the morning. Nick’s entire storyline of discovering himself, closeting his feelings because of heteronormativity, to slowly coming out of his shell touched the hearts of many people alone. This show broke me and put me back together in the best way possible and is available on Netflix if you want to give it a watch. What better way to kick-start Pride Month?
Titan Times 