Discovering Queer Culture: From Queer as Folk to Heartstopper
“Nobody’s that gay.” – Debbie Novotny, Queer as Folk (1999-2005).
The first time I heard this line, I cackled yet at the same time, I wondered. As a young gay man
who is still yet to come out of the glass closet I voluntarily chose to lock myself in, I can say that I
still have a lot to learn about the community I am a part of and the culture enclosed therein.
What is gay? Who is gay? What is the extent of one’s gayness?
As an enthusiastic consumer of queer literature and media ranging from films and television series
to vlogs of out, loud, and proud gay people, I use these as a framework and means of discovering
myself and the culture I must embrace.
Beyond this curiosity, I am also afraid. Afraid of everything I’ve seen so far in the pictures. I am
terrified that when the going gets tough, I won’t have a Brian Kinney or a Nick Nelson to protect
me.
The intensity of LGBTQ+ life depicted in Queer as Folk
“So in other words, for Justin to live here with you, he has to deny who he is, what he thinks, and
how he feels. Well, that's not love. That's hate.” – Brian Kinney, Queer as Folk (1999-2005).
This highly-acclaimed television series aired in the late 1900s to the early 2000s, before I was
born and before I even found that I would grow up to be a homosexual.
Only having watched the series now, I was flabbergasted by everything I am yet to discover about
this lifestyle. The series tackled the most complex and fierce issues about the reality of being a
member of the LGBTQ+ community in a not-so-accepting, dare I say overtly conservative society.
Although fictional and somehow exaggerated, the historical realism of each scene—each
episode—hits close to home. Having only nightclubs as your place of solace in an unforgiving
world; getting kicked out because you lived your truth; the blatant mentions of sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs) and; exerting an absurd amount of effort just to receive the same rights—same
treatment—as everyone else, even if it’s at the expense of someone’s human rights.
These issues are highly evident, even today, especially since the long-overdue Sexual
Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (SOGIE) Bill has been rejected and denied mainly
by Christian and conservative groups, ironically combatting their vow to “love thy neighbors”.
The series was an eye-opener, and people might not like it because it did not shy away from
portraying extremely sexual and graphic content, but looking past that, there is an underlying truth
behind every dialogue and every scene.
The comfort provided by Heartstopper
“I wish known then what I know now.” – Nick Nelson, Heartstopper (2022-present).
The television series that took the world by storm. Receiving praises from critics, having an
almost-perfect rating, and bagging award trophies like they’re candies on Halloween, there is no
doubt that the cultural impact of Heartstopper needs to be studied.
Definitely softer, more comforting, and more appropriate for young audiences, Heartstopper was
able to portray the reality of the awkwardness and curiosity of a sappy, young, gay romantic life.
Despite the lack of intensity shown in Queer as Folk, Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring’s comingof-age story was able to deliver a more heartfelt love letter to queer kids.
Furthermore, it captured the tiniest details of having a puppy love, which I, myself, experienced in
high school when I was pining over a straight guy. It shows the raw innocence of coming to terms
with your newly-discovered part about yourself that despite your greatest attempts to hide, it
comes out bursting with flying colors when you meet the right person who can make you feel
seen.
Beyond that, the show does not only dwell on love and joy but also perfectly portrayed the reality
of being queer in an all-boys school full of homophobic, entitled, faux-masculine men whose
pleasure depends on whether they made someone feel even remotely worse than what they feel
about themselves.
Beyond the cameras
On the surface level, every issue defined within the screen time of the two TV series is also
present in the Philippines’ setting, if not more than that.
I personally experienced some of them and I have friends who have, too. One of which is what
Elle Argent and Justin Taylor went through in their respective schools: gender-based
discrimination and biases prevalent in the school policies.
Elle was reprimanded for wearing her hair way too long while Justin was continuously
discriminated against both by his peers and his teachers because of how he is, leading to him
getting bashed in the head while the school turned a blind eye.
While all these are fictional, they exist and it is more frequent and common than anyone thinks.
The battle for gender inclusivity and equality in the Philippines has been going on for years and
still, we are lightyears far from what we want to achieve. A battle against religion is not a fair one,
because, in the first place, religion should not be in question.
Even Spain, the country that brought us Christianity, has approved the bill which allows people
aged 16 and older to legally change their legally-recognized gender. This goes to show that
progressiveness is not based on which group has more rights or not—it’s recognizing that each
group should have the same rights without being discriminated against. Sadly, that’s not the case
in our land.
Being a minority is hard. You have to strive harder than anyone just to reach the same level they
are in or acquire the same privilege they have. This is not exclusive to the LGBTQ+ community.
The skyrocketing amount of queer media and literature from before the early 2000s to the present
time should set an example of how the majority should recognize queer people. It shows that we
are not sick, nor are we confused. We live life the same way heterosexuals do, and it should not
stop us from receiving the same treatment they get as well.
We are here, we are queer, and we will fight until the younger generation of LGBTQ+ children will
not have to struggle just to be treated with basic human decency. #