Heartstopper - Netflix

[MrsBooks]

Binged it, loved it, binged it again to Shazam all the music!!

Anyone else watched it?

Gay, geeky teen falls in love with supposedly straight, popular, rugby playing lad. Just very sweet high school drama.

Nothing yet, it was a preview at the start, its the party episode

Over on the sex & gender board, they're complaining that there is a trans character who doesn't have a storyline about a really difficult transition, and that they should have depicted parents at Higgs writing to the head to complain about a trans student starting there. Apparently Netflix is indoctrinating kids into thinking transitioning is easy

It's a whole other world over there

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4547840-trans-girl-in-heartstopper

I agree with them actually. It is making transitioning look easy. But I think it’s an issue for another show.

This is why I stopped with the mumsnet feminism board. Such a shame but after some particularly disgusting comments I can’t take them seriously.
It’s definitely for another show. I don’t know anyone, particularly kids, who think transitioning is easy 😂🙄

I agree too but this is such a lovely thread and not the place to discuss it.
I also feel conflicted because I love Elle, but then perhaps that was the point.

I tell you which bit pulls on my heart strings in particular….

When Nick goes home after spending the day at Charlie’s house and gets out his laptop and Google’s “Am I gay” and the tears start building up in his eyes as he realises that he’s attracted to men it makes me want to cry too.

It must be so, so difficult for boys of his age having to navigate such confusing feelings.

Kit plays the role so well.

Yes that is a very special scene. I think as a mother of teens this has really opened my eyes to the conflict and confusion that our teens are growing up with in relation to their sexuality. It’s always been there obviously but now there’s is so much more information but also pressure on young people to identify as something.
i grew up going to an all girls school and had crushes on older girls and female teachers and wondered for a while if I was a lesbian. Then as I got older I realised I’m attracted to men and am definitely straight. But those feelings of uncertainty coupled with an intense longing will never leave me and this is what Heartstopper so beautifully encapsulates in particular through the main love story between Charlie and Nick.

Do you think there's more pressure on young people/more information? I get that google didn't exist when we were teens (though, for me, the internet did). But I think teenagers have been reading 'am I gay' quizzes for ages, haven't they?

I thought that scene was done so well. I also love that Kit is written as bisexual rather than gay.

Yeah, I’m not sure I really agree there’s more pressure to identify as “something” than when I was a teen - because back then, you really just had to identify as straight or you were screwed. I think it’s good that todays kids now have the internet to show them that there are people out there feeling the same way as them.

the other thread is annoying. Very much “I think this is the key issue and the show should focus on it”. But the whole point is the show is about this lovely romance. The other stuff is peripheral. And I too love that the Nick character is bisexual.

Yes that is a very special scene. I think as a mother of teens this has really opened my eyes to the conflict and confusion that our teens are growing up with in relation to their sexuality.

I worry about this too.

I have two young sons and I’ve always been open about the concept of men loving men and women loving women, and how men can marry men and women can marry women etc and just make it a completely normal concept.

I know things will change as they get older and their peers and school environments will have more influence over them than my teachings do, but it’s extremely important to me that for now, it is instilled into them that there is nothing weird/wrong/strange/taboo about having loving/sexual feelings towards someone of the same sex.

I have to say Kit Connor is such a good actor. He brought such emotion to the role.

Isn't he just? They're all very good, I think, but he is excellent.

And I love it when Nick discreetly holds Charlie’s hand in the cinema.

And the way he walks off the Rugby pitch at the final game when he sees a Charlie on the sideline…..and how he then holds Charlie’s hands in front of everyone.

God I love how much Nick loves Charlie!!

Yes! The cinema is one of those real teenage-butterflies moments.

“God I love how much Nick loves Charlie!!”

I think this just sums up why the show has got so much love not just from teens but from us older viewers too. It’s seeing the beginnings of this really loving relationship, that we would all have wanted at this age. The hand holding, the thrilling first kiss. And Charlie being given what he wants, “someone who’s nice to me, and wants to be with me”.

Yes! The cinema is one of those real teenage-butterflies moments.

And the angst of what to write in a text message 😂

Followed by hours and hours and hours of texting each other to the point you’re having to tell each other to go to bed because it’s like 2am on a school night or something 😂

Every time Nick looks at Charlie it melts my heart.

Its the perfect imagery of overwhelming teenage adoration which we all had at one point, or at least wish we all had.

Yes!

I also love the end bit, where Nick says he really likes Charlie 'and I love liking you'. It's just so exactly what teenagers do, that pussyfooting around saying the words.

The only part that disappointed me was in the final episode, where they’re frolicking in the sea and hugging each another and the conversation goes as follows:

Charlie: “Nick?”
Nick: “Yes?”
Charlie: “Does this mean we’re boyfriends?”

I so, so desperately wanted it to go…..

Charlie: “Nick?”
Nick: “Yes?”
Charlie: “I love you.”

Now that would have made me cry and cry and cry!!!

sarahandquack - jinx 😂

Ha, what a cross post!

See, I think I preferred it the way it was. I also expected him to say 'I love you,' and I think we were meant to expect that. But I think it's really true to life that he wouldn't quite yet.

That can be next season 😂 I love how innocent and sweet they are that even being called a boyfriend is special. I love it.

By the way - and sorry to introduce a sad note - but does anyone who's read the books know why Charlie is quite so unsure of himself? You needn't say what it is as I know people may not want spoilers, but is there more to it than that he's recently had experience of bullying? I know bullying can be absolutely awful, but I just wondered about it.

I love how innocent and sweet they are that even being called a boyfriend is special. I love it.

I’ve watched it four times and all our gushing over their love is making me want to watch it again…..

And I love the sister: “Yeah, I don’t think he’s straight.” 😂

And I also love that Charlie had a really supportive dad as societal stereotypes give the impression that a lot of dads would be horrified or struggle to accept having a gay son so it was lovely to see the complete opposite being depicted.

Yes, the sister is great!

I agree with you about Charlie's dad.

The later books go into Charlie's mental health issues in some detail, which themselves stem from the issues of bullying, being outed, Ben etc which we've already seen in the TV show