☛ Cette chronique est aussi disponible en français [➦].

Translated by Florence Bois-Villeneuve. 

Seeing yourself represented in film, television or literature is a validation of your identity. You exist. I see you. You’re here.  Cultural representation is therefore essential, but not all representations are necessarily good ones. 

In a study of the representation of minorities in the media, Clark (1960) identifies four stages of representativeness:

1. Non-recognition, in which the minority group is almost excluded from the media.

2. Ridicule, in which the character exists (almost) solely to be ridiculed.

3. Regulation, in which the members of a minority group have roles that are more socially accepted, but still restricted.

4. Respect, in which the members of a minority group are represented in a much broader way and are portrayed both positively and negatively.

Ultimately, we need to break out of the stereotypes and ideas expected by a cisheteronormative, racist and ableist society and make sure to tell a wide range of stories, both positive and negative. When it comes to queer representation, this means no more tragic stories where one of the characters dies at the end. We need to portray a variety of queer stories and journeys, not just those involving coming outs and quests for identity. There’s so much more.

Queer joy is the joy associated with being queer—with being part of a community of people with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. It’s not about representing only the joy—or positive emotions—of a queer person, but rather about showing that having a queer identity comes with its own share of emotions, including happiness, excitement and fulfillment (Oxfam, 2022). In a cisheterosexist society, queer joy is an act of resistance, because it means defying your oppressors and living your life as you see fit. It’s also a simple way of reaffirming that LGBTQ+ people not only have a right to happiness, but that they truly deserve it.

Heartstopper is a television series, based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel of the same name, about Nick Nelson’s quest for identity and his relationship with Charlie Spring, a fellow student at Truham Grammar School in the UK. Nick is a popular rugby player who is convinced that he is heterosexual—until he meets Charlie. The show also follows Isaac, an aromantic and asexual man, Tao, their token straight friend, Tara and Darcy, lesbian women, and Elle, a trans woman. The latter three form a friendship when Elle transfers to Higgs, Truham’s equivalent for girls.

Both the TV series and the graphic novel Heartstopper are packed with examples of queer joy. Some are obvious, while others are more subtle. This analysis focuses only on season 1 of the TV series, which is available on Netflix.

The moment most representative of queer joy in Heartstopper takes place at the beach during the series finale, when Charlie and Nick are on their first official date. Nick looks at Charlie, grinning, and spontaneously exclaims: “And I love liking you!” Not only does he like Charlie, he loves liking him. In his declaration, there is no hesitation and no internalized shame about his sexual orientation and affection for Charlie. He feels good and he’s happy to feel that way.

Click here to view the clip.

In episode 6, Nick develops a friendship with Tara and Darcy, who suggest a double date with him and Charlie. In a group text, Darcy suggests inviting Tao and Elle as well, hoping to play matchmaker between them. Darcy responds by writing “We are such meddling gays and I love it.” As he reads these words, Nick is smiling. On the one hand, he is experiencing, probably for the first time, a feeling of belonging to a group of friends, connected to the comfort of having found his peers and sharing social codes. On the other hand, he realizes all the emotional support that this group provides him with.

In the final episode, the Higgs students travel to Truham to take part in an Olympics day. One scene in this episode is, in our humble opinion, one of the most beautiful examples of queer joy. For the first time since her transfer to Higgs, Elle returns to her old school, Truham. Outside the school gates, her friends Darcy and Tara are by her side to make sure she feels comfortable entering the grounds again. She says yes, although the fear in her voice is obvious. At once, they both grab her hands and they stride forward, smiling and determined. For Elle, Truham is synonymous with bullying, transphobic violence and trauma, so deciding to go back is a great act of courage. Being at Truham with her head held high, supported by her friends, is an act of resistance against all the people at the school who have hurt her in the past. It’s a wonderful way to reclaim power over her story.

Click here to view the clip.

In episode 4, for almost one full minute, we follow Charlie through the hallways until he sits down in class next to Nick, with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Nick and Charlie are in class together for the first time since they shared their first kiss. Sitting next to each other, they exchange a simple “Hi” and look at each other tenderly. This is an important scene for queer joy because it represents the naïveté of a first teenage love, but also because it takes place at school, an environment that is rarely considered a safe space for queer people. And where queer people almost never see light-hearted, simple and positive queer representations.

Click here to view the clip.

In episode 3, during the birthday party for Nick’s friend Harry, a very significant moment takes place for three characters. Tara and Darcy share a moment of pure bliss as they kiss on the dance floor, presumably for the first time in public. They are over the moon, smiling from ear to ear—at that moment, there’s nothing else in the world but each other and their reciprocated love. Nick, still questioning his sexual orientation and not understanding the emotions he’s feeling for Charlie, witnesses this moment. The lighting—made up of the colors of the bisexual flag—surrounds him, and his smile speaks volumes about the way he feels. In addition to being happy for Tara and Darcy, he looks calm and serene. He has just seen a real queer relationship for the first time. And this has a very positive impact on the events that follow in the series.

Click here to view the clip.

Season 1 ends with Nick coming out to his mother. For most of the emotionally charged scene, his mother adopts a listening posture, maintaining steady eye contact with Nick and letting him speak at his own pace. This is followed by a touching embrace in which all her love for her son shines through. She gives him all the time he needs to express himself and admits that she has behaved in a heteronormative way that might have made her son uncomfortable, for which she apologizes. She simply tells him she loves him, without adding anything more, and thanks him for trusting her: “Oh baby! Thank you for telling me. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like you couldn’t tell me that.”

Click here to view the clip.

In episode 4, Tara kisses her partner Darcy for the first time at school. The latter is pleasantly surprised by the overture. They exchange big, loving smiles, and their friend Elle, who witnessed the scene, makes a little joke, complete with a proud, tender look. This intimate moment between Tara and Darcy, but also Elle, is an important moment of queer joy. We reach a new stage in Tara’s coming out, which for a few seconds is a sweet moment of happiness shared between the lovebirds, but also with their best friend.

Click here to view the clip.

After Nick expresses his affection for Charlie—telling him that being in a relationship together is worth facing adversity—he kisses him. After a moment, Charlie points out to Nick, who is still in the closet, that they are in a public place: the school corridor, however deserted it may be. Nick looks at him with a smile and replies, “Oh, so what?” demonstrating his new-found relaxed attitude about his queerness. He is now confident with his sexual identity.

Click here to view the clip.

These are just a few of the series’ best moments of pure queer joy. There are probably dozens more, but here is a quick selection: 

• When Tao confirms to Elle that her transition “is a good change.”
• The sheer joy and excitement Elle expresses when she learns that Nick and Charlie are a couple.
• Nick’s bemused smile after kissing Charlie in the rain.
• The joy and pride Charlie feels when Nick reveals he told Tara and Darcy about their relationship.
• When Nick’s mother mentions that Charlie is “a very special friend,” subtly opening the door for her son to safely confide in her.
• When Nick’s mother also points out that he seems to be much more himself when he is with Charlie.

Heartstopper isn’t just a series (and a graphic novel) featuring queer joy. It also depicts a multitude of representations of queer identities and experiences. And it features a plethora of LGBTQ+ characters. The realities of these characters are not presented as a monolith of queer identity, and it is important that representation, particularly in cultural products taking place in school settings, distances itself from the view that the queer experience is the same for everyone (Allen, 2022)

Don’t miss season 2 of Heartstopper, now available on Netflix, as well as our cultural review of season 1.