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 Issue 519
May 2022

Editorial Director Assistants Cover Photography by

Lewis Corner Lily Hobman Hannifah Mohammad

Art Director
Jack Rowe

Fashion Editor
Umar Sarwar

Associate Editor
Sam Damshenas

Social Media Manager

Hollie Wong

Contributing Editor
Jamie Windust

Junior Writer
Zoya Raza-Sheikh

1 Junior News Reporter

Conor Clark

Junior Designer
Anisa Cleaver

Editorial Assistant
Liv Lawrence

Junior Writer
Jordan Robledo

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Editor’s Letter
The youth of today are under attack. The sanctity of
their childhood is being weaponised to inflict further
pain on them and their peers. It’s concentrated,
coordinated and downright cruel. In 2022 so far
we’ve seen legislators in Florida ban the teaching of
LGBTQ+ experiences in schools via the ‘Don’t Say
Gay’ bill; the UK’s Conservative government has
ruled out banning so-called ‘conversion therapy’
for trans youth; promising young trans athletes
are being forced out of sports; and years-long
waiting lists and increasingly limited accessibility
to healthcare for trans youth is forcing them into
higher rates of despression and suicide. And this is
just in the UK and US – two countries that consider
themselves progressive. The picture is even more
bleak for LGBTQ+ youth across the globe where
their rights and very existence are challenged daily.
In a year where we will mark the 50th anniversary
since the first Pride parade in the UK, our society
should be ashamed that this is the reality for so many
vulnerable young people. Their rights, wellbeing
and protection are routinely being held to ransom
by a far-right agenda intent on political and social
division to advance their own bigoted worldview. It’s
dressed up in faux concern for the welfare of youth
today, but instead aims to oppress their freedom of
expression to live as who they truly are. Bad actors
are putting politics before people, money before
morality, and ideology before integrity in a bid for
personal gain – and it’s the LGBTQ+ youth of today
who continue to suffer the most.
These are all key issues playing out in our
community today that GAY TIMES has been
covering extensively across our digital channels
– with breaking news on our socials, through to
analysis and interviews on our website. But for this
issue of GAY TIMES Magazine I wanted to shine a
light on the more positive aspects of being young
and queer in 2022. Case in point is our cover story,
focusing on the long-awaited Netflix adaptation of
Heartstopper; a popular webcomic series turned
graphic novel by Alice Oseman. The show is
brimming with young queer love, following a coming
of age story unlike we’ve ever seen in a British
drama before. Across eight episodes viewers will
see the blossoming romance between openly
gay overthinker Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and
buoyant rugby player Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) as
they navigate first love while at school. The show
also stars Corinna Brown as Tara Jones and Kizzy
Edgell as Darcy Olsson, who play a queer teen
couple facing the ups and downs all teen couples
do. What’s most refreshing is that the tired ‘queer
trauma’ tropes that usually fuel LGBTQ+ coming
of age stories are nowhere to be seen, and instead
we are given an optimistic view of what it means
to be young and queer. “It's such a realistic view
of queer youth because there's no perfect way of
being queer, there's no perfect way of being you,
you just have to be an authentic human,” says Joe.
And that right there is the crux of it all: these are
human experiences.
This isn’t a show that’s going to brainwash
children or make them question their identity.
Why? Because long before they hit play on
Heartstopper they were already who they are.
What representation like this does is show
them that who they are is normal, beautiful and
valid. It confirms that they are not alone. It helps
them identify what they themselves may be
experiencing. Too many children in history have
been othered – how many more have to suffer the
2
same turmoil before it stops?
That’s also why the work of Just Like Us
and their youth ambassadors who are making
British schools more LGBTQ+ inclusive is so
important. In this issue we speak to a handful of
them and the impact their work has already had.
We also explore how modern-day animation has
embraced its queerness to triumphant effect, and
give a rundown on the best young adult novels
that centre on queer romances.
The queer youth of today needs all of our
support like never before. Plenty of history has
been made in recent decades, but we have a duty
now to resist rollbacks of rights won and push
forward for the generations to come.
Lewis Corner
Editorial Director
 GAY TIMES® Group | The World’s Leading LGBTQ+ Media Company
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GAY TIMES Editorial
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Editorial Director
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Contents

05 Gotta Have It

13 Heartstopper

31 Alice Oceman

35 Just like us

39 A new era of queer young

adult romance novels is
taking over

43 We finally have cartoons

that are unapologetically
queer – and the kids are
loving it

4
GOTTA HAVE IT Dsquared2 One Life One Planet and
Smiley Collection
From £185, at dsquared2.com
Dsquared2 takes a walk on the green side, and the
walk is bursting with smiles and positive affirmations.
The dynamic duo, Dean and Dan, have launched the
One Life One Planet capsule collection, marking the
brand’s first steps in contributing to a more sustainable
fashion industry. The collection sees the classic
staples, like the denim, logo tees and sweatshirts,
and signature shoes and bags, all remixed with the
Smiley logo and mission statement. And to be honest,
there’s a lot to smile about when learning about the
sustainable research and practices that have gone
5
into this collection. Every detail of design and
construction has been investigated and modified
with a fresh sustainable approach. Dean and
Dan, when talking about the collection, said:
“We started with the creative process, looking at
fabrics which reduce, for certain aspects, their
environmental impact and at innovative ways
to process and finish products.” The playful and
free-spirited energy of Dsquared2 continues to
thrive as it walks into a greener future. We love to
see it.
Casablanca Crochet Bag
£310 at MATCHESFASHION

Axel Arigato Hooper Vegan Sneaker

£170

Charles Jeffrey Loverboy Varsity Jacket

£645 at MATCHESFASHION

Mr Men and Little Miss Mr Grumpy Phone Case

£14.99 at I Want One Of Those
 Dr Martens Cristofor Leather Harness Boot
£159

HERMES Jardin Sur Le Toit

£67

G-Shock X M.C.Overalls DW-5600 Watch

£119

Montblanc Meisterstück Selection Glacier

Large Backpack
£1320

Lacoste X Minecraft Collection
From £25 at lacoste.com
Bestie, things are getting quite meta. Fashion and
technology are no strangers, they are practically
lovers and this latest drop from Lacoste is the
perfect exploration of creative synergy and futurism.
The result of this collaboration is a collection of new
essentials designed for Spring Summer 2022 to
express your own style, in the real or the virtual world.
For more than a decade, gaming enthusiasts of all
ages have been immersed in the multi-coloured
8
landscape maps of Minecraft. These details are
brought into the real world with pixelated graphics
colliding with the classic Lacoste crocodile. The
remixed crocodile can be seen on a variety of
signature Lacoste pieces from the classic polo,
windbreakers, hoodies, athletic wear and more. It’s
all about the contrast and balance. Isn’t that the
recipe for life? Anyway this collection is definitely one
for all you gay-mers out there.
 Vivienne Westwood Sun Collection
From £195, at Vivienne Westwood Boutiques
and viviennewestwood.com
Shades are a mystifying tool. The mere combination of glass
and plastic can cover a multitude of sins and emotions. They
are a chic disguise. A stylistic weapon. A powerful display of
glamour. Are we being dramatic? Well sue us because for
Vivienne, when it comes to framing the windows to your soul
this summer, it’s all about the drama. Darling, the collection
simply takes inspiration from the theatre. Moving beyond the
obvious function of blocking out horrid UV rays, the pieces are
an extension of one’s own individual style. The different styles
themselves are inspired by the glorious Westwood archive.
Exaggerated proportions and asymmetry take centre stage,
9
acting as romantic odes to Westwood’s notorious use of
amplified forms and silhouettes. The collection is divided into
three categories; Vanguard, androgynous avant-garde styles
to elevate your look; Prêt-à-Porter, inspired by retro frames and
the icons who wore them; and Essence, styles rooted in classic
silhouettes with signature Westwood details. Creative Director
Andreas Kronthaler expressed: “Sunglasses should be the
embodiment of personal theatre. They can make any look – they
are an extension of your style. Of course they have a purpose,
but they should be fun, playful, joyous.” So throw on the shades
and take centre stage!
 Ed Hardy T-Shirt
£32

Balenciaga Bag
£1450 at Selfridges

10

Ed Hardy Skirt
£55

Georg Jensen x Stine Goya Daisy Necklace

£1675

GCDS Heels
£1030
 Apple Mac Studio | Apple Mac Studio Display
Prices start at £1,999 | Prices start at £1,499 apple.com/uk

Apple Watch Bright Green Braided Solo Loop

£99 at apple.com/uk
£49 at apple.com/uk

11

Apple Watch Eucalyptus Solo Loop

£49 at apple.com/uk

iPhone 13 Pro in Alpine Green

Prices start at £949 apple.com/uk

Apple Watch Bright Green Sport Band

£49 at apple.com/uk
 12

iPad Air
Prices start at £569, available from apple.com/uk

iPad Air continues to be one of the most popular tablet devices on

experience when needed. With an upgraded 12MP Ultra Wide front
the market – and with this 2022 refresh it continues to prove why
facing camera, iPad Air now has Centre Stage functionality, meaning
it’s one of Apple’s must-have products. To start there’s a massive
that your camera will focus on you in FaceTime calls even when
leap in performance with Apple’s revolutionary M1 chip doing all the
you’re moving around. The 12MP Wide camera on the back allows
hard work under the hood, delivering a smooth user experience
you to capture 4K video, ready to edit on device. And if you wanted to
and allowing the device to run more powerful apps with ease.
publish any of that high definition content on the go, now you can as
Demanding workflows are a breeze on this machine, without
the latest iPad Air cellular models have 5G connectivity. This means
compromising its promise of all-day battery life. There’s double the
super fast internet on an even faster device no matter where you are.
graphics performance compared to the previous model for avid
With a Liquid Retina Display for impeccable visuals and Touch ID
gamers out there, while the faster CPU and GPU performance allows
for peace-of-mind security, the new iPad Air is the ultimate portable
for video editing in 4K, designing 3D models or experiencing more
device for creators, students and people who like to do a lot with very
realistic augmented reality. What’s most astonishing is that this is all
little to carry. Apple’s new iPad Air delivers pro-level performance
possible with a model that is thin, light-weight and comfortable to
with a personal touch at an affordable price point – making it one of
hold. The slick stylish design is available in five different shades, and
their most dynamic and versatile devices to date.
is compatible with Apple’s Magic Keyboard and the 2nd generation
Apple Pencil meaning you can switch it to a more traditional laptop
13

Meet the cast of 2022’s most anticipated LGBTQ+ series.

HEARTSTO
Photography by Words by Fashion by
HANNIFAH MOHAMMAD SAM DAMSHENAS UMAR SARWAR

Hair by Makeup by Fashion Assistant

KIERON FOWLES KAREEM JARCHE LIV LAWRENCE

Photography Assistant
JOYAL DOMINIC
 14

PPER
CORINNA JOE
KIZZY KIT
Jacket AXEL ARIGATO Jacket, jeans AXEL ARIGATO
Jacket, trainers AXEL ARIGATO Jacket AXEL ARIGATO
Top, TOMMY JEANS T-shirt TOMMY JEANS
Vest, shorts TOMMY JEANS T-shirt STELLA MCCARTNEY
Shorts, HOLLISTER
Jeans LEVI’S
 “B
oy meets boy. Boys
become friends. Boys
fall in love…” It’s a story
many GAY TIMES
readers will resonate
with, but one that hasn’t been well-represented
for LGBTQ+ Brits in the coming-of-age slash
teen genre. Of course, we’ve had Love, Victor
and Sex Education in recent years, but a
quintessentially British series entirely devoted
to a blossoming queer romance? We haven’t
been lucky in that department. Thanks to
Netflix, LGBTQ+ teens around the UK will finally
see their stories on-screen with the streamer’s
long-awaited adaptation of Heartstopper,
based on Alice Oseman’s beloved webcomic
and graphic novel of the same name.
Following the charming romance between
the openly gay overthinker Charlie Spring
(Joe Locke) and buoyant rugby player Nick
Nelson (Kit Connor), the eight-episode series
is a light and joyous watch featuring little in the
way of trauma and conflict, and that’s exactly
what queer youth coming to terms with their
sexuality or gender identity need to see. Joe,
who makes his acting debut with the series,
calls Heartstopper a “wonderful” show due its
relentless optimism and enchanting depiction
of the queer experience.
“The elements of bullying and of sexual
assault are in [Heartstopper], but it's a
15
miniscule part of a really happy story, which
I think is really important to show younger,
especially queer kids, that your life isn't going
to be just bullying,” he tells GAY TIMES on
set. “You can have a happier life. You deserve
a happier life.” Kit agrees, saying the series
“shows the beauty” of queer love.
Also starring Corinna Brown as Tara
Jones, Kizzy Edgell as Darcy Olsson, William
Gao as Tao Xu and Yasmin Finney as Elle
Argent, Heartstopper premieres 22 April on
the streamer. To mark the release of - we’d say
‘arguably’ but who are we kidding? - the most
anticipated LGBTQ+ show of 2022, we sat
down with Joe and Kit, as well as Corinna and
Kizzy - who play the series’ resident lesbian
couple - about the first season of Heartstopper
and how the teen dramedy reflects LGBTQ+
youth of today.

Heartstopper is one of the most popular

queer graphic novels of its time, and its
fanbase is incredibly passionate. Why did
you want to be part of Alice’s incredible
universe?

Kizzy: I knew it from reading it on Tumblr. I’m

a sucker for representation and I like to feel
seen. I thought it was spectacular and really
sweet. Alice posted that they were doing a
casting and I thought, ‘I love Darcy, she's my
favourite,’ and... magic!
Jumper, COACH

Jeans, AXEL ARIGATO

16
 KIT

Jacket, TOMMY JEANS

T-shirt RALPH LAUREN

AT MR.PORTER

Jeans, LEVI’S

JOE

Jacket, jumper 8 BY

YOOX

17
Corinna: For me, I had absolutely no idea! I'm
totally new to the Alice and Heartstopper world.
It was just an audition through my agent, and
when I read the monologue, I really resonated
with it. I thought it was so cool. I didn't even
know how big it was going to be, or is, or was.
From the get-go, I really liked the monologue,
how she spoke, what she talked about, and
here I am now!
Joe: Growing up, I had never seen anything
that sort of I saw myself in. When someone
suggested that I audition for Heartstopper,
I read the comments and instantly saw a
younger version of me or something I wish I'd
seen when I was younger. The idea of being
in something that matters as my first job… It's
not an action thriller, which are great, but it's
something that really can matter to people.
There's not really much of that out there.
Kit: I agree in the sense that like, it's something
that matters, it has a big impact on people.
There are certain scenes that we were able to
create as actors that people might be able to,
for example, show their parents to come out.
I find it a real honour to be able to bring that
to screen. Also, I think this show is made for a
certain demographic that haven't really seen
as much queer representation as some other
demographics, a slightly younger audience. It's
suitable for a younger audience and also much
older.
Joe: My friend had read the comics and was
like, ‘Joe you need to read these.’ I was like,
‘Yeah, I'll get round to it,’ and then as soon as
I was offered it, I read them all in one sitting. I
thought, ‘I love this with all of my heart.’
Kit: Yeah, I knew of them. I actually think my
sister actually had a few. I think the first and
maybe second volume is in our room. When I
got the first email about possibly auditioning
for it, I literally just read through basically
everything I could get my hands on to know as
much as I could about the character.
So your sister is a fan! How did she react
when you got the part?
Kit: My whole family is so excited about it.
I’ve done some work before as an actor, and
everytime I do anything, there’s a certain level of
bias in my house! But for this, I think especially
with the nature of the show and the fact that
it’s Netflix… It’s like Joe was saying earlier: it’s
the calm before the storm. Everyone’s sort of
waiting to explode.
Joe: The fandom is so dedicated already. The
cast announcement came out and I had like
20,000 more followers by the end of the day.
It’s just crazy!
Kit: The support is insane. There’s no way to
explain it.
Corinna: I’ve not seen a bad word. It’s so
supportive. I’m so excited for people, like me,
who didn’t know about Heartstopper. They’re
going to be like, ‘Oh my god, where has this
been all my life?’ I think everyone’s in for a treat.
Take me back to when you all found out that
you got the part. How did you react?
Kizzy: I lost my mind. I had a nap after my
audition and woke up with a missed call from
them. I rang them back and they told me I got
the part! I was sleepy, confused and freaked
out. I lost my mind!
Corinna: Yeah, me too. I think I was just
screaming. I’m a very loud person so most of
my emotion comes through noise, so you can
just imagine I was like, ‘AHH! OH MY GOD!’
Then my agent’s on the phone like, ‘Yeah, shut
up. You can’t say anything yet.’ My housemates
were like, ‘What’s going on?’ and I had to be
like, ‘Nothing! Nothing!’ 18
Joe: I was in isolation on my own in my house.
I had to isolate for two weeks, just me and my
dog. My agent phoned me, I was sat alone and
just screamed in my house. I had to FaceTime
my family because no one was there. My mum
dropped round the house and left loads of
cakes, chocolates and cards!
Kit: I was having dinner with my family, and then
I got the call from my agent. I went upstairs and
I had a feeling what it might be about, and I got
the news. I was like, ‘This is mad, oh my god,
I’m going to be in…’
A Netflix show!
Kit: Then I went down and tried to play cool. I
sat back down with my parents and they were
like, ‘What was the call about?’ because they
obviously thought it was about [Heartstopper]
as well. I was like, ‘Not much. I'm going to be
in a Netflix show, nothing crazy.’ Then everyone
just sort of exploded. I tried to play cool!
 Jumper, LAZY OAF

T-shirt, VANS

19
 Exactly how I would’ve played it. As writer
and executive producer, having written all
eight episodes and a say in who was cast,
Alice plays a tremendous role in bringing
this series to life. Did she offer you any
words of encouragement ahead of filming?

Corinna: She just told us to be ourselves. We

did a chemistry read, I think it was the second
one, and we had an improvisation scene
with our characters. She was like, ‘Just bring
yourselves and see how you feel.’ She was
amazing.

Kizzy: And they gave us these little boxes with

the copy of the first book and a lovely letter of
encouragement.

20
Corinna: And a little picture!

Kizzy: Yeah, a little picture of us as our

characters. Tobie [Donovan] and Rhea
[Norwood] got that too and their characters
aren't in the books, so Alice just drew them. It
was really cute.

I want to be cast in season two just so I get a

box.

Corinna: Everybody's going to want a box! You

get a box, you get a box!

Was there anything you did off-screen to make

sure the relationships between your characters
came to life?

Jacket, trousers DANIEL W. FLETCHER Joe: Was there? I feel like spending 11 hours a
Shoes CROCS day together…

Kit: Yeah, we spent a lot of time together! Also,

on the weekends we as a whole cast would
hang out. At first, it was just to get to know each
other. Then, quite quickly, we enjoyed spending
time with each other. We'd go out and we still
do.

Kizzy: We had a good Intimacy Coordinator,

called David, who talked us through a lot of the
kissing and intimate scenes.
 21

All clothing 8 BY YOOX

Jacket, TOMMY JEANS
T-shirt RALPH LAUREN AT MR.PORTER

22
 Corinna: It would be like understanding
consent. Like, ‘Can I touch your shoulder?
Can I touch your hair? Can I come into your
personal space?’ Also, we hung out a lot! We
were always together and that helped.

I’m glad you mentioned the Intimacy

Coordinator, because although they have
been in live theatre for decades, it’s a
relatively new concept for television…

Corinna: To think things didn't have that

before is so crazy, because I was so nervous!
I was like, ‘Oh my god how is this going to
happen?’ But the first time with David, I was
like, ‘Okay, cool.’

Kizzy: He put us at ease.

Corinna: Also, it was a closed set so there

weren't hundreds of people gawking at you
- which helped! David made us feel really
comfortable. Like you said, I can't believe it’s
new.

Kizzy: Corinna looked after me!

From looking at all of your social media

pages, it looks like set was an absolute blast.
What was it like sharing this experience with
people who ultimately became some of your
23
closest friends?

Joe: So much fun.

Kit: Someone made a joke that Will Gao

makes up like, 50/60% of my Instagram
page. It’s like a dedication.

Joe: A shrine to Will Gao. When you look at it,

there's no one who really like…

Kit: There’s no one who rubs each other the

wrong way. Everyone just loves being with
each other. For example, me and Will, our
characters don’t often see eye to eye. So, it
was weird that we were besties off screen.

Joe: I can't imagine acting like I'm not friends

with my best friend! That’s the beauty of
acting, of course, acting like you are enemies.

Kit: Like Bash, for example. Bash is one of

the sweetest people I've ever met.

Joe: And that's why he plays a good villain,

because he spent so much time trying
to make [Ben] less bad that you see the
humanity behind him, and you don't really
feel sorry for him.

Kizzy: I'm not used to any kind of set at all,

 this was my first time. Heartstopper was just
so kind and welcoming. Everyone was very
careful and good with the way they talked to us,
everything seemed right and the way it should
be.

Right, who was the prankster on set? I’m

sensing there was some mischief. Reveal!

Kit: Not me…

Joe: People would come onto set and think me

and Kit really didn't like each other. Then they'd
be like, ‘Oh wait, you're joking right?’

Kit: Taking the mick out of each other.

Joe: We've gotten so close that we've got to

that level where we are comfortable, not being
mean to each other but... The snow day scene,
the director was like, ‘I think I'm getting more
Joe and Kit than Nick and Charlie.’

Kit: Yeah, because we were like, ‘I'm gonna

smash your face in!’ Suddenly it's like, ‘Okay,
maybe we should be more like this…’ We got
the hang of Nick and Charlie flirting by the end
of it!

Sebastian isn’t a little delinquent like

Ben, thanks for confirming, but do any of
24
you personally relate to your respective
characters?

Kizzy: Growing up queer, like Darcy, I never

felt scared or uncomfortable about it. I also
think people want Darcy to shut up about her
sexuality and I don’t think I’ll ever do that. I’m
proud of my sexuality and my gender, it’s very
special to me so I relate to Darcy in that way.

Corinna: I think, like Tara, not really wanting

to tell the whole world because I think it’s
something very personal, and that’s okay as
long as you’re happy. I think we relate in that
sense. Also, she always looks for the best in
situations.

Kizzy: A proper optimist.

Corinna: Yeah, I feel like she's always trying

to look after other people even though she's
going through her own stuff and is not quite
ready to talk to other people about it yet. She
Shirt, trousers STELLA MCCARTNEY

looks out for Nick, so even within that she's

like, ‘I can see we're going through the same
things and if I support you, maybe it'll help me
get through it.’

Joe: I relate quite a lot to Charlie. I had a similar

experience at school in that I was sort of... I
 wasn't ever bullied, but I was definitely different
to some people and I think that I relate to a lot
of Charlie's insecurities in that. It was really
nice to explore the differences between us. I'd
say I'm more extroverted than he is, but he's
more confident in ways that I'm not confident
in. I would never ever have the confidence to
join a rugby team to go after a lad! I don't think
I'd ever like someone enough to do that.
Kit: Nick’s character, one of the main things
that he goes through is a real mix of mental
and internal conflict. It’s this confusion of,
‘Am I really who I thought I was? Am I who
everyone else thinks I am?’ The beauty of
these characters, and Nick for example, it’s so
universal and everyone can relate to a little bit
of every character.
How do you think Heartstopper reflects
LGBTQ+ youth today? And how important
do you think this show will be for queer
viewers at home?
Corinna: So important. I think it’s long overdue.
If everyone had this when they were younger,
the world would be so much better. It’s so
relevant, it will relate to everyone anywhere,
no matter old you are - young, old, queer, not
queer. It’s for everyone.
25
Kizzy: I think it’s a good way to introduce kids to
the concept of being queer. It’s not like there’s
a video that you can put on and show kids to
teach them how to be towards queer people,
or if they are queer, to figure it out. There's not
many kid-friendly ways to do that so I think it’s
helpful.
Corinna: And it feels very real, because I think
a lot of things that you see are like Drag Race,
which are extravagant. It’s nice to see how you
can navigate it as a teenager.
Joe: It's such a realistic view of queer youth
because there's no perfect way of being queer,
there's no perfect way of being you, you just
have to be an authentic human. Throughout
the whole series, there's so many different
portrayals of being queer, of living these
experiences. You don't have to be this or have
to be this. It's really lovely to see that you can
just be you.
Kit: I always say it's like a very optimistic,
rose-tinted spectacles approach to the show.
There are some things that you still want
to tackle, certain problems, because they
need to be tackled, they need to be spoken
about. But, I think that the nature of Nick and
his relationship is just… It's so pure. They are
just unapologetic about each other. One of
the things I love about the way that Charlie is
written is that he's so supportive, because in
the show, he has already sort of gone through
the struggles regarding his identity - certainly
his sexual identity. So, he's really just that
support for Nick, through any kind of trouble
that he may have.
Joe: What’s wonderful about it is that there’s
not many queer shows out there that are just
happy. You find it a lot, where someone dies of
AIDS or someone gets bullied, and that’s the
whole story. The elements of bullying and of
sexual assault are in [Heartstopper], but it's
a miniscule part of a really happy story, which
I think is really important to show younger,
especially queer kids, that your life isn't going
to be just bullying. You can have a happier life.
You deserve a happier life.
Kit: Showing the beauty.
Joe: It's like an optimistic view of society that,
some may view, we're not at yet, but we could
be very soon.
Dress SISTER JANE

26
 27

Jumper, shorts AXEL ARIGATO

CORINNA KIZZY

Dress SISTER JANE Jacket, trousers DANIEL W.

Shoes CROCS FLETCHER

Shoes CROCS

28
29
 KIT Top, TOMMY JEANS
Trainers CONVERSE
Jacket AXEL ARIGATO Shorts, HOLLISTER
KIZZY Trainers, NEW BALANCE
T-shirt STELLA MCCARTNEY
Jacket, trainers AXEL ARIGATO
Jeans LEVI’S
Vest, shorts TOMMY JEANS JOE

CORINNA Jacket, jeans AXEL ARIGATO

Jacket AXEL ARIGATO T-shirt TOMMY JEANS

30
 ALICE
OSEMAN
The Heartstopper creator takes us behind-the-
scenes of Netflix’s new queer teen romance.

Words by Photography by
SAM DAMSHENAS NETFLIX
31

“I
just want it to spread joy,”
says Alice Oseman, “and
be this show that young
LGBTQ+ people can watch
when they just want to
feel happy and seen.” The British author is, of
course, talking about the first-ever live-action
adaptation of their treasured graphic novel
Heartstopper, which lands 22 April on Netflix. “I
started creating Heartstopper for fun because
it made me happy. And then, as it grew and
grew, I started to realise it was making a lot of
people happy as well.” Leading up to its release
on the streamer, Heartstopper fans have been
bombarding Netflix with comments on social
media under all of their posts, whether it’s
related to the show or not, (playfully) demanding
to see official stills, teasers and more content
from the highly-anticipated queer teen
romance. Joe Locke and Kit Connor, who play
series leads Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson,
32

33
respectively, saw their Instagram followings
skyrocket following the cast announcement,
and are often met with comments from ardent
fans such as, “Can you write me a note saying
I’m very sick and write April 22nd as the date…
for scientific purposes,” “I don’t even know
how I’m gonna get through an episode of
Heartstopper without fully sobbing the whole
time,” and “Screaming crying throwing up
rolling around on the floor crawling to A&E.”
Well, the last comment was admittedly from
Baby Queen, who provides Colours of You for
the soundtrack, but you get the jist: the fans
are passionate.
Produced by See-Saw Films, the eight-
episode series focuses on Charlie, a “high
strung, openly gay overthinker” and Nick, a
“cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player”. After
meeting during their class in secondary
school, the two soon discover that their unlikely
friendship is blossoming into an unexpected
romance that will change their lives - for the
better. Also starring William Gao as Tao Xu,
Yasmin Finney as Elle Argent, Corinna Brown
as Tara Jones, Kizzy Edgell as Darcy Olsson,
Sebastian Croft as Ben Hope, Cormac Hyde-
Corrin as Harry Greene, Rhea Norwood
as Imogen Heaney and Tobie Donovan as
Isaac Henderson, Heartstopper is the epic
romance that all queer people, especially
Brits, have been waiting to see on-screen.
As lead writer and executive producer, Alice
reveals they “played a part” in casting all of the
aforementioned stars, and was able to “voice”
their opinion about who was right for the
charming world she launched just five years
ago. For Kit, Alice says the Rocketman star
has a “natural goodness about him,” much like
Nick. “He radiates good energy,” they explain,
before adding of Joe: “He completely stood
out from the start. What I loved about Joe in
his first audition was that he perfectly got the
balance between Charlie’s anxious nature
and his timidness, as well as the confidence.
Although he’s quite shy, he is also confident in
who he is and what he wants out of life. That’s
a really difficult balance for an actor to portray,
but Joe got that perfectly.” Director Euros Lyn,
known for his work on dramas such as Doctor
Who, Sherlock, Black Mirror and Daredevil,
agreed, previously saying he “can’t imagine a
more perfect pair than Kit and Joe to play Nick
and Charlie, and bring their joyous love story to
life on screen.”
The casting process was “different” for
Corinna and Kizzy, Alice says. The former was
discovered early on and, like Kit, “radiates
goodness and sunshine”. Kizzy was more
difficult to find, however, with Alice revealing
that Darcy was met with the most auditions
of any character on the show. (There were
10,000 auditions overall.) “We wanted to find
someone special,” Alice reminisces. “Kizzy,
they just had an energy that was so different to
anyone else we’d seen - an energy that was so
different to Corinna as well. That seems to be
the key for me, with Kit and Joe and Corinna
and Kizzy, is bringing two people together
that are quite different but make sparks fly
on screen.” Heartstopper has always been
a personal project for Alice, they admit, and
they’ve always had “complete control” over the
universe - which is why Netflix’s enthusiasm for
the author to be heavily involved in the making
of the series, as writer and executive producer,
felt like “the perfect fit” for her and fellow
producer Patrick Walters. “We care so much
about the story and the characters and Netflix
could see that, and they were happy for us to
hold onto that and not take away what we were
doing,” explains Alice. “I think the fear for me,
and SeeSaw, was that control over the creative
would be taken away. But Netflix has been so
supportive and let us do what we want with it. I
still can’t believe how positive a TV experience
has been for me!”
Adapting prose into a screenplay can
be difficult due to limitations with live-action,
with fans often negatively comparing to their
paperback counterparts, but Alice says that
adapting a graphic novel is a different beast
- “easier”, even. “You’ve got the visuals there
to work from,” they admit, before saying it was,
at times, “challenging” to shape the plot into a
story that works for television. Heartstopper has
been acclaimed for brimming with optimism
and featuring barely any conflict, which is
incredibly refreshing for a queer narrative. But,
in order for a TV show to succeed, drama is
necessary. Alice says they had to make sure the
series had “ups and downs” that is expected
for the format. “[Drama] wasn’t really present in
the graphic novels. It’s quite slow paced. They
don’t have a lot of intense, dramatic moments.
I had to figure out how to keep the show true to
the story while adding little things in to make
it appealing for a TV audience.” Although it’s
arguably still important to depict LGBTQ+
trauma to educate audiences on our history,
it’s equally as important to show how members
of the community can simply live their lives
and thrive. In our interview with the cast, Joe
said it’s “important to show younger, especially
younger queer kids, that your life isn’t going to
be just bullying” and that Heartstopper depicts
“an optimistic view of society”. Kit agreed,
calling it a “rose-tinted” view of how the world
should be. Elements of queer trauma is still
there, such as sexual assault and bullying, but
there’s always an optimistic spin. One aspect
of the graphic novel that was vital for Alice to
include was Nick’s journey towards discovering
his bisexuality. Refreshingly - and this might
be a spoiler alert for those unfamiliar with the
story - Nick’s bisexuality is never presented
as an issue for the other characters. “I wanted
to let his journey happen without too much
antagonism towards him,” says Alice. “There
aren’t many bisexual male characters, it’s quite
an underrepresented identity in fiction. In the
graphic novels, and in the show, I wanted to
give him space to go on that journey and figure
out that identity. Maybe there will be trials and
tribulations down the line, but I just wanted to
enjoy seeing him come to those realisations.”
On the other hand, there were benefits
to a live-action format. Alice says the series
allowed them to “expand” the story of Nick and
Charlie, as well as supporting characters such
as Tao, Elle, Tara and Darcy. While it still leans
more towards Nick and Charlie’s arc, it allows
the supporting characters to have significantly
more development than in the graphic novel.
Tao and Elle’s budding relationship is fleshed
out further, while Tara and Darcy’s romance
is imperative to the show’s narrative. “In the
graphic novels,” she continues, “there’s just no
room because it’s such a short story.” Reflecting
on the show’s incoming premiere, Alice says
they feel “incredibly lucky and grateful” to
Netflix for introducing their characters to a
wider audience, letting queer youth know that
“things can get better” in the process. “It’s been
the most wonderful and exciting experience of
my life,” they tell us. With the coming-of-age
genre still not entirely indicative of the queer 34

experience on-screen - having lead characters

identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community is
still scarce, particularly for British-led stories -
Heartstopper already means a lot to so many
queer young people. In the words of one fan,
“This show will save lives.”
 JUST LIKE US
Meet the youth
ambassadors
making schools
more LGBTQ+
35
inclusive.
Words by
SAM DAMSHENAS
Illustration by
OLIVIA LAWRENCE
S
ince 2016, LGBTQ+ youth charity
Just Like Us has collaborated
with primary schools, secondary
schools and colleges from all
corners of the UK. Their mission
statement? To help improve the lives of queer
youth. Their annual, UK-wide celebration
of LGBTQ+ equality, titled School Diversity
Week, sees thousands of schools take part
with student talks and assemblies led by
their Ambassador Programme, which trains
LGBTQ+ people aged 18-25 to speak about
allyship and their own personal experiences
with sexuality and/or gender identity.
Dominic Arnall, Chief Executive Officer at
the LGBTQ+ charity, tells GAY TIMES that
Just Like Us exists to let all young people
know that, although growing up queer is still
unacceptably tough, their identities need
to be “celebrated”. “LGBTQ+ young people
are twice as likely to be bullied, experience
depression, have anxiety and contemplate
suicide,” says Dominic, who has been CEO
since 2020. “Our independent research also
found that half (48%) of secondary school
pupils are getting little to zero positive
messaging about being LGBTQ+, despite
LGBTA+ inclusive education being linked
to pupils feeling safer in school and being
less likely to experience suicidal thoughts.”
With School Diversity Week, as well as their
aforementioned groups and programmes,
Just Like Us is using their invaluable expertise
to, in the words of ambassador Mara Harris,
“combat future ignorance” and allow pupils
to “embrace the parts of their identities that
make them unique”. In celebration of Just Like
Us’ incredible and life-saving work, we spoke
with five of the charity’s youth ambassadors
who are helping make schools more LGBTQ+
inclusive.
36
 Sam Picton (He/Him)

“Volunteering with Just Like Us allows me to

empower young people to be kind towards
those and around them - specifically their
LGBTQ+ peers,” explains Sam Picton. “It
means being able to shape the perspectives
of a generation who will be defined by their
inclusiveness.” As a queer person in sport,
Sam says he’s able to guide queer students
towards accurate information - information
they “might otherwise seek out themselves
in the wrong places”. For Sam, helping young
people understand what it means to be
queer and hearing multiple students shout
“thank you!” over a Zoom call liberates him
as a queer person “more than anything else”.
He says: “Every school talk that I have done
so far has been online – when microphones
are briefly turned off and my room is flooded
with young people shouting ‘thank you’ as we
leave, I feel lucky to have been able to speak
to them.” Sam has also witnessed the impact
of Just Like Us first-hand; as a result of one his
discussions, a teacher came out as a lesbian
to her class. “This gives her students an
LGBTQ+ role model to look up to in their own
school,” explains Sam, “a leap forward that I
am so happy to have contributed towards!”

37
Kara Marie Allum (They/Them)

Kara Marie Allum, who identifies as trans

non-binary, joined Just Like Us to “meet and
interact” with more people their own age,
Mara Harris (He/They)
but to also “provide and increase” access to
LGBTQ+ related information they weren’t privy
Historically, schools haven’t always been safe
to growing up. “One of the big barriers in my
spaces for LGBTQ+ students. With Just Like
personal journey was lacking the vocabulary
Us educating youth on matters pertaining
to describe and understand how I was feeling,”
to the community, however, pupils are finally
they tell GAY TIMES. “I didn’t want those same
“embracing the parts of their identities that
barriers to be in place for the next generation
make them unique,” says Mara Harris. “The
of LGBTQ+ youth.” Through their volunteer
charity often passes the feedback that
work at Just Like Us, Kara says they have been
schools get on to us, about how much the kids
able to “talk positively and unapologetically”
have learnt in a school talk, or how they have
about those within the LGBTQ+ community and
seen themselves reflected in the talks we’ve
how they can live “awesome lives”. When Kara
given,” they reveal. “School Diversity Week has
initially joined the charity, they identified as a
allowed students to come together to learn,
cisgender bisexual man. Although they were
but also have fun.” By sharing their non-binary
unsure about their gender identity at the time,
identity with students and writing articles,
their experiences at Just Like Us helped them
including for GAY TIMES, Mara says they’ve
“understand and process” their transness. “I
been able to reflect on their journey as a queer
still remember going down to London for the
person and also be “truer” in everything they
initial training,” they reminisce, “and being in a
do. “It was important to me, as I wanted to give
room full of 100 other young people and feeling
back to people like me, with people like me,”
a sense of warmth and belonging I hadn’t
they continue. “I feel as though educating
felt before.” One of their favourite aspects
young people is one of the best ways to
of working with the organisation is providing
combat future ignorance, so giving talks about
valuable tools for non-queer students on how
LGBTQ+ topics, and telling my own story has
to be “vocal and committed allies”. Kara says:
been a rewarding way to do that.”
“It inspires me to keep volunteering.”
Rhea Flowers (She/Her)

As a queer, mixed-race woman, Rhea

Flowers signed up to Just Like Us to be the
representation she failed to see at school or
in mainstream media. “When I found out that
Just Like Us puts volunteers' stories front and
centre and runs talks in schools across the
UK, I had to apply,” she admits, adding that
she wishes she could’ve been able to “hear”
the experiences of ambassadors earlier.
Since working with the charity, Rhea has led
assemblies on LGBTQ+ issues and, although
she had never spoken at length about her
story before, used the incredible opportunity
to open up about her journey and help queer
youth “add to their vision of their future” in the
process. She is often approached by students
Ketan Mandalia (He/Him)
and teachers with questions on how to be a
better ally and how to access more information
Like Rhea, Ketan Mandalia failed to see
about LGBTQ+ matters. “This makes me so
authentic LGBTQ+ and South Asian
happy because it shows that what we've said
representation in his school years. Intending to
has got them thinking and that they want to
work within education, Ketan “instantly” signed
know more, which is why spaces to have these
up to Just Like Us after learning about the 38
conversations, to learn and ask questions, are
charity, saying it would’ve been invaluable for
so needed,” says Rhea. “There are so many
him to witness an ambassador who shares the
avenues, careers and general life adventures
same experiences affirm “that you can indeed
for them to explore and I want young people
be Hindu and gay and that there’s a community
to feel positive and supported to go for their
of non-white LGBTQ+ people out there”. With
goals and never discount something, like a
many queer South Asian people still closeted
career, because of how they identify.”
due to “family, community or religious hostility,”
Ketan says students at South Asian schools
have a “spark” in their eyes when they see
a fellow Brown LGBTQ+ person. “They see
hope, they see support, they know they have
someone to turn to,” he says. “We’re still rare,
and homophobia still hasn’t been tackled, if
at all, in schools. Children are still facing the
homophobic bullying I experienced eight
years ago.” Volunteering with Just Like Us has
let Ketan “speak my truth”, he admits, before
sharing how much of an impact the charity
has on “stamping out” homophobia within
schools: “We’ve been allowed to appropriately
inform the pupils of the realities and harms of
LGBTQ+ bullying and teach the kids who may
be LGBTQ+ that there is so much support out
there. But most of all, they will go on to lead
happy, successful, normal lives, loved by any
and all communities they’re within and those
around them.” With this platform, Ketan’s main
aim is to make the up-and-coming generation
of children “kind, considerate, tolerant and
inclusive individuals”.
 A new era of
queer young adult
romance novels is
taking over
From BookTok favourite to booming book sales,
here’s a breakdown of how LGBTQ+ YA literature has
become a new hit.
39
L
GBTQ+ young adult romance is
thriving. If you don’t believe us,
just take a quick look at a few
of the viral reads circulating the
bookish realms of Tumblr and
TikTok aka BookTok and Booklr. Whether it's
a beloved frenzy over The Seven Husbands
of Evelyn Hugo or a heartwarming obsession
with Heartstopper, the rise (and embrace)
of queer coming-of-age literature is one to
be noted. For decades, LGBTQ+ stories for
younger audiences were quietly discussed and
discreetly published with little to no fanfare.
But, today, a boom of interest from enthused
audiences has driven a revival in a genre that
has long deserved greater attention.
For many of us, coming-of-age books
are the first time we are swept up in sickly
sweet stories of adorned queer romances,
clumsy moments of growing up, or fast-paced
Words by
ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH
mysteries and adventures. These kinds of
books are pivotal for representation but also
nourish our community with different ideas of
queerness and individuality. As the demand for
LGBTQ+ fiction continues to grow, YA novels
are becoming a hotspot of interest. Authors
are no longer relegated to the option of self-
publishing or independent publishing houses,
as bigger publishing giants are catching onto
the newly-fuelled hype. So, as a celebration of
this cultural shift, we’ve pulled together a list of
some of the trending titles that are denouncing
stigmatised characters and poorly executed
tropes for fresh fantasies of what queer
romance and joy can look like – yes, finally!
Books are back to being cool again and
we’ve got the names everyone is talking about.
Here’s our quick-fix guide to which YA LGBTQ+
reads you should definitely have on your
bookshelf.
Heartstopper
Ace of Spades
Written by Alice Oseman
Written by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

If you haven’t heard of Heartstopper already,

Ace of Spades is a dark, gritty thriller that
then let me introduce you to the British
delves deep into the world of Black queer
webcomic melting our hearts. This beloved
sexuality, class, and institutionalised racism.
series is adored by fans for its notions of self-
Set in Niveus Private Academy, this young 40
discovery, openness, and gentle romance.
adult novel is best described as Gossip Girl
The comic-turned-graphic novel follows teens
meets Get Out. A witty, slick, and undeniably
Nick and Charlie as they become friends at an
mysterious read, Ace of Spades is a book you
all-boys Grammar school. Heartstopper has
won’t want to miss out on.
become such a hit that Netflix is adapting it
into a live-action TV series. Get to know Nick
and Charlie online (and in books) before they
become part of your next must-watch binge
series this April.

Wranglestone
Written by Darren Charlton

A gay zombie thriller? What’s not to love?

Set in a post-apocalyptic America, this
young adult novel challenges everything you
know about quick-witted survival stories. As
zombies ravage the rest of the states, a small
community is able to survive in a national park
surrounded by water. But, winter is coming.
Once the surrounding water freezes over,
the community faces dangers unlike ever
before. As local communities contemplate
survival tactics, two young boys, Peter and
Cooper, find themselves at the hands of an
unexpected romance. As their time together
progresses, the duo are confronted with
mysteries and secrets they could never have
expected.
 The Henna Wars
Written by Adiba Jaigirdar

Muslim school student Nishat makes two

choices: she decides to create a henna
business for a school competition and she
also chooses to come out to her parents as
41 a lesbian. Neither goes smoothly. Her family
rejects her identity and a fellow schoolgirl,
Flávia, wants to run a henna business too.
Faced with no other choice, the girls work
together and soon enough their relationship
amounts to much more than school credit.

Here’s To Us
Written by Becky Albertalli and Adam
Silvera
Ophelia After All
Written by Racquel Marie
A team-up between the acclaimed YA authors
Becky Albertalli (Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens
Another comfort teen drama read is on the
Agenda) and Adam Silvera (They Both Die At
cards and Ophelia After All offers exactly that!
The End), Here’s To Us has been warranted
An easy read rom-com meets self-discovery
as a must-read. A follow-up to the author’s
styled novel, Racquel Marie establishes a world
first book together What If It’s Us, this sequel
of characters and twists and turns that you’ll
picks up on events between Ben and Arthur a
find yourself eagerly intrigued by. Protagonist
couple of years after the boys broke up. While
Ophelia Rojas believes she knows what she
they’re romantically apart, the boys can’t help
wants, but when her perfect idealist image of
accidentally running into one another. Here’s
herself begins to come into question, she must
To Us is a heartfelt read on reunions, romance,
dig deep to understand herself, her friends and
and second chances.
her own identity.
One Last Stop
Written by Casey McQuiston

August is 23-years-old and has just moved

to New York. She has a chip on her shoulder
about the romanticised view of love and her
job as a waitress isn’t helping either. But, when
her commute to work goes sideways, edgy
punk-rocker Jane steps in and turns her world
around. One Last Stop is a playful rom-com 42

that will keep you guessing to no end.

Late To The Party

Written by Kelly Quindlen

Released in 2020, Late To The Party follows the

life of the overly sensible Codi. If you consider
the usual checklist of teen experiences, there’s
a chance she hasn’t done them. So when Codi
and best friends Maritza and JaKory suggest
the idea of gatecrashing a party, she stumbles
into a new world of hidden secrets, new
friendships and crushes. Late To The Party is
your gentle dose of a sweet YA romance that
takes a look at what it’s like for the quieter kids
trying to navigate their own queer coming-of-
age stories.
 We finally have
cartoons that are
unapologetically
queer – and the kids
are loving it

43

A game-changing rise of LGBTQ+ representation

is birthing an overdue era of visibility on the small
screen.

Words by
ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH
L
et's wind back almost 90 years
exactly. Imagine it’s 1933 and
you’re in a theatre watching what
seems like a playful black and
white movie short. It’s a film that
looks at a soda jerk (what we would call a
server) handing out drinks to the wealthy. The
character, who is referred to as a “fruitcake”
(aka mad or eccentric) is given a drink which
quickly turns this hyper effeminate looking man
into a Jekyll and Hyde-style monster. There
are gasps. Then just a year after this shocking
scene aired, the United States introduced the
Hays Code; a piece of censorship legislation
that imposed strict guidelines right up until
1968. Imagine how it would feel to see this
outwardly flamboyant character negatively
characterised as otherworldly and unusual. It
turns out, this wasn’t that common and Soda
Squirt was one of the first known examples of
a queer coded characters in early animation.
This scene undoubtedly alienates queerness
and presents it as a monstrous characteristic,
both literally and symbolically. Nearly 90 years
have passed and these early presentations of
dangerously loaded queerness have gradually
been disposed of, and outdated attitudes are
being drowned out in the industry.
TV shows have served as cultural
touchpoints for many. Now, the first-rising
44
growth of LGBTQ+ representation in animation
and cartoons has become a crucial driving
force showcasing visibility for younger
generations, particularly children, teens and
young adults. Today, we undoubtedly have a
greater active and intentional representation
than ever before. Looking back, queerness was
tangentially explored alongside tropes that
were harmful to our representation. Characters
would be contextually included, queer coded,
painfully stereotyped or entirely absent from
narratives altogether.
From 2015 onwards, there has been an
irrefutable boom in this visibility with a greater
number of shows including LGBTQ+ characters
as well as creators on the LGBTQ+ spectrum
contributing to these projects, including artists,
showrunners and voice actors. Queer media
is continuing to build and establish itself in
children's and young adults’ TV shows. So, in
this feature, we’re going to take a look at how far
we’ve come and why it’s an impactful moment
for the LGBTQ+ community.
Yes, LGBTQ+ characters have historically
existed in TV, but there’s a great likelihood they
did not adhere to the labels or understandings
 of gender and sexuality we currently observe
today. Take Bugs Bunny - a familiar and well-
known cartoon staple from the animated
universe of children’s TV shows. Bugs Bunny
was introduced in 1940 and has quite a
flamboyant history. Whether you realise it or
not, the character had long been prone to
cross-dressing and used same-sex relations
e.g. kissing another male character for
comedic effects. While this doesn’t make Bugs
Bunny a queer character, the use of possible
queer coding or the application of queerness
as a humour-based tactic is, in short, sour. It’s
a reminder of the time and the often distasteful
means of portraying a tone of queerness
without outright representation.
Another notable trend was casting
LGBTQ+ characters as villains. A couple of
the most famous villains in animation history
(for their distinct portrayal and flair) was the
Skeleton in the 1980s British animated series
SuperTed. The show creator, Mike Young,
confirmed that the Skeleton was “flamboyantly
gay” in a 2014 interview. Likewise, the Disney
villain Ursula the Sea Witch lacked subtlety
with its queer coding. In fact, it was well known
that the iconic Little Mermaid character was
inspired by the legendary drag queen Divine
and, therefore, had direct links to queer culture
and the queer community. Similar Disney
examples that have not always boded well
45
remain The Beauty and the Beast’s Gaston and
Aladdin’s Jafar. As we wind through examples,
it becomes increasingly clear that the
relationship between queerness and animated
characters was a murky one.
Over time representation on and behind
the screen has improved. Since the 2000’s
we have seen a boost in positive LGBTQ+
animated representation. In 2005, the hit
American TV show Postcards from Buster,
a spin-off of Arthur, aired an episode titled
Sugartime! The episode caused controversy
as the main cast of characters was introduced
to a same-sex lesbian couple during a
school trip to learn about maple production
in Vermont. PBS network pulled the episode
and the Secretary of Education at the time,
Margaret Spellings, requested the network
to return federal funding. Attitudes towards
visible on-screen LGBTQ+ characters have
largely changed.
Today, Cartoon Network and Disney
stand as the leading networks for queer
representation. Rachel Ashdown, 18, from
Canada recalls watching the series Steven
Universe produced by Cartoon Network and
created by Rebecca Sugar - the first non-
binary person to independently create a series
for the network. The show incredibly featured
over 39 LGBTQ+ identifying characters.
“Steven Universe was the first animated show
I saw that featured any LGBTQ+ people in it,”
they tell GAY TIMES. “Pretty much all of the
women characters in it are lesbians. I loved it
because the show didn’t make a huge deal out
of celebrating its queerness. It was just shown
as normal. The characters had sci-fi alien
[themes], so it felt like they didn’t really have
time to grapple with homophobia or politics.”
Modern TV shows are able to pave the way
through visibility unlike anything before.
In 2018, Steven Universe made history by
premiering the first LGBTQ+ wedding between
two queer characters in a children’s animated
series. These on-screen moments are vital
for audiences, particularly younger queer
youth. Adventure Time, a Cartoon Network hit
animated series, ran for eight years and was
praised for its unique storytelling and global
audience. However, it was a subplot between
two female characters that went viral. In its
final seasons, the children’s show visibly
paired characters Princess Bubblegum and
Marceline the Vampire Queen together. The
canon uniting of these characters was vastly
important for viewers. Rachel recalls seeing
the real-time reaction to the character’s union
emerge on social media. “I was obsessed
with the characters Marceline and Princess
Bubblegum’s lesbianism before they were
even canonically together,” they explain.
“Queer people in media just makes sense.”
Plenty of new shows such as Netflix’s
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power - a
game-changing reboot of a 1980s classic -
included 23 characters of varying sexualities
and gender identities. The show (spoiler alert)
hooks viewers in with a friend-to-enemies-to-
lovers trope that sees the female characters
fall in love and become an item. Netflix kept
the LGBTQ+ rep going. In 2020, a Dreamworks
TV Animation production Kipo and the Age of
Wonderbeasts made history including a kid’s
character that openly and directly identified
as gay. Similar shows, DC’s Universe of Harley
Quinn, Cartoon Network’s Young Justice, and
Nickelodeon's Legend of Korra include vital
examples of well-scripted LGBTQ+ characters
that navigate their identity. For Rachel, these
on-screen moments are irreplaceable.
“Representation is so important for LGBTQ+
kids right now. In places like Florida and Texas,
real life is scary for these kids, and inclusive
media can be an escape from that,” they said.
“Growing up in an unaccepting household,
shows like Steven Universe and Adventure
Time felt like home to me. Good representation
on TV can encourage kids to love themselves,
even when it feels like the world doesn’t.”
The impact of inclusive TV shows is not
lost on queer youth. Sofia, 17, from Brazil,
 46

recalls when she first heard about a Star Wars

animated series that included a glimpse of
queer representation. As a young girl, her
access to this show coincided with her self-
exploration of her identity, which positively
reaffirmed how she felt as she began to
understand the meaning behind sexuality and
labels. “Star vs. the Forces of Evil was the first
show I heard about featuring a gay kiss, and I
remember I felt really surprised and excited,”
she tells GAY TIMES.
This visibility on-screen was a formative
moment for her, particularly living in a country
where anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments are rife.
“It meant that I can finally see myself as a
protagonist. I’m not in a support role anymore
[and] I really exist,” she explains. “I can feel
feelings besides my coming out and have a
whole personality and representation reminds
me that this is just a part of who I am.” Looking
ahead, Sofia hopes the animated landscape
will continue to grow and include more
representation including trans, non-binary
 and varying gender portrayals so children can
see themselves on screen. “Kids can grow
up with the idea that people are more than
their sexuality and seeing different types of
people in the media helps you have another
perspective and easier access to who you
are,” she says.
The emergence of new-wave animated
shows is vital, so what’s next? Well, when it
comes to LGBTQ+ showrunners, the big four
(Shonda Rhimes, Ryan Murphy, Lena Waithe,
and Greg Berlanti) usually dominate. A study
by GLAAD revealed that these creators were
responsible for just under 10 per cent of
LGBTQ+ regular characters in TV shows. But,
where does this leave us in the animation
world? Rebecca Sugar (Steven Universe), ND
Stevenson (She-Ra and the Princesses of
Power) and Shadi Petosky (Danger & Eggs)
have become a magnificent trio in radically
reshaping what the modern plain of children’s
and young adult animation looks like. Between
them, the three creators brought over 50
LGBTQ+ characters to life on the small screen.
47
In doing so, they have collectively positively
encouraged the queer coming-of-age realities
for LGBTQ+ youth - a fundamental shift that
cannot be understated. These characters and
TV shows culturally educate their viewers to
find acceptance and peace with who they are,
as opposed to suppressing their feelings due
to predominantly heteronormative cisgender
and white representation.
So, as we edge towards an era with greater
network backing and visibility on the small
screen, it’s crucial we do not lose sight of the
barriers preventing our vital next steps. The
absence of genuine LGBTQ+ representation
has not been felt. For years, online, queer users
have been contributing to playful examples
of queering characters. Whether that has
been the viral trend questioning whether
the Nickelodeon character SpongeBob
SquarePants was queer or the bizarre 2017
adoption of The Babadook as an internet Pride
figurehead, the queer community has been
jovially seeking out make-shift icons. Also, let’s
not forget the rallying online “movement” as
LGBTQ+ fandoms and internet users declared
Velma (from Scooby-Doo) definitely gave
LGBTQ+ undertones. These light-hearted
examples can seem questionable, but it was
a playful demonstration of how community joy
and humour can be made at the expense of
lacking representation. In the end, if LGBTQ+
people can find an affinity with these queered
characters, then is it a loss at all?
Queering of characters is one avenue,
but younger generations rightfully deserve
the representation that we have historically
lacked. Today, we are seeing reboots of
childhood shows that are including LGBTQ+
representation, like the example of Arthur
and its sudden queering of a long-standing
character Mr. Ratburn. However, there’s a
reason why modern hits are becoming queer
heavens for queer youth. Steven Universe and
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power were
radical examples of queer representation
because they had LGBTQ+ people behind
the scenes and on their creative teams.
Retrospective claiming of queer representation

(e.g SuperTed) is a nod to the community that’s
too little too late. For genuine, well-crafted
and written queer visibility, LGBTQ+ creators,
writers and showrunners must have access to
break into the industry.
Chad Teixeira, 26, from London is
hopeful for a more thoughtful approach to
LGBTQ+ representation that will empower
and educate a new generation. “I love seeing
more intelligent representation in cartoons
now. Seeing what kids are watching and have
access to, it’s different from what I had. And
I’m so here for it,” he says. “We need to see
everyone reflected in the main characters,
to have queerness centre stage and for it
to be accepted, not used as a plot device or
punchline.” Moving towards a more sensitive
form of representation, too, is also key. As Chad
puts it, queer characters should no longer be
included as side characters or for “colour” in a
48
storyline. “These characters were never really
a big deal, they were always supporting the
main protagonist – a ‘gay best friend’ if you like.
They never had their own universe, their own
story.”
From a genderless talking mini-robot in
Adventure Time to a leading lesbian superhero
who gets the girl in She-Ra and the Princesses
of Power, the new cartoon landscape is vast.
It’s a world of animation that has taught us
anything is possible. It’s bright, bold and
unapologetic, and the children taking in
its unfiltered messages on queer joy and
existence will become just as powerful. So,
yes, the determined fight for greater outright
visibility in animation is far from over, but the
shows that have emerged in the meantime
are breaking down barriers like never before
— and we hope this small-screen revolution
continues.