Queer Joy: how Heartstopper highlights the euphoria of being who you are
I discovered Heartstopper, the Netflix series, after the third season was already out. I had heard good things about the coming-of-age story of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson as they navigate their romantic relationship during their tumultuous high school years in Britain. As a writer who focuses on coming-of-age stories, it has been on my list to watch for ages.
I became instantly obsessed with the show and binged the whole thing in a couple of days, then went back and rewatched the entire series again. This is not something I usually do, but there was something about the show that struck a deep chord inside of me, and as a writer – a seeker of the human spirit – I just could not stop thinking about the show and what a profound impact it had on me.
After watching the series again, I realized what was so special about this story. Alice Oseman, author of the Heartstopper graphic novels, perfectly depicts the rarely portrayed in books and shows, queer joy. Queer joy is the radical act of finding happiness, connection, and freedom in authentic queer existence, serving as a defiant celebration against ongoing oppression and a powerful form of personal and collective resilience. It can manifest in personal ways, like radical self-love and creative self-expression, and in collective ways, such as building supportive communities and witnessing oneself represented in media. Queer joy is not just about fun; it's a conscious practice of prioritizing happiness and love in a world that often seeks to marginalize LGBTQIA+ individuals.
As I watched the scene in season 1, episode three – Kiss – where Tara and Darcy kiss for the first time in public while dancing at Harry’s birthday party, I could feel that joy radiate in my bones. The song, Clearest Blue, by CHVRCHES, fills the scene with such raw emotion as the lights pulse and just as they kiss, confetti explodes in the air. Tara and Darcy are literally sparkling. Having Nick look on, witnessing this moment of pure queer joy and seeing how his face lights up as he is able to share that moment with them, is an image I just cannot shake from my mind. I know I am feeling exactly what he is as he watches such an affirming display of public declaration.
The first time I experienced queer joy was when I attended my first PRIDE. I had come out as bisexual at the age of nineteen, but it was easy to “pass” as straight, and I always stayed low-key about my sexuality unless I was around people I could trust. At PRIDE, though, you didn’t have to pass; you could shed the weight of the costume you wore in the everyday world and be. . . you. We were in a club dancing at PRIDE, and there was nothing but music, laughter, and an unspoken connection between all of us there, celebrating, soaking in the euphoria of being unchained. It was the closest I’ve ever been to reaching the sublime.
The sublime is an aesthetic concept describing the feeling of awe, terror, and overwhelming grandeur experienced in the face of something vast, powerful, or beyond human comprehension. Commonly used in literature, the experience of the sublime often creates a paradoxical emotional state, mixing feelings of insignificance and fear with a sense of pleasure or triumph, stemming from a realization of one's own limited capacity compared to the infinite or overwhelming power of life.
I am not alone either. I have read so many comments on how powerfully felt this queer joy in Heartstopper is:
“Nick getting the feels during Tara's and Darcy's kiss scene lives rent-free in my mind.”
“when the song started playing, and then the kiss happen and I BURST into tears.”
“It was such an affirming/euphoric moment in the series.”
“This is literally my favorite scene from this show (which is saying a lot because the whole show is fantastic), and between the scene and the song I feel nothing but absolute joy.”
“I legit get teary eyed at this scene every time. The way Nick smiles at them from a distance makes my heart so happy. No other show nor movie has ever made me feel what I’ve felt ever since I watched this series.”
“i would give literally anything to watch this scene again for the first time.”
“Every single time I watch this scene, it gives me goosebumps. The song is perfect, the moment is perfect, and it's all around just amazing. Words can't describe how joyful and happy I feel watching this.”
In these troubling times, the community is craving more queer joy depicted in books and movies. Yes, it is important to show the struggles and challenges, the hate and the discrimination, the trauma and the scars we all experience being part of this community, but we also need to see euphoria and bliss as well. We need more authors like Alice Oseman, who seamlessly weaves all these elements together. It is such a rare moment to have that joy conjured within us. We need more, please.
Check out my debut novel, The Summer Knows, at www.sarahepearsall.com
