My daughter is a lesbian ( that is the word she chooses to describe herself) she is still in school, has been out to me, her dad and brother since age 12. Out to her close friends a bit longer and is openly out at school. Her school have an LGBT after school club on a Friday, it has a generic name so that any kids who are not out don’t have to worry about telling parents or carers where they are going. The school celebrated pride month last year, the kids dressed in rainbow colours and took flags to school there was a party type lunch. As a parent I have such enormous gratitude that she lives at this time and not at the time that I was a teenager. I am unspeakably thankful to the LGBTQ people who have pushed, fought, campaigned, or just lived authenticity in the world. Everyone of those people who came before are why my daughter lives in a world today where she is not afraid or ashamed. I’m not stupid though, I know that is still not the reality for a lot of people, the work for equality goes on. With one more very proud Mamma ally on the team. I absolutely love your channel, thank you x
I'm so happy that more schools have so much support. I was in middle school in one of the most progressive places and it was still not perfect in the early 2000's. We didn't have any LGBT group at all. I knew of one or 2 openly queer kids. We had a group of kids who organized to observe the day of silence and I was so not comfortable but just participating in that was extremely helpful to me. Also supportive teachers were everything, the one who was supportive after our state voted to add same sex marriage ban to constitution. Most students were upset about it and he talked about how hopefully our generation would be able to get a better future.
as a person who is gay student in a "country" small town high school it feels so nice that other schools care so much about the lgbt community. i wish my school was like that, but to many kids would rather bully people and make some people *like me* do homeschool. there was a club for the lgbt community but im pretty sure they stopped it though..
Im 21 now but i realized i was gay are 11-12. I wish i would've had you as a parent. my mother violently preferred me unalive to gay so i pretended to like men till i was 19 even though i went into foster care at 16 because i literally forgot to see romantic relationships as a important life topic after all the trauma. i'm so glad your child has you. I'm happy people like you exist.
All of us older queers, millennials and older, seem to have the same reaction to Heartstopper: love it, wish we had it growing up, so happy for gen Z to have access to this optimistic portrayal. It's really a universal experience! 🥰🍂🍃🌸
i totally agree but also from the perspective of a 16 year old gen z bisexual. i watched this and felt seen. Ive never seen anything quite like this in particular and i wish i had it at the age of 8 when i was confused as to whether i like morgana or merlin more, lol. im happy for younger kids than me to have this and sad that people older than me didnt get this sort of representation. :( this has quickly become my new comfort show
@@molly3372 Same here, all these characters are so precious to me now, especially Nick. Having Nick Nelson as an example would have probably helped me figure out my bisexuality before I was 27! But the important part is that it keeps getting better for all queers, even if it's bittersweet for some of us.
I'm ace and I heard that if Heartstopper gets a season 2, there is going to be some really heavy asexual representation. Alice Oseman is aro/ace and given her tweets, the ace/aro communities I'm a part of are really excited. Growing up, I didn't know ace was an option, and so I felt broken inside, especially growing up in the Bible Belt of the US. It really caused a lot of damage and pain that I didn't know why I was experiencing it. It was really distressing and I didn't understand that I wasn't a broken person until I learned what asexuality was. If Heartbreaker gets a season two, and we get ace representation, it's going to do a lot of good for a lot of people.
In case your interested, Alice Oseman also has a book called ‘Loveless’ which is about a girl discovering she’s aroace. I really enjoyed it and it helped me understand a lot more about what it means to be aroace
I’m not aro but I am ace so I think it’s so important we get rep for aroace characters more. Even with characters that are aroace in cartoons or shows in general it’s not a huge thing? Like it doesn’t have to be, but it’d be nice if there was more rep for stuff like that. I always thought there was something wrong with me for not having any sexual attraction, or that maybe I haven’t found the right person and etc. even for some characters I can think of that are canonically aroace (peridot, lilith) it’s not rlly indicated much in the shows :/
I can't even articulate how hard the show and graphic novels made me happy cry. They made me feel better about the future. I wish this had been around when I was a child. Granted, my parents would have forbid me from watching it, but I would have snuck it and felt seen.
I never really struggled with the fear of "what if someone finds out" because I was around a lot of queer people as a teenager. Instead, as a bisexual, my struggle has often been the opposite. That people don't believe me or just invalidate my queerness. I still struggle with feeling like I'm both "too gay" and "not gay enough", along with feeling like a guest in queer spaces. But something that has helped me is the realisation that homosexuals actually don't have the authority to decide what counts as bisexuality. And that I have the right to stand up against biphobia, even when it comes from people who are LGBTQ+.
"Feeling like a guest in queer spaces" describes my experience with bisexuality perfectly. Thank you for putting it into words in such a beautiful and thought out manner.
The gays are just as prejudiced against bi people as the straights. As a lesbian, I’ve had a lot of arguments about it. You are absolutely right about everything you said. Noone has the right to judge you, and if it’s coming from people who have had to fight not to be judged, that’s just extra suck. I hope I don’t offend, but I’m proud of you for being so strong. The glbt future needs smart people like you.
This show gave me cavities it was so sweet. The closet thing to "Heartstopper" i can think of that I had growing up was "But I'm A Cheerleader" lol. It probably says a lot about Queer media that I kept expecting the other shoe to drop. Like by episode 2 I'm like "Okay, when does the tragedy come". But it was just wholesome.
Didn't realize I was a lesbian until college. Always wanted to go to an all girls boarding school with a bunch of friends in plaid skirts and stupidly never realized that was a common lesbian fantasy. My favorite coming out though was a girl in the library during finals. It was a small woman's college (my boarding school fantasy heavily influenced my school choice obviously) and this girl just looked up from her book suddenly said, "omg I'm gay!" Then went right back to studying. My girlfriend at the time was sitting next to me and just whispered to me, "why wasn't my experience like that?!"
Honestly, it was so nice to have something so sweet like this to watch. I'm also 32 and queer and growing up I really had to dig to find any queer content and most of it ended up in tragedy. Eventually I just ended up consuming lots of Fanfiction to have queer storylines that didn't end on a sad note. Such a sweet story about being a queer youth. I wish I had these kinds of stories growing up and I'm glad that they are starting to be seen on screen.
one of my favorite things about watching different lgbtq people react to this show is hearing their own stories and experiences from growing up and how they relate to the show. ❤❤❤
Yes!! I love the show when I watched it but I love the reactions from lgbtq+ people even more. It’s so eye opening and rips my heart out but in the best way.
The Heartstopper comic does explore some specific mental health issues in a very overt way later in the story, which the first season of the show has started to hint at. I'll be interested to see if you pick up on it or have anything to say about it as these videos go on.
I've watched this show twice in the past week. I have had to stop myself from watching it a third time. As others have said, it's a warm blanket to wrap yourself in. I sat watching and imagined not only what this show would have meant to me when I was 15 (all those years ago), but how I would have reacted as a teenager if these things would have happened to me. This wasn't even something I dared to imagine when I was in High School. I expect I would have exploded into glitter.
So glad you're reacting to it. I'm myself being a lesbian and from very homophobic country find that warm parent filling in your videos. Thank you so much
"Am I gay?" The "Google scene" took me right back to my 13-year old self in 1978 using an old-fashioned print dictionary to look up '"faggot." I wanted to know why I was being spat on and punched associated to this word. I couldn't figure out why "bundle of sticks" or German word for bassoon warranted such abuse.
I'm 25 years older than you and born and raised in Texas, not to mention raised in a Conservative Christian environment. I was horrified that someone might learn what I was and even fought not to admit it to myself. That has effected me my entire life to the point that I've never been able to have a real relationship. I love being able to see shows like this and hope that things are really getting better and working out for today's youth, and that many people won't have to grow up like I did, but will be able to accept themselves and enjoy life.
You are one of the first I hear on any platform "defending" Ben's point of view and honestly, thank you for that! Of course, Ben's inner struggles are not an excuse for his awful attitude, but it's interesting to remember that he's suffering as well and that a lot of queer people will go through that phase at some point. I love your videos and I couldn't wait for your input on Heartstopper!
The 'am i gay' quiz scene made me chuckle because it reminded me how I used to take them and because I didn't realise I was also Ace, it would either say I was straight or would just straight up (pun not intended) break the quiz, so I would come away from them just '?????' (I figured it out eventually though ;)
I just binged this last night and was up until 1am because I couldn’t stop watching. It was so good. My daughter is 10 and currently identifies as pan. I love that it’s mostly just a non-issue for kids these days, she’ll get to figure out who she is and who she likes in her own time. I think I’ll rewatch in front of her too.
What an interesting and insightful video! I can’t wait for the next ones 😄 As an “older” queer guy (as in, older than the target audience, I’m 24) this show felt so… I don’t know, nostalgic? I can’t say I was lucky enough to have a relation in second grade, actually I haven’t been in anything of the sort to this day, but somehow seeing those kids discovering themselves just as I did, though arguably in a better and less self-destructive way, made me realise how lucky I am to be alive in this time, where I can not only learn from older generations who opened the path for us, but also keep learning more about myself through more recent medias. I don’t know, I generally suck at explaining myself and English isn’t even my first language, so that’s an extra obstacle, but I really loved everything about this show! Can’t wait for a second season 🏳️🌈
My Heartstopper equivalent when I was a teen (currently 39) was the channel 4 film Beautiful thing, very similar in a way with a more fem guy crushing on his sport loving neighbour but I must have watched it 50 times as it's so uplifting which was needed in those dark teen years as they only out kid at school
I binged the entire series in one sitting, it’s so cute. I have a comfort podcast, which is a cute gay story, and now I think I have a comfort show, lol. I fell in love with this show faster than the boys falling in love with each other
Heartstopper is the show we needed and deserved. Ughhh such an amazing series! I love that even though it addresses some discriminatory behavior, it is still very much a happy and highly-affirming story. Gay, les, trans and bi representation! And the unique experience of having to come out multiple times, because, shocker, it's not actually a one-and-done event like in s much teen coming-out story. I love that this exists, especially at this time when the US and UK are both at a LGBTQ+ hysteria, seemingly. It shows that this is the lives we want to live-- to be happy, to have friends, family and community, to be free to experience love and joy.
discovered this channel because i’ve been watching several heartstopper react videos, and i absolutely love your reactions and insights. i learned a lot!! i love this show so much i can’t get enough of it 💗 i’ve never shed happy tears because of a show/movie before, but heartstopper made me tear up every episode
As an older gay, there was no google or a simple way to find stuff on the internet when I started figuring things out in my teens. The internet and personal computers were still very new. I went to the library, had to look up the section on the library computer, look for the books in the isles, and skim them until I found what I wanted. It took hours.
I honestly don’t want my kids to feel like they have to come out to me. I really hope there’s just an open atmosphere in my home where they can just mention something offhandedly or bring a partner home or feel comfortable enough to ask me questions. My relationship with my mum was like that, so much so that my friend who was starting to discover she is ace would ask my mum questions and she gave her so much guidance without just telling her what she was, she just helped her on her journey of discovering herself. This was before the internet was so readily available as well.
Just found your account after binging a lot of Heartstopper reactions, and as a bisexual psychology student, I absolutely loved it! Will definitely watch more of your videos :)
This is a great show, maybe after you finish it you could give 'our flag means death' and 'arcane' a shot too, they're both great shows & right up your alley
I love this show so much!! As a queer person, I saw so many things about myself in this show and it consoled me. Coming out, figuring out sexuality and friends, it’s a really good show. And everyone who’s getting involved in this amazing show. All of you are the best!!!
I just watched Our Flag means Death; and it's really interesting seeing the contrast between a new relationship with teens vs two middle aged men. Although I'm not sure they had to come out on a pirate ship? It seems to just be implied that relationships would happen at sea.
Our Flag Means Death is not set in real world. It's a conceptual campy thing. Coming out or labels don't really exist. The creators did that 100% intentionally. Just think how at some point everybody stars to refer to Jim with they/them pronouns without it ever being discussed.
there are some things that are exaggerated for sure but gay couples and same-sex unions were pretty common during that era! It was called a Matelotage and there's a couple of famous ones!!
Both on pirate ships and in the Navy, yes! It wasn't that uncommon aboard ships. There are stories about how at one point the Royal Navy caught wind of same-sex relationships happening aboard their ships and tried to "catch" the people in them. They hired men to try and start relationships with other crewmates in an attempt to find any gay sailors - naturally, it didn't work out for them as the job became very very popular (as in, unexpectedly, perhaps suspiciously popular), and in the end I'm not sure many people were actually "caught" at all.
I didn't know I was supposed to be in the closet. When I found out I was ace - I was happy and open about it. First time ever I have seen straight, gay and all the religious people working together to push me into closet and close it with a lock. Even people who believe in science and not some religion have join in. And now after JaidenAnimations relased her video about being ace, those reactions have been seen again. How come someone not wanting to have adult fun time with anyone is that much a problem?
I'm ace aro, was never in the closet, but I never felt like I had to come out either. Luckily it hasn't been a problem for me (I think my parents always knew when I never dated anyone this whole time?). I hope things get better for you!
Urgh, people have problems with the weidest things. I'm also ace and it bothers people I don't experience physical attraction the way they do even when I'm perfectly fine with having sex.
That's so wild to me. Discrimination isn't cool for any sexuality, but I really don't understand it against asexual people. Not like you could make the "argument" that it's "icky" or anything. Do they also hate on celibate monks? I don't understand.
You'd think people who have experience in questioning their sexuality will be more understanding but apparently some do not. 🥲 honestly not even understanding they outright reject you.
@@Frau.Kanzlerin I also don't understand why... That's partly the reason I didn't think I had to be in a closet. Maybe the problem is that asexuals are kinda sinless?
I haven't seen Heartstopper, but based on your take on it (and the comments on this video) I really want to watch it. The way you talk about your own experiences has such a gentle empathy to it. I'm bi and over 40, and how I wish we'd had a tv show like this back when I was a teen. Now that I think about it, no one in my high school was out, and LGBTQ issues weren't really talked about - not even in sex ed. This was in the 90s. I'm glad things are in general easier for the young people today, even though things are still rough in some places.
I binged the series and comics in two days and it has definitely sent me down a little happy melancholic rabbithole. The coming out scene, the family support and such a lighthearted atmosphere through the series... it's incredibly reassuring and heartwarming! I LOVED your commentary!!! ❤️
My Heartstopper was Beautiful Thing. I watched it every day. I also used to record the tiny clips of Tony & Simon on eastenders so I could play them back in secret.
What this story is so good at is connecting our hearts, using the tools of goodness and kindness, even sweetness in its characters. In today's world, these qualities are sorely lacking and I think the series is reminding us of, and reawakening in us, the power of love. And the joys of first love are presented in many ways, ways that we can all identify with. Sure, it also deals with the ugliness of human nature, but goodness wins out. Nick and Charlie are respectful and sensitive to each other's needs (as were Elio and Oliver in CMBYN). Every interaction they have with each other tops the previous one and deepens the relationship. A lot of people have called it wholesome - again, another adjective rarely used these days. However it's labelled, it is very moving and a welcome tonic to the negativity we witness so frequently. Season 2, please!
im absolutely obsessed with this show it made me so happy i cried multiple times and it's so wonderful also yes ben sucks and i was just waiting for your opinion to change during that scene cuz i knew it was coming lol honestly within like 30 seconds of seeing him for the first time i just had an awful feeling about him and i absolutely hate how right i was
When I was 4, I announced to my family that I was going to marry Sean Connery when I grew up. I was fully out at school aged 14 back in 1975. I had a few bullies, but I fought back (and had a few detentions), but still finished school 2nd in my year and won the most popular 6th former from both staff and pupils. And that was in 1979!
My Heartstopper was "Beautiful Thing (1996)" & "Get Real (1998)". Not even from the UK, but I always dreamed it was better there - better than where I was at that age. We've all come a long way, but seeing Heartstopper also reminds us that a lot of it is still the same.
Honestly love this show so much. I wish there was such a show when I was going through my own journey towards accepting my bisexuality. I've watched the show like 6 times now and read all the books. It's such a refreshing, sweet, positive show which we've really needed.
I am not sure why but I am on such a high from this series. I have watched it through 4 times and am not stopping yet. The writing is amazing, the acting is amazing, the editing is amazing, the sets are amazing. This is like a what if scenario for the 2 crushes I had, one when I was 16 in secondary school and the other when I was 22 in University. I cry everyday watching the show and all the reaction videos and compilation videos. If you do the rest of the episodes, I will be here ❤️
As a 23yo queer woman who is only figuring these things out now, I can't tell you how I felt watching this show. I just _felt_ it all.. Shows like this one and Sex Education are so, so important. They have both helped me so much. Also it's funny how you said "mums always know" - I have been dropping hints over time and (at least it felt like) so has my mum, so I thought _surely_ she must know. But when I actually came out to her, turns out she had no clue whatsoever lol. Didn't even cross her mind. She was amazing about it though, I love her.
As a physiologist/pharmacologist I’m watching this not only for the love of Heartstopper but also geeking out because you have a copy of Rang’s Pharmacology on your bookcase!
I agree with you on, I wish I had a show like this when I was growing up. I’m now 62 years old and think this is such a darling show. I have recommended this show to everyone I know! I’m excited for the new season and episodes to start. Also Doctor you’re not bad to look at either 🥰
As a gay woman who’s even older than you my heart stopper was a random obscure alternative little film called “fuck amål” - I had no access to tv, only rented movies, and my mum encouraged watching obscure movies because she’s in the film industry, so it was never really weird for me to watch it over and over, as I did with lots of other movies as well. To this day even thinking about the scene in which one of them dreams about the other just being close cheek to cheek still makes me blush although it’s so innocent and I’m literally a married lady (to another woman obviously)
Genuinely, was waiting for your reaction. Have ended up binge watching this multiple times, and was so happy to hear your own personal and also psychiatric view on the series. Thank you for this!!
I only graduated last year but when to a catholic school. From a young age I was bullied for being different and confident in general. So when I finally realised I was a lesbian in 2020, my family supported me but told me to not be out in school as to not put another target on my back. Which makes perfect sense-one girl got bullied so much because she was bi she had to move schools. It's not like the teachers cared either, because it was a catholic school and we were taught why gay marriage was wrong in the eyes of the church. In 2017 in Australia when it was being debated, we weren't allowed to base our oral presentations on why LGBT+ people should be married, or abortion or basically anything that the church disagreed with.
I've just watched the whole series and it was so good. Nice to see a sweet relationship.with actually intimacy between gay characters. It was quite emotional for me at the end. Wish I could have had this when I was a teenager.
Used to OMG wowowow comments on this, which I also love, AND was excited to see a bit more nuanced contemplation from you here. The show is straight-forward but also quite revelatory and authentic.
You can never kill the romance with science as far as I'm concerned but then my family calls me "Spock". I just watched an old video I made of my daughter going into peals of laughter after I suggested I could be romantic and my husband said something, probably right on the nose. You can't hear it in the video. My daughter was cry-laughing. Not exactly flattering but really honest. 🤓 I'm romantic in my own way. I've watched all of Heartstopper 3 times now. The third time I asked my husband to watch with me. We were high school sweethearts and are now grandparents. It was lovely being reminded of what it felt like to be teenagers totally wrapped up in each other.
I've been very lucky. I live in the Netherlands and did VWO, so 6 years of high school. I had a group of friends that grew each year and eventually people started coming out. I had a lesbian friend and, me personally, had crushes on two boys who were my friends who *both* turned out to be gay, haha. Our school had a GSA, so like a club for LGBTQ+ people and they could organize stuff for the school and hang posters. We celebrated purple friday each year. We also had multiple teachers who were part of the LGBTQ+ community. Now I'm at an art academy and it's even more diverse. I'm glad that my friends can watch this show and feel celebrated. It makes me so happy.
I am a 27 year old out engaged gay man and when watching (né binging) this season. one of my first thoughts, after 'wow, this story i sooo sweet' was genuinly 'I really want to hear what Dr Elliot thinks about this show' . So glad you are doing reaction videos on this series. Im going to binge your whole series of HS now.
Maxxie from Skins is a great one. For me, there was also Marco and Paige from Degrassi, and Kurt and Blaine from Glee much later. Though, Kurt ended up being biphobic which was odd and I couldn't wrap my head around a member of the LGBTQIA+ community invalidating someone else from the same community.
I really enjoyed the medical and legal context. Edit: also, several times around 9/11 I’ve posted about Mark Bingham, arguably one of the most important heroes in America over the last century, as he is reputed to have led the charge on Flight 93 that was hijacked and was perhaps on its way to The White House. He was a rugby player, and he was gay. And he was instrumental in bringing down that plane. So…not a stereotype for sure, and I wish more people talked about his story.
When I watched the series earlier today I actually thought the sister coming in for her one liners was actually Charlie having a friend in his mind who he could bounce ideas over. It was only until later on I realised she was real.
I absolutely love both the show and the comics, especially because Charlie is a lot like me. He has an eating disorder, OCD and a lot of people including me headcanon him as autistic. I'm AroAce, so that's something we don't have in common, but other than that I relate to him a lot. And Heartstopper in general is just amazing and deserves all the recognition and love!
I deadass had a dumb smile/grin on my face this whole video idk why im so obsessed with this series, I mean it’s not like I can even relate to this or smth, I’m literally a straight cis girl, what am I doing
Nice commentary. As an "old" psychiatrist who was repressed for 40 years, it was a very emotional series (that I hope will continue). It made me feel happy.
I love your channel and your comments so much. I have been thru so many therapists with no success. If only I had found someone with your empathy. Your patients are so fortunate. Take care.
Nick is on a journey. I'm glad I got to go along with him and watch him learn who he is. Charlie is an absolute doll. How anyone could be mean to him is a mystery to me. Please note that Isaac is also LGBTQIA (he's aro-ace, yay!) so poor Tao is the token cishet of the group.
Please keep reacting and analysing this series. This first video is amazing and so insightful. I would love to hear your point of view over some other situations throughout the series.
Funny to hear you say how queer people experience coming out, when literally yesterday I was discussing how I never had a coming out. Not in a sense I'm closeted, I just don't have that experience. And it might be a big reason why I never really felt a part of queer community. It feels like I failed an entry test or something. P.S. The discussion was a propos of Our Flag Means That - which you really really should react to, ideally the entire thing - where the narrative intentionally ignores the very concept of coming out and labels, and just lets its character be. It was sooooo refreshing.
My daughter is a lesbian ( that is the word she chooses to describe herself) she is still in school, has been out to me, her dad and brother since age 12. Out to her close friends a bit longer and is openly out at school. Her school have an LGBT after school club on a Friday, it has a generic name so that any kids who are not out don’t have to worry about telling parents or carers where they are going. The school celebrated pride month last year, the kids dressed in rainbow colours and took flags to school there was a party type lunch. As a parent I have such enormous gratitude that she lives at this time and not at the time that I was a teenager. I am unspeakably thankful to the LGBTQ people who have pushed, fought, campaigned, or just lived authenticity in the world. Everyone of those people who came before are why my daughter lives in a world today where she is not afraid or ashamed. I’m not stupid though, I know that is still not the reality for a lot of people, the work for equality goes on. With one more very proud Mamma ally on the team.
I absolutely love your channel, thank you x
I'm so happy that more schools have so much support. I was in middle school in one of the most progressive places and it was still not perfect in the early 2000's. We didn't have any LGBT group at all. I knew of one or 2 openly queer kids. We had a group of kids who organized to observe the day of silence and I was so not comfortable but just participating in that was extremely helpful to me. Also supportive teachers were everything, the one who was supportive after our state voted to add same sex marriage ban to constitution. Most students were upset about it and he talked about how hopefully our generation would be able to get a better future.
as a person who is gay student in a "country" small town high school it feels so nice that other schools care so much about the lgbt community. i wish my school was like that, but to many kids would rather bully people and make some people *like me* do homeschool. there was a club for the lgbt community but im pretty sure they stopped it though..
This is so heartwarming! I wish my mother was like you. I wish all families could be supportive to their LGBTQIA+ relatives.
Can I ask what the name of the club is? I'm curious.
Im 21 now but i realized i was gay are 11-12. I wish i would've had you as a parent. my mother violently preferred me unalive to gay so i pretended to like men till i was 19 even though i went into foster care at 16 because i literally forgot to see romantic relationships as a important life topic after all the trauma. i'm so glad your child has you. I'm happy people like you exist.
I watched the full series in under 24 hours, I just couldn’t get enough of it
Me ,too, I want to watch season 2
Same
Ditto
Same! Need a season 2!
Me too! A solid binge. I was dying of wholesomeness the whole time
All of us older queers, millennials and older, seem to have the same reaction to Heartstopper: love it, wish we had it growing up, so happy for gen Z to have access to this optimistic portrayal. It's really a universal experience! 🥰🍂🍃🌸
i totally agree but also from the perspective of a 16 year old gen z bisexual. i watched this and felt seen. Ive never seen anything quite like this in particular and i wish i had it at the age of 8 when i was confused as to whether i like morgana or merlin more, lol. im happy for younger kids than me to have this and sad that people older than me didnt get this sort of representation. :( this has quickly become my new comfort show
@@molly3372 Same here, all these characters are so precious to me now, especially Nick. Having Nick Nelson as an example would have probably helped me figure out my bisexuality before I was 27! But the important part is that it keeps getting better for all queers, even if it's bittersweet for some of us.
Yes yes!! 💯
At 66 I'm so jealous of young LGBT people.
@@molly3372 Just make sure you vote to keep the Right Wing haters out of government
This is a blanket-show. It’s so warm, lovely and cute. It was great to hear a comment on it. Thanks!
It's a "cuddly" show 😉
It's a Nick Nelson hug
@@Lorelei_is_Lo YESS
I call it mac and cheese for the soul. just comforting.
Omg never heard it described like this, I love this show so much as a bi guy every bit of it makes me want to cry
I'm ace and I heard that if Heartstopper gets a season 2, there is going to be some really heavy asexual representation. Alice Oseman is aro/ace and given her tweets, the ace/aro communities I'm a part of are really excited. Growing up, I didn't know ace was an option, and so I felt broken inside, especially growing up in the Bible Belt of the US. It really caused a lot of damage and pain that I didn't know why I was experiencing it. It was really distressing and I didn't understand that I wasn't a broken person until I learned what asexuality was. If Heartbreaker gets a season two, and we get ace representation, it's going to do a lot of good for a lot of people.
In case your interested, Alice Oseman also has a book called ‘Loveless’ which is about a girl discovering she’s aroace. I really enjoyed it and it helped me understand a lot more about what it means to be aroace
@@Jessica_vdn we have to defend Alice at all costs
Isaac is aro/ace! Confirmed by Alice
@@queenigelkotte LET'S GOOOO
I’m not aro but I am ace so I think it’s so important we get rep for aroace characters more. Even with characters that are aroace in cartoons or shows in general it’s not a huge thing? Like it doesn’t have to be, but it’d be nice if there was more rep for stuff like that. I always thought there was something wrong with me for not having any sexual attraction, or that maybe I haven’t found the right person and etc. even for some characters I can think of that are canonically aroace (peridot, lilith) it’s not rlly indicated much in the shows :/
I can't even articulate how hard the show and graphic novels made me happy cry. They made me feel better about the future. I wish this had been around when I was a child. Granted, my parents would have forbid me from watching it, but I would have snuck it and felt seen.
I agree
I never really struggled with the fear of "what if someone finds out" because I was around a lot of queer people as a teenager. Instead, as a bisexual, my struggle has often been the opposite. That people don't believe me or just invalidate my queerness. I still struggle with feeling like I'm both "too gay" and "not gay enough", along with feeling like a guest in queer spaces. But something that has helped me is the realisation that homosexuals actually don't have the authority to decide what counts as bisexuality. And that I have the right to stand up against biphobia, even when it comes from people who are LGBTQ+.
"Feeling like a guest in queer spaces" describes my experience with bisexuality perfectly. Thank you for putting it into words in such a beautiful and thought out manner.
even though I am not out yet, as a bisexual I relate to it a lot, thank you for explaining it
The gays are just as prejudiced against bi people as the straights. As a lesbian, I’ve had a lot of arguments about it. You are absolutely right about everything you said. Noone has the right to judge you, and if it’s coming from people who have had to fight not to be judged, that’s just extra suck. I hope I don’t offend, but I’m proud of you for being so strong. The glbt future needs smart people like you.
This show gave me cavities it was so sweet. The closet thing to "Heartstopper" i can think of that I had growing up was "But I'm A Cheerleader" lol. It probably says a lot about Queer media that I kept expecting the other shoe to drop. Like by episode 2 I'm like "Okay, when does the tragedy come". But it was just wholesome.
Dr Elliott: *talking about butterflies and attraction*
Me, a demisexual: can't relate but please continue
Same I'm ace
Me aroace: *takes notes for books* write that down write that down
I just came out to my parents after binging the show, it actually really motivated me to do it! :))
Amazing. Congrats!
@@DoctorElliottCarthy Thanks! Glad I did it 🙌
I'm so happy for you!!
@@lynnhettrick7588 thank you! 😊
Wow! Congratulations! So happy for you! ❤️❤️🌸
Didn't realize I was a lesbian until college. Always wanted to go to an all girls boarding school with a bunch of friends in plaid skirts and stupidly never realized that was a common lesbian fantasy. My favorite coming out though was a girl in the library during finals. It was a small woman's college (my boarding school fantasy heavily influenced my school choice obviously) and this girl just looked up from her book suddenly said, "omg I'm gay!" Then went right back to studying. My girlfriend at the time was sitting next to me and just whispered to me, "why wasn't my experience like that?!"
Honestly, it was so nice to have something so sweet like this to watch. I'm also 32 and queer and growing up I really had to dig to find any queer content and most of it ended up in tragedy. Eventually I just ended up consuming lots of Fanfiction to have queer storylines that didn't end on a sad note. Such a sweet story about being a queer youth. I wish I had these kinds of stories growing up and I'm glad that they are starting to be seen on screen.
one of my favorite things about watching different lgbtq people react to this show is hearing their own stories and experiences from growing up and how they relate to the show. ❤❤❤
Yes!! I love the show when I watched it but I love the reactions from lgbtq+ people even more. It’s so eye opening and rips my heart out but in the best way.
The Heartstopper comic does explore some specific mental health issues in a very overt way later in the story, which the first season of the show has started to hint at. I'll be interested to see if you pick up on it or have anything to say about it as these videos go on.
i binged the whole series in one night from 10 pm to 3 am. i had to wake up three hours later for school but it was so worth it
I've watched this show twice in the past week. I have had to stop myself from watching it a third time. As others have said, it's a warm blanket to wrap yourself in. I sat watching and imagined not only what this show would have meant to me when I was 15 (all those years ago), but how I would have reacted as a teenager if these things would have happened to me. This wasn't even something I dared to imagine when I was in High School. I expect I would have exploded into glitter.
So glad you're reacting to it. I'm myself being a lesbian and from very homophobic country find that warm parent filling in your videos. Thank you so much
"Am I gay?" The "Google scene" took me right back to my 13-year old self in 1978 using an old-fashioned print dictionary to look up '"faggot." I wanted to know why I was being spat on and punched associated to this word. I couldn't figure out why "bundle of sticks" or German word for bassoon warranted such abuse.
Been waiting for your reaction to this, this is going to be sick 😄
You did not disappoint
SO glad you're reacting to this series!!!
I'm 25 years older than you and born and raised in Texas, not to mention raised in a Conservative Christian environment. I was horrified that someone might learn what I was and even fought not to admit it to myself. That has effected me my entire life to the point that I've never been able to have a real relationship. I love being able to see shows like this and hope that things are really getting better and working out for today's youth, and that many people won't have to grow up like I did, but will be able to accept themselves and enjoy life.
You are one of the first I hear on any platform "defending" Ben's point of view and honestly, thank you for that! Of course, Ben's inner struggles are not an excuse for his awful attitude, but it's interesting to remember that he's suffering as well and that a lot of queer people will go through that phase at some point.
I love your videos and I couldn't wait for your input on Heartstopper!
The 'am i gay' quiz scene made me chuckle because it reminded me how I used to take them and because I didn't realise I was also Ace, it would either say I was straight or would just straight up (pun not intended) break the quiz, so I would come away from them just '?????'
(I figured it out eventually though ;)
I just binged this last night and was up until 1am because I couldn’t stop watching. It was so good. My daughter is 10 and currently identifies as pan. I love that it’s mostly just a non-issue for kids these days, she’ll get to figure out who she is and who she likes in her own time. I think I’ll rewatch in front of her too.
What an interesting and insightful video! I can’t wait for the next ones 😄
As an “older” queer guy (as in, older than the target audience, I’m 24) this show felt so… I don’t know, nostalgic? I can’t say I was lucky enough to have a relation in second grade, actually I haven’t been in anything of the sort to this day, but somehow seeing those kids discovering themselves just as I did, though arguably in a better and less self-destructive way, made me realise how lucky I am to be alive in this time, where I can not only learn from older generations who opened the path for us, but also keep learning more about myself through more recent medias.
I don’t know, I generally suck at explaining myself and English isn’t even my first language, so that’s an extra obstacle, but I really loved everything about this show! Can’t wait for a second season 🏳️🌈
I just realised I wrote “second grade school”… well I definitely wasn’t in a relationship at THAT age 😂😂
Such a good series! I’ve watched the whole thing in one sitting twice in the last three days! 😂🥰
My Heartstopper equivalent when I was a teen (currently 39) was the channel 4 film Beautiful thing, very similar in a way with a more fem guy crushing on his sport loving neighbour but I must have watched it 50 times as it's so uplifting which was needed in those dark teen years as they only out kid at school
Oh the crush I had on Jamie....
I binged the entire series in one sitting, it’s so cute. I have a comfort podcast, which is a cute gay story, and now I think I have a comfort show, lol. I fell in love with this show faster than the boys falling in love with each other
Heartstopper is the show we needed and deserved. Ughhh such an amazing series! I love that even though it addresses some discriminatory behavior, it is still very much a happy and highly-affirming story. Gay, les, trans and bi representation! And the unique experience of having to come out multiple times, because, shocker, it's not actually a one-and-done event like in s much teen coming-out story. I love that this exists, especially at this time when the US and UK are both at a LGBTQ+ hysteria, seemingly. It shows that this is the lives we want to live-- to be happy, to have friends, family and community, to be free to experience love and joy.
discovered this channel because i’ve been watching several heartstopper react videos, and i absolutely love your reactions and insights. i learned a lot!! i love this show so much i can’t get enough of it 💗 i’ve never shed happy tears because of a show/movie before, but heartstopper made me tear up every episode
this series is really amazing i love them so much, i can't move on from them until now, i need s2 right now to fill the void left by heartstopper 😩💘
As an older gay, there was no google or a simple way to find stuff on the internet when I started figuring things out in my teens. The internet and personal computers were still very new. I went to the library, had to look up the section on the library computer, look for the books in the isles, and skim them until I found what I wanted. It took hours.
Charlie sitting on roots coming out of the floor (painting) is, to me, significant.
I honestly don’t want my kids to feel like they have to come out to me. I really hope there’s just an open atmosphere in my home where they can just mention something offhandedly or bring a partner home or feel comfortable enough to ask me questions. My relationship with my mum was like that, so much so that my friend who was starting to discover she is ace would ask my mum questions and she gave her so much guidance without just telling her what she was, she just helped her on her journey of discovering herself. This was before the internet was so readily available as well.
@@comprends2138 thank you, I really appreciate that. I try my best and hopefully that’s enough ♥️
Just found your account after binging a lot of Heartstopper reactions, and as a bisexual psychology student, I absolutely loved it! Will definitely watch more of your videos :)
Love the shout out to Cinema Therapy. I discovered them thru a reaction to Heartstopper Jonathan Decker did on his other channel.
This is a great show, maybe after you finish it you could give 'our flag means death' and 'arcane' a shot too, they're both great shows & right up your alley
I love this show so much!! As a queer person, I saw so many things about myself in this show and it consoled me. Coming out, figuring out sexuality and friends, it’s a really good show. And everyone who’s getting involved in this amazing show. All of you are the best!!!
I LOVE THIS! I’m so glad this comic was made into such a beautiful series! I need more
I just watched Our Flag means Death; and it's really interesting seeing the contrast between a new relationship with teens vs two middle aged men. Although I'm not sure they had to come out on a pirate ship? It seems to just be implied that relationships would happen at sea.
Our Flag Means Death is not set in real world. It's a conceptual campy thing. Coming out or labels don't really exist. The creators did that 100% intentionally. Just think how at some point everybody stars to refer to Jim with they/them pronouns without it ever being discussed.
there are some things that are exaggerated for sure but gay couples and same-sex unions were pretty common during that era! It was called a Matelotage and there's a couple of famous ones!!
Both on pirate ships and in the Navy, yes! It wasn't that uncommon aboard ships.
There are stories about how at one point the Royal Navy caught wind of same-sex relationships happening aboard their ships and tried to "catch" the people in them. They hired men to try and start relationships with other crewmates in an attempt to find any gay sailors - naturally, it didn't work out for them as the job became very very popular (as in, unexpectedly, perhaps suspiciously popular), and in the end I'm not sure many people were actually "caught" at all.
I didn't know I was supposed to be in the closet. When I found out I was ace - I was happy and open about it.
First time ever I have seen straight, gay and all the religious people working together to push me into closet and close it with a lock. Even people who believe in science and not some religion have join in.
And now after JaidenAnimations relased her video about being ace, those reactions have been seen again.
How come someone not wanting to have adult fun time with anyone is that much a problem?
I'm ace aro, was never in the closet, but I never felt like I had to come out either. Luckily it hasn't been a problem for me (I think my parents always knew when I never dated anyone this whole time?). I hope things get better for you!
Urgh, people have problems with the weidest things. I'm also ace and it bothers people I don't experience physical attraction the way they do even when I'm perfectly fine with having sex.
That's so wild to me. Discrimination isn't cool for any sexuality, but I really don't understand it against asexual people. Not like you could make the "argument" that it's "icky" or anything. Do they also hate on celibate monks? I don't understand.
You'd think people who have experience in questioning their sexuality will be more understanding but apparently some do not. 🥲 honestly not even understanding they outright reject you.
@@Frau.Kanzlerin I also don't understand why... That's partly the reason I didn't think I had to be in a closet.
Maybe the problem is that asexuals are kinda sinless?
nooooo he skipped the snow scene 😩😭😫
That was the scene that actually makes me cry every time, and I’m not even close to a regular cryer
I haven't seen Heartstopper, but based on your take on it (and the comments on this video) I really want to watch it. The way you talk about your own experiences has such a gentle empathy to it. I'm bi and over 40, and how I wish we'd had a tv show like this back when I was a teen. Now that I think about it, no one in my high school was out, and LGBTQ issues weren't really talked about - not even in sex ed. This was in the 90s. I'm glad things are in general easier for the young people today, even though things are still rough in some places.
I binged the series and comics in two days and it has definitely sent me down a little happy melancholic rabbithole. The coming out scene, the family support and such a lighthearted atmosphere through the series... it's incredibly reassuring and heartwarming! I LOVED your commentary!!! ❤️
A wholesome lgbt teen show I've watched in a while. We need more. 🥰
My Heartstopper was Beautiful Thing. I watched it every day. I also used to record the tiny clips of Tony & Simon on eastenders so I could play them back in secret.
What this story is so good at is connecting our hearts, using the tools of goodness and kindness, even sweetness in its characters. In today's world, these qualities are sorely lacking and I think the series is reminding us of, and reawakening in us, the power of love. And the joys of first love are presented in many ways, ways that we can all identify with. Sure, it also deals with the ugliness of human nature, but goodness wins out. Nick and Charlie are respectful and sensitive to each other's needs (as were Elio and Oliver in CMBYN). Every interaction they have with each other tops the previous one and deepens the relationship. A lot of people have called it wholesome - again, another adjective rarely used these days. However it's labelled, it is very moving and a welcome tonic to the negativity we witness so frequently. Season 2, please!
im absolutely obsessed with this show it made me so happy i cried multiple times and it's so wonderful
also yes ben sucks and i was just waiting for your opinion to change during that scene cuz i knew it was coming lol
honestly within like 30 seconds of seeing him for the first time i just had an awful feeling about him and i absolutely hate how right i was
When I was 4, I announced to my family that I was going to marry Sean Connery when I grew up. I was fully out at school aged 14 back in 1975. I had a few bullies, but I fought back (and had a few detentions), but still finished school 2nd in my year and won the most popular 6th former from both staff and pupils. And that was in 1979!
My Heartstopper was "Beautiful Thing (1996)" & "Get Real (1998)". Not even from the UK, but I always dreamed it was better there - better than where I was at that age. We've all come a long way, but seeing Heartstopper also reminds us that a lot of it is still the same.
1) Love the insights
2) Love the Willow Pill cameo in the background
I loved your reaction. The insight you provide from a professional stand point is so informative. This is such a cute show. Cheers from the US 🤓😊
I love your explanations and the science behind the characters action!
Honestly love this show so much. I wish there was such a show when I was going through my own journey towards accepting my bisexuality. I've watched the show like 6 times now and read all the books. It's such a refreshing, sweet, positive show which we've really needed.
I am not sure why but I am on such a high from this series. I have watched it through 4 times and am not stopping yet. The writing is amazing, the acting is amazing, the editing is amazing, the sets are amazing. This is like a what if scenario for the 2 crushes I had, one when I was 16 in secondary school and the other when I was 22 in University. I cry everyday watching the show and all the reaction videos and compilation videos. If you do the rest of the episodes, I will be here ❤️
This reaction is so real, but adorable and informative at the same time! Thanks for this video!
As a 23yo queer woman who is only figuring these things out now, I can't tell you how I felt watching this show. I just _felt_ it all.. Shows like this one and Sex Education are so, so important. They have both helped me so much.
Also it's funny how you said "mums always know" - I have been dropping hints over time and (at least it felt like) so has my mum, so I thought _surely_ she must know. But when I actually came out to her, turns out she had no clue whatsoever lol. Didn't even cross her mind. She was amazing about it though, I love her.
As a physiologist/pharmacologist I’m watching this not only for the love of Heartstopper but also geeking out because you have a copy of Rang’s Pharmacology on your bookcase!
I binged this series in a single afternoon… I’m obsessed!
I agree with you on, I wish I had a show like this when I was growing up. I’m now 62 years old and think this is such a darling show. I have recommended this show to everyone I know! I’m excited for the new season and episodes to start. Also Doctor you’re not bad to look at either 🥰
I loved rewatching this from your professional point of view. Please react to more episodes!
This video is such a lovely combination of two things that bring me so much joy and comfort and I am so happy I stumbled upon it!
I loved this series so much, and I really loved the sense of true representation, and I loved the queer representation in this.
I cannot wait to see you watch more of this!! So excited!
I’ve literally watched this series 3 times already 😂😂 I can’t get enough ❤️
Just discovered your channel and binge watching your videos. Love your work!!
As a gay woman who’s even older than you my heart stopper was a random obscure alternative little film called “fuck amål” - I had no access to tv, only rented movies, and my mum encouraged watching obscure movies because she’s in the film industry, so it was never really weird for me to watch it over and over, as I did with lots of other movies as well. To this day even thinking about the scene in which one of them dreams about the other just being close cheek to cheek still makes me blush although it’s so innocent and I’m literally a married lady (to another woman obviously)
Genuinely, was waiting for your reaction. Have ended up binge watching this multiple times, and was so happy to hear your own personal and also psychiatric view on the series. Thank you for this!!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do it to the rest of the episodes!!! It is amazing the way you roll over all of it... it is so good!
I only graduated last year but when to a catholic school. From a young age I was bullied for being different and confident in general. So when I finally realised I was a lesbian in 2020, my family supported me but told me to not be out in school as to not put another target on my back. Which makes perfect sense-one girl got bullied so much because she was bi she had to move schools. It's not like the teachers cared either, because it was a catholic school and we were taught why gay marriage was wrong in the eyes of the church. In 2017 in Australia when it was being debated, we weren't allowed to base our oral presentations on why LGBT+ people should be married, or abortion or basically anything that the church disagreed with.
I've just watched the whole series and it was so good. Nice to see a sweet relationship.with actually intimacy between gay characters. It was quite emotional for me at the end. Wish I could have had this when I was a teenager.
I thought that the meme, " Do you know that tingly feeling you get when you like some one? That's common sense leaving your body"
Was just a meme 😁
I was very much anticipating this video
Used to OMG wowowow comments on this, which I also love, AND was excited to see a bit more nuanced contemplation from you here. The show is straight-forward but also quite revelatory and authentic.
please react to more episodes! this series is not only heartstopping, but binge worthy :)
You can never kill the romance with science as far as I'm concerned but then my family calls me "Spock". I just watched an old video I made of my daughter going into peals of laughter after I suggested I could be romantic and my husband said something, probably right on the nose. You can't hear it in the video. My daughter was cry-laughing. Not exactly flattering but really honest. 🤓 I'm romantic in my own way. I've watched all of Heartstopper 3 times now. The third time I asked my husband to watch with me. We were high school sweethearts and are now grandparents. It was lovely being reminded of what it felt like to be teenagers totally wrapped up in each other.
I've been very lucky. I live in the Netherlands and did VWO, so 6 years of high school. I had a group of friends that grew each year and eventually people started coming out. I had a lesbian friend and, me personally, had crushes on two boys who were my friends who *both* turned out to be gay, haha.
Our school had a GSA, so like a club for LGBTQ+ people and they could organize stuff for the school and hang posters. We celebrated purple friday each year. We also had multiple teachers who were part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Now I'm at an art academy and it's even more diverse. I'm glad that my friends can watch this show and feel celebrated. It makes me so happy.
I am a 27 year old out engaged gay man and when watching (né binging) this season. one of my first thoughts, after 'wow, this story i sooo sweet' was genuinly 'I really want to hear what Dr Elliot thinks about this show' . So glad you are doing reaction videos on this series. Im going to binge your whole series of HS now.
An amazing reaction video. THANK YOU !
Context from the book: Charlie was outed when he was in a younger year by accident when somebody overheard his friend tao talking about it.
Maxxie from Skins is a great one. For me, there was also Marco and Paige from Degrassi, and Kurt and Blaine from Glee much later. Though, Kurt ended up being biphobic which was odd and I couldn't wrap my head around a member of the LGBTQIA+ community invalidating someone else from the same community.
Love these Heartstopper reactions! Thanks for putting your perspective on them.
I really enjoyed the medical and legal context. Edit: also, several times around 9/11 I’ve posted about Mark Bingham, arguably one of the most important heroes in America over the last century, as he is reputed to have led the charge on Flight 93 that was hijacked and was perhaps on its way to The White House. He was a rugby player, and he was gay. And he was instrumental in bringing down that plane. So…not a stereotype for sure, and I wish more people talked about his story.
When I watched the series earlier today I actually thought the sister coming in for her one liners was actually Charlie having a friend in his mind who he could bounce ideas over. It was only until later on I realised she was real.
i loved heartstopper so much, watched it 5 times lol, and i loved seeing your reaction!
Subscribed when you started explaining the psychological/physiological aspect of being attracted to someone. HAHAH
I absolutely love both the show and the comics, especially because Charlie is a lot like me. He has an eating disorder, OCD and a lot of people including me headcanon him as autistic. I'm AroAce, so that's something we don't have in common, but other than that I relate to him a lot. And Heartstopper in general is just amazing and deserves all the recognition and love!
I deadass had a dumb smile/grin on my face this whole video idk why im so obsessed with this series, I mean it’s not like I can even relate to this or smth, I’m literally a straight cis girl, what am I doing
You Mention Ross and Rachel from Friends... Definitely got that vibe at the end of episode 3.
Nice commentary. As an "old" psychiatrist who was repressed for 40 years, it was a very emotional series (that I hope will continue). It made me feel happy.
Paved the way though for many others I'm sure
so so glad i found you through cinema therapy
I love your channel and your comments so much. I have been thru so many therapists with no success. If only I had found someone with your empathy. Your patients are so fortunate. Take care.
I’ve seen this whole show maybe 8 times already just through reactions alone after watching it once by myself. 🤣
This was such a sweet show! Brings back a lot of teenage feels...
Nick is on a journey. I'm glad I got to go along with him and watch him learn who he is.
Charlie is an absolute doll. How anyone could be mean to him is a mystery to me.
Please note that Isaac is also LGBTQIA (he's aro-ace, yay!) so poor Tao is the token cishet of the group.
omg i loved this video, watching the second part asap !!!
Please keep reacting and analysing this series. This first video is amazing and so insightful. I would love to hear your point of view over some other situations throughout the series.
Holding the man is one of my personal favorite movies. Highly recommend!!
Funny to hear you say how queer people experience coming out, when literally yesterday I was discussing how I never had a coming out. Not in a sense I'm closeted, I just don't have that experience. And it might be a big reason why I never really felt a part of queer community. It feels like I failed an entry test or something.
P.S. The discussion was a propos of Our Flag Means That - which you really really should react to, ideally the entire thing - where the narrative intentionally ignores the very concept of coming out and labels, and just lets its character be. It was sooooo refreshing.
as an AFAB bisexual, maxxie from skins was one of my biggest fictional-character crushes. (also i really wanted his baggy pants).