HEADER BY YOSEF PHELAN

Remember on-screen representation before Heartstopper? Bleak! As! Hell! With a vast majority of productions still insisting on depicting queer-related trauma such as bullying, homophobia and – we love this one! – death slash murder, the first season of the beloved Netflix series won the hearts of millions around the world for being, well, lovely, basically. Admittedly, season two is slightly heavier than its predecessor. However, its exploration of sensitive topics, from self-harm to coming out, still feels quintessentially Heartstopper (optimism, charm and animated squigglies) and, as a result, the series continues to break new ground for LGBTQ+ visibility on the small screen. Read ahead for the most groundbreaking storylines from the second season of Heartstopper below and, it goes without saying: SPOILERS INCOMING. TURN BACK NOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. 

Nick isn’t forced to come out

One of the central storylines in season two is Nick’s (Kit Connor) desire to come out as bisexual and disclose his relationship with Charlie (Joe Locke) to his friends and classmates. But, as queers know – coming out is easier said than done and, of course, it differs based on a person’s race, sexuality, gender identity, upbringing and so forth. What’s wildly refreshing about Heartstopper’s approach to one of the most seminal moments in a queer person’s life is that Nick isn’t forced to come out. He’s continuously told by his mum (the Olivia Colman) and Charlie that he should do so on his own terms; as the latter says, “Nick it’s fine, there’s no deadline.” When Nick inevitably reveals his sexuality to the class, it’s clear that he did so because he’s finally at peace with who he is, and that might not have been the case if he was outed or pressed to come out before he was ready.

Coach Singh’s support

Episode three sees Coach Singh (Chetna Pandya) walk in on Nick and Charlie in the supply closet, mid-smooch. (You’ll discover across the season that secrecy is not their… forté.) What follows is a warm-hearted conversation between Nick and Singh, where she throws her unequivocal support behind the duo and tells him that, if “any of the lads” on the rugby team “say anything out of line”, to let her know – so she can presumably hand out a bollocking for their ignorance. (The teacher all queers need and deserve!) She subsequently reveals to Nick that “things were pretty bad” for LGBTQ+ acceptance when she played women’s rugby at university, which is where she met her wife. (A lightbulb moment for Nick.) And, in similar vein to his mum and Charlie, Singh reiterates to Nick that he doesn’t necessarily need to come out just yet, saying his rugby teammates aren’t ‘owed that information’. As an older LGBTQ+ person who’s experienced discrimination and homophobia, it’s clear that Singh’s guidance means a lot to Nick.