My daughter is a lesbian ( that is the word she chooses to describe herself) she is still in school, has been out to me, her dad and brother since age 12. Out to her close friends a bit longer and is openly out at school. Her school have an LGBT after school club on a Friday, it has a generic name so that any kids who are not out don’t have to worry about telling parents or carers where they are going. The school celebrated pride month last year, the kids dressed in rainbow colours and took flags to school there was a party type lunch. As a parent I have such enormous gratitude that she lives at this time and not at the time that I was a teenager. I am unspeakably thankful to the LGBTQ people who have pushed, fought, campaigned, or just lived authenticity in the world. Everyone of those people who came before are why my daughter lives in a world today where she is not afraid or ashamed. I’m not stupid though, I know that is still not the reality for a lot of people, the work for equality goes on. With one more very proud Mamma ally on the team. I absolutely love your channel, thank you x

I watched the full series in under 24 hours, I just couldn’t get enough of it

All of us older queers, millennials and older, seem to have the same reaction to Heartstopper: love it, wish we had it growing up, so happy for gen Z to have access to this optimistic portrayal. It's really a universal experience! 🥰🍂🍃🌸

This is a blanket-show. It’s so warm, lovely and cute. It was great to hear a comment on it. Thanks!

I'm ace and I heard that if Heartstopper gets a season 2, there is going to be some really heavy asexual representation. Alice Oseman is aro/ace and given her tweets, the ace/aro communities I'm a part of are really excited. Growing up, I didn't know ace was an option, and so I felt broken inside, especially growing up in the Bible Belt of the US. It really caused a lot of damage and pain that I didn't know why I was experiencing it. It was really distressing and I didn't understand that I wasn't a broken person until I learned what asexuality was. If Heartbreaker gets a season two, and we get ace representation, it's going to do a lot of good for a lot of people.

I can't even articulate how hard the show and graphic novels made me happy cry. They made me feel better about the future. I wish this had been around when I was a child. Granted, my parents would have forbid me from watching it, but I would have snuck it and felt seen.

This show gave me cavities it was so sweet. The closet thing to "Heartstopper" i can think of that I had growing up was "But I'm A Cheerleader" lol. It probably says a lot about Queer media that I kept expecting the other shoe to drop. Like by episode 2 I'm like "Okay, when does the tragedy come". But it was just wholesome.

Didn't realize I was a lesbian until college. Always wanted to go to an all girls boarding school with a bunch of friends in plaid skirts and stupidly never realized that was a common lesbian fantasy. My favorite coming out though was a girl in the library during finals. It was a small woman's college (my boarding school fantasy heavily influenced my school choice obviously) and this girl just looked up from her book suddenly said, "omg I'm gay!" Then went right back to studying. My girlfriend at the time was sitting next to me and just whispered to me, "why wasn't my experience like that?!"

Dr Elliott: *talking about butterflies and attraction* Me, a demisexual: can't relate but please continue

I never really struggled with the fear of "what if someone finds out" because I was around a lot of queer people as a teenager. Instead, as a bisexual, my struggle has often been the opposite. That people don't believe me or just invalidate my queerness. I still struggle with feeling like I'm both "too gay" and "not gay enough", along with feeling like a guest in queer spaces. But something that has helped me is the realisation that homosexuals actually don't have the authority to decide what counts as bisexuality. And that I have the right to stand up against biphobia, even when it comes from people who are LGBTQ+.

one of my favorite things about watching different lgbtq people react to this show is hearing their own stories and experiences from growing up and how they relate to the show. ❤❤❤

I just came out to my parents after binging the show, it actually really motivated me to do it! :))

The Heartstopper comic does explore some specific mental health issues in a very overt way later in the story, which the first season of the show has started to hint at. I'll be interested to see if you pick up on it or have anything to say about it as these videos go on.

Honestly, it was so nice to have something so sweet like this to watch. I'm also 32 and queer and growing up I really had to dig to find any queer content and most of it ended up in tragedy. Eventually I just ended up consuming lots of Fanfiction to have queer storylines that didn't end on a sad note. Such a sweet story about being a queer youth. I wish I had these kinds of stories growing up and I'm glad that they are starting to be seen on screen.

i binged the whole series in one night from 10 pm to 3 am. i had to wake up three hours later for school but it was so worth it

I've watched this show twice in the past week. I have had to stop myself from watching it a third time. As others have said, it's a warm blanket to wrap yourself in. I sat watching and imagined not only what this show would have meant to me when I was 15 (all those years ago), but how I would have reacted as a teenager if these things would have happened to me. This wasn't even something I dared to imagine when I was in High School. I expect I would have exploded into glitter.

So glad you're reacting to it. I'm myself being a lesbian and from very homophobic country find that warm parent filling in your videos. Thank you so much

I'm 25 years older than you and born and raised in Texas, not to mention raised in a Conservative Christian environment. I was horrified that someone might learn what I was and even fought not to admit it to myself. That has effected me my entire life to the point that I've never been able to have a real relationship. I love being able to see shows like this and hope that things are really getting better and working out for today's youth, and that many people won't have to grow up like I did, but will be able to accept themselves and enjoy life.

The 'am i gay' quiz scene made me chuckle because it reminded me how I used to take them and because I didn't realise I was also Ace, it would either say I was straight or would just straight up (pun not intended) break the quiz, so I would come away from them just '?????' (I figured it out eventually though ;)

SO glad you're reacting to this series!!!

Been waiting for your reaction to this, this is going to be sick 😄 You did not disappoint

My Heartstopper equivalent when I was a teen (currently 39) was the channel 4 film Beautiful thing, very similar in a way with a more fem guy crushing on his sport loving neighbour but I must have watched it 50 times as it's so uplifting which was needed in those dark teen years as they only out kid at school

I just binged this last night and was up until 1am because I couldn’t stop watching. It was so good. My daughter is 10 and currently identifies as pan. I love that it’s mostly just a non-issue for kids these days, she’ll get to figure out who she is and who she likes in her own time. I think I’ll rewatch in front of her too.

I honestly don’t want my kids to feel like they have to come out to me. I really hope there’s just an open atmosphere in my home where they can just mention something offhandedly or bring a partner home or feel comfortable enough to ask me questions. My relationship with my mum was like that, so much so that my friend who was starting to discover she is ace would ask my mum questions and she gave her so much guidance without just telling her what she was, she just helped her on her journey of discovering herself. This was before the internet was so readily available as well.

Heartstopper is the show we needed and deserved. Ughhh such an amazing series! I love that even though it addresses some discriminatory behavior, it is still very much a happy and highly-affirming story. Gay, les, trans and bi representation! And the unique experience of having to come out multiple times, because, shocker, it's not actually a one-and-done event like in s much teen coming-out story. I love that this exists, especially at this time when the US and UK are both at a LGBTQ+ hysteria, seemingly. It shows that this is the lives we want to live-- to be happy, to have friends, family and community, to be free to experience love and joy.

Such a good series! I’ve watched the whole thing in one sitting twice in the last three days! 😂🥰

discovered this channel because i’ve been watching several heartstopper react videos, and i absolutely love your reactions and insights. i learned a lot!! i love this show so much i can’t get enough of it 💗 i’ve never shed happy tears because of a show/movie before, but heartstopper made me tear up every episode

What an interesting and insightful video! I can’t wait for the next ones 😄 As an “older” queer guy (as in, older than the target audience, I’m 24) this show felt so… I don’t know, nostalgic? I can’t say I was lucky enough to have a relation in second grade, actually I haven’t been in anything of the sort to this day, but somehow seeing those kids discovering themselves just as I did, though arguably in a better and less self-destructive way, made me realise how lucky I am to be alive in this time, where I can not only learn from older generations who opened the path for us, but also keep learning more about myself through more recent medias. I don’t know, I generally suck at explaining myself and English isn’t even my first language, so that’s an extra obstacle, but I really loved everything about this show! Can’t wait for a second season 🏳️‍🌈

This is a great show, maybe after you finish it you could give 'our flag means death' and 'arcane' a shot too, they're both great shows & right up your alley

"Am I gay?" The "Google scene" took me right back to my 13-year old self in 1978 using an old-fashioned print dictionary to look up '"faggot." I wanted to know why I was being spat on and punched associated to this word. I couldn't figure out why "bundle of sticks" or German word for bassoon warranted such abuse.

this series is really amazing i love them so much, i can't move on from them until now, i need s2 right now to fill the void left by heartstopper 😩💘

You are one of the first I hear on any platform "defending" Ben's point of view and honestly, thank you for that! Of course, Ben's inner struggles are not an excuse for his awful attitude, but it's interesting to remember that he's suffering as well and that a lot of queer people will go through that phase at some point. I love your videos and I couldn't wait for your input on Heartstopper!

I binged the entire series in one sitting, it’s so cute. I have a comfort podcast, which is a cute gay story, and now I think I have a comfort show, lol. I fell in love with this show faster than the boys falling in love with each other

What this story is so good at is connecting our hearts, using the tools of goodness and kindness, even sweetness in its characters. In today's world, these qualities are sorely lacking and I think the series is reminding us of, and reawakening in us, the power of love. And the joys of first love are presented in many ways, ways that we can all identify with. Sure, it also deals with the ugliness of human nature, but goodness wins out. Nick and Charlie are respectful and sensitive to each other's needs (as were Elio and Oliver in CMBYN). Every interaction they have with each other tops the previous one and deepens the relationship. A lot of people have called it wholesome - again, another adjective rarely used these days. However it's labelled, it is very moving and a welcome tonic to the negativity we witness so frequently. Season 2, please!

When I was 4, I announced to my family that I was going to marry Sean Connery when I grew up. I was fully out at school aged 14 back in 1975. I had a few bullies, but I fought back (and had a few detentions), but still finished school 2nd in my year and won the most popular 6th former from both staff and pupils. And that was in 1979!

A wholesome lgbt teen show I've watched in a while. We need more. 🥰

As an older gay, there was no google or a simple way to find stuff on the internet when I started figuring things out in my teens. The internet and personal computers were still very new. I went to the library, had to look up the section on the library computer, look for the books in the isles, and skim them until I found what I wanted. It took hours.

I love this show so much!! As a queer person, I saw so many things about myself in this show and it consoled me. Coming out, figuring out sexuality and friends, it’s a really good show. And everyone who’s getting involved in this amazing show. All of you are the best!!!

nooooo he skipped the snow scene 😩😭😫 That was the scene that actually makes me cry every time, and I’m not even close to a regular cryer

Just found your account after binging a lot of Heartstopper reactions, and as a bisexual psychology student, I absolutely loved it! Will definitely watch more of your videos :)

I haven't seen Heartstopper, but based on your take on it (and the comments on this video) I really want to watch it. The way you talk about your own experiences has such a gentle empathy to it. I'm bi and over 40, and how I wish we'd had a tv show like this back when I was a teen. Now that I think about it, no one in my high school was out, and LGBTQ issues weren't really talked about - not even in sex ed. This was in the 90s. I'm glad things are in general easier for the young people today, even though things are still rough in some places.

I binged the series and comics in two days and it has definitely sent me down a little happy melancholic rabbithole. The coming out scene, the family support and such a lighthearted atmosphere through the series... it's incredibly reassuring and heartwarming! I LOVED your commentary!!! ❤️

My Heartstopper was "Beautiful Thing (1996)" & "Get Real (1998)". Not even from the UK, but I always dreamed it was better there - better than where I was at that age. We've all come a long way, but seeing Heartstopper also reminds us that a lot of it is still the same.

Honestly love this show so much. I wish there was such a show when I was going through my own journey towards accepting my bisexuality. I've watched the show like 6 times now and read all the books. It's such a refreshing, sweet, positive show which we've really needed.

I LOVE THIS! I’m so glad this comic was made into such a beautiful series! I need more

I thought that the meme, " Do you know that tingly feeling you get when you like some one? That's common sense leaving your body" Was just a meme 😁

I only graduated last year but when to a catholic school. From a young age I was bullied for being different and confident in general. So when I finally realised I was a lesbian in 2020, my family supported me but told me to not be out in school as to not put another target on my back. Which makes perfect sense-one girl got bullied so much because she was bi she had to move schools. It's not like the teachers cared either, because it was a catholic school and we were taught why gay marriage was wrong in the eyes of the church. In 2017 in Australia when it was being debated, we weren't allowed to base our oral presentations on why LGBT+ people should be married, or abortion or basically anything that the church disagreed with.

Love the shout out to Cinema Therapy. I discovered them thru a reaction to Heartstopper Jonathan Decker did on his other channel.

im absolutely obsessed with this show it made me so happy i cried multiple times and it's so wonderful also yes ben sucks and i was just waiting for your opinion to change during that scene cuz i knew it was coming lol honestly within like 30 seconds of seeing him for the first time i just had an awful feeling about him and i absolutely hate how right i was

As a 23yo queer woman who is only figuring these things out now, I can't tell you how I felt watching this show. I just _felt_ it all.. Shows like this one and Sex Education are so, so important. They have both helped me so much. Also it's funny how you said "mums always know" - I have been dropping hints over time and (at least it felt like) so has my mum, so I thought _surely_ she must know. But when I actually came out to her, turns out she had no clue whatsoever lol. Didn't even cross her mind. She was amazing about it though, I love her.

My Heartstopper was Beautiful Thing. I watched it every day. I also used to record the tiny clips of Tony & Simon on eastenders so I could play them back in secret.

I loved this series so much, and I really loved the sense of true representation, and I loved the queer representation in this.

I just watched Our Flag means Death; and it's really interesting seeing the contrast between a new relationship with teens vs two middle aged men. Although I'm not sure they had to come out on a pirate ship? It seems to just be implied that relationships would happen at sea.

I've just watched the whole series and it was so good. Nice to see a sweet relationship.with actually intimacy between gay characters. It was quite emotional for me at the end. Wish I could have had this when I was a teenager.

I cannot wait to see you watch more of this!! So excited!

As a gay woman who’s even older than you my heart stopper was a random obscure alternative little film called “fuck amål” - I had no access to tv, only rented movies, and my mum encouraged watching obscure movies because she’s in the film industry, so it was never really weird for me to watch it over and over, as I did with lots of other movies as well. To this day even thinking about the scene in which one of them dreams about the other just being close cheek to cheek still makes me blush although it’s so innocent and I’m literally a married lady (to another woman obviously)

I loved your reaction. The insight you provide from a professional stand point is so informative. This is such a cute show. Cheers from the US 🤓😊

Genuinely, was waiting for your reaction. Have ended up binge watching this multiple times, and was so happy to hear your own personal and also psychiatric view on the series. Thank you for this!!

When I watched the series earlier today I actually thought the sister coming in for her one liners was actually Charlie having a friend in his mind who he could bounce ideas over. It was only until later on I realised she was real.

Love love love that you're going through the show, your insights are wonderful and I can't wait to see more!

I agree with you on, I wish I had a show like this when I was growing up. I’m now 62 years old and think this is such a darling show. I have recommended this show to everyone I know! I’m excited for the new season and episodes to start. Also Doctor you’re not bad to look at either 🥰

I am not sure why but I am on such a high from this series. I have watched it through 4 times and am not stopping yet. The writing is amazing, the acting is amazing, the editing is amazing, the sets are amazing. This is like a what if scenario for the 2 crushes I had, one when I was 16 in secondary school and the other when I was 22 in University. I cry everyday watching the show and all the reaction videos and compilation videos. If you do the rest of the episodes, I will be here ❤️

Maxxie from Skins is a great one. For me, there was also Marco and Paige from Degrassi, and Kurt and Blaine from Glee much later. Though, Kurt ended up being biphobic which was odd and I couldn't wrap my head around a member of the LGBTQIA+ community invalidating someone else from the same community.

I’ve literally watched this series 3 times already 😂😂 I can’t get enough ❤️

Context from the book: Charlie was outed when he was in a younger year by accident when somebody overheard his friend tao talking about it.

I loved rewatching this from your professional point of view. Please react to more episodes!

I love your channel and your comments so much. I have been thru so many therapists with no success. If only I had found someone with your empathy. Your patients are so fortunate. Take care.

I binged this series in a single afternoon… I’m obsessed!

As a physiologist/pharmacologist I’m watching this not only for the love of Heartstopper but also geeking out because you have a copy of Rang’s Pharmacology on your bookcase!

I really enjoyed the medical and legal context. Edit: also, several times around 9/11 I’ve posted about Mark Bingham, arguably one of the most important heroes in America over the last century, as he is reputed to have led the charge on Flight 93 that was hijacked and was perhaps on its way to The White House. He was a rugby player, and he was gay. And he was instrumental in bringing down that plane. So…not a stereotype for sure, and I wish more people talked about his story.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do it to the rest of the episodes!!! It is amazing the way you roll over all of it... it is so good!

Look forward to seeing the rest of the series on this channel!

I didn't know I was supposed to be in the closet. When I found out I was ace - I was happy and open about it. First time ever I have seen straight, gay and all the religious people working together to push me into closet and close it with a lock. Even people who believe in science and not some religion have join in. And now after JaidenAnimations relased her video about being ace, those reactions have been seen again. How come someone not wanting to have adult fun time with anyone is that much a problem?

I love this so much!! I can't believe I put off reading the webtoon for so long, I'm going to do that and then binge watch the show 💖

This is so beautiful and thoughtful! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. There's still a lot to learn and educate ourselves with it. ❤

your reactions are beautiful. I really hope you do the entire series.

Was lovely watching your analysis and commentary on this. I came out at school during section 28 era and was so difficult cos I didn't feel any support from the teachers. Having a teacher like in this show would have been amazing!

Please keep reacting and analysing this series. This first video is amazing and so insightful. I would love to hear your point of view over some other situations throughout the series.

I love your explanations and the science behind the characters action!

Awww, hope a part two is coming :)

This video is such a lovely combination of two things that bring me so much joy and comfort and I am so happy I stumbled upon it!

I watched all in less than a day - and ended up a mess. Can’t wait for more from you!

Loved this post. Looking forward to the next one

Nick is on a journey. I'm glad I got to go along with him and watch him learn who he is. Charlie is an absolute doll. How anyone could be mean to him is a mystery to me. Please note that Isaac is also LGBTQIA (he's aro-ace, yay!) so poor Tao is the token cishet of the group.

Used to OMG wowowow comments on this, which I also love, AND was excited to see a bit more nuanced contemplation from you here. The show is straight-forward but also quite revelatory and authentic.

I love your reaction, very touching and educative as well. We need to see your videos for the next episodes. Please!!

This reaction is so real, but adorable and informative at the same time! Thanks for this video!

I was very much anticipating this video

I am SOO hyped for this series of videos!!!!!!

Your analysis is great, please continue with the whole series!

I absolutely love both the show and the comics, especially because Charlie is a lot like me. He has an eating disorder, OCD and a lot of people including me headcanon him as autistic. I'm AroAce, so that's something we don't have in common, but other than that I relate to him a lot. And Heartstopper in general is just amazing and deserves all the recognition and love!

You can never kill the romance with science as far as I'm concerned but then my family calls me "Spock". I just watched an old video I made of my daughter going into peals of laughter after I suggested I could be romantic and my husband said something, probably right on the nose. You can't hear it in the video. My daughter was cry-laughing. Not exactly flattering but really honest. 🤓 I'm romantic in my own way. I've watched all of Heartstopper 3 times now. The third time I asked my husband to watch with me. We were high school sweethearts and are now grandparents. It was lovely being reminded of what it felt like to be teenagers totally wrapped up in each other.

Loved this video. Waiting for part two 🥰

I love this show so much. But at the same time I'm SO FECKING JEALOUS that I won't ever get to feel this type of love Edit: I relate to Charlie way to hard. I was bullied and forced to come out and then a few years later I feel in love with a straight boy who lead me on. This was in the past decade. And this show brought back so many of these feelings and shown them so well. I genuinely love this show with my whole heart.

Just discovered your channel and binge watching your videos. Love your work!!

this so is my latest obsession and your insights are great would love to see more!

Well that was lovely - thank you: I hope you'll be reacting/commenting on the remainder of the series - there are moments in each episode that are so nuanced & beautiful & as you said, a bit corny sometime, but so utterly sweet - but still - that seem so real, that articulation of crush & attraction & discovery & anticipation & overthinking & finally isn't it really rather nice that this exists - now for children ( tweens, teens ) & well, all of us | It's interesting watching this from the other side of those years of fear & hesitancy & heartache & urgency - somewhat bittersweet because of what could have been & all the more reason for its existence - falling in love & that wonderful discovery of who you are.

I am a 27 year old out engaged gay man and when watching (né binging) this season. one of my first thoughts, after 'wow, this story i sooo sweet' was genuinly 'I really want to hear what Dr Elliot thinks about this show' . So glad you are doing reaction videos on this series. Im going to binge your whole series of HS now.

Subscribed when you started explaining the psychological/physiological aspect of being attracted to someone. HAHAH

omg i loved this video, watching the second part asap !!!