OMG I NEVER NOTICED THEY WERE WEARING CONVERSE AND VANS 🥹🥹🫶🏻

THEY WERE MEANT TO BE FROM THE VERY START 😩

Y'know, there's this gripe I've had for years that really frustrates me, and it has to do with Love, Simon and people joking about it and calling it too-pg and designed-for-straight-people and all the like. (A similar thing has happened to Heartstopper, but that's another conversation.)

I saw Love, Simon in theaters when it came out my senior year in high school. I saw it three times, once with my friends/parents on opening night, once with my brother over spring break, and once with my grandparents.

On opening night, the air in the room was electric. It was palpable. Half the heads in there were dyed various colors. Queer kids were holding hands. We were all crying and laughing and cheering as a group. My friends grabbed my hands at the part where Simon was outed and didn't let go until his parents were saying that they accepted him. My friend came out to me as non-binary. Another person in our group admitted that she had feelings for girls. It was incredible. I left shaking. This was the first mainstream queer romance movie that had ever been produced by one of the main five studios, and I know that sounds like another "first queer character from Disney" bit but you have to understand that even in 2018 this was groundbreaking. Getting to have a sweet queer rom-com where the main character was told that he got "to breathe now" after coming out meant so much to me and my friends.

But also, from a designed-for-straight-people POV (which, to be frank, it was written by a bisexual author and directed by a gay man, this was not designed for straight audiences), why is it a bad thing that it appealed to the widest possible audience? That it could make my parents and grandparents see things in a new light? My stepdad wasn't at all interested in rom-coms but he saw it with me because it was something I cared about and he hugged me when we came out of the theater. My very Catholic grandparents watched it with me and though my grandpa said he still didn't quite understand the whole 'gay thing,' all he wanted was for me to be happy and to have a happy ending like Simon did. My Nana actually cried when Simon came out and squeeze my hand when his mother told him he could breathe.

And when Martin blackmailed Simon, my mom, badass ally that she is, literally hissed "Dropkick him. Dropkick him in the balls" leading to multiple queer kids in the audience to laugh or smile. Having my parents there- the only parents, by the way, out of my group of queer and questioning friends- made multiple people realize that supportive adults were out there. That parents like those in Love, Simon do exist in real life.

When people complain about Heartstopper not being realistic or Love, Simon being too cutesy, I remember seeing Love, Simon on opening night. I remember my friend coming out and my stepdad hugging me and my mom defending us through this character. I remember the cheers that went through the audience when Bram and Simon kissed and the chatter in the foyer after the movie was over and the way that this movie made me understand that happy endings do exist.

Queer kids need happy endings. Straight people need entry points to becoming allies. Both of these things can come together in beautiful ways. They can find out about more queer culture later, but for now, let them have this. Let them all have a glimpse at a better, happier world. Let them have queer joy.

life has become so much better since deciding to consume media with unbridled joy. i don’t care if people think it’s cringe, i don’t care if there are flaws. i can simultaneously acknowledge these faults while loving and consuming media that brings me joy.

so we’re all familiar with the little animations that happen during important romantic scenes

but let’s talk about Issac. Issac spends most of the season confused about his sexuality and feeling that something is wrong with him.

When he discovers asexuality at the art school, he gets the leaf animation we’re used to seeing for the couples. When the art about crush culture is being explained to him, Issac can see that the artist is proud of being asexual; eager to explain his identity to a stranger viewing his piece. He is overwhelmed with the fact that he not only isn’t broken, but that his sexuality is something someone could be so proud of having.

The leaves still represent love, but instead of romantic love, it’s self love.

season 3 of the 🍂🍂🍂 show coming oct. 2024

one thing about nick nelson is that boy is gonna be googling something

Nick + Being The Best Boyfriend To Charlie (Season 2)

she took the ally part a lil bit too far

the lack of misogyny in heartstopper is so fucking refreshing. all of the girls in the show just LOVE each other. no jealousy. no cattiness. no competitiveness. elle, tara, darcy, imogen, and sahar are all just vibing together. in a world where literally every single tv show has women being pitted against each other, it makes me so happy to see full love, solidarity, and support amongst these leading ladies.

Ah yes I know that show, I watched it on tumblr.

that one shot with the umbrellas ⛱️

Do people realize how amazing 2023 has been for entertainment? How much talent and passion there was so far?

We had: Barbie, Nimona, Oppenheimer, Super Mario, Elemental, Red, White and Royal Blue, Insidious: The Red Door, Across the Spider-verse, Scream VI, My Adventures with Superman, Heartstopper S2, The Little Mermaid, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Guardians of the Galaxy V3, Skinamarink, Miraculous: Awakening, John Wick: Chapter 4

And we still have Wish, The Creator, Ahsoka, Saw X, Wonka, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Rebel Moon, Loki S2, Five Nights at Freddy's, The Marvels, Dune Part 2, The Continental, A Haunting in Venice, Percy Jackson and the Olympians

2023 has been one of the best years in terms of quality entertainment recently. I don't ever remember being so hyped and amazed and surprised by so many things in a single year.

There are so many amazing things this year, have amazing people as their cast and crew. And those are the people Hollywood wants to fire and replace and not pay. I can't imagine being that fucking stupid.

every heartstopper hug -> 2x03: nick and charlie

HEARTSTOPPER 2.06 "Truth/Dare" | 2.08 "Perfect"

this was the best kiss in the entire show, u cannot convince me otherwise.

Charlie Spring and Tao Xu | Heartstopper S2.05