Do we need a more positive culture? With Britain in the grip of a moral panic that depicts trans people as a threat, it has never been more vital, says one leading writer.
Heartstopper: 'the loveliest show on TV'
Do we need a more positive culture? With Britain in the grip of a moral panic that depicts trans people as a threat, it has never been more vital, says one leading writer.
"It leaves the sensation of being on the receiving end of a solid hug." That is the critics' verdict on Heartstopper, the new TV show that asks a surprisingly challenging question: what if things are good, actually?
Based on a graphic novel by Alice Oseman, the series follows Charlie, a teenager at an all-boys school who has been outed as gay. He is treated badly by his popular secret boyfriend. Then he falls for Nick, a bubbly boy whom he assumes to be straighter than straight. Except, it turns out, he is not.
What is so special about Heartstopper? It assumes most people (if not all) are basically kind, decent and tolerant, even if sometimes they do not act like it.
It does not shy away from the bullying, the homophobic "jokes", or the wider context of violence against LGBTQ+ people. But it remains relentlessly optimistic in showing how its characters can bear these burdens without breaking under their weight.
It depicts people who often struggle with the social implications of their sexuality, but are confident in their own LGBTQ+ identity and proud to be who they are.
For writer Owen Jones, watching Heartstopper is a mix of joy and grief. Growing up as gay in the 1990s, he writes, was a very different experience. Coming out in school would have meant "social death".
At the time, Section 28 prohibited the "promotion" of homosexuality in schools, which in reality meant it was simply impossible even to discuss LGBTQ+ issues, let alone encourage acceptance.
And there was little representation of LGBTQ+ people in media. Where they did appear, they were the butt of cruel jokes or the tragic victims of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. LGBTQ+ people were never shown finding acceptance and love, or simply developing as human beings. Now, he says, LGBTQ+ children finally have a positive model.
And this, he argues, is just what we need at a time when LGBTQ+ people feel themselves more and more under attack.
Heartstopper has received praise for its positive portrayal of transgender children. That is a bold move at a time when trans people are being reluctantly thrust into the centre of the culture war.
For some, this is a moral panic stirred up by bigots who want to portray trans people as dangerous predators. For others, a question of safeguarding children from ideologically-driven adults who want to make life-changing decisions on their behalf.
But it is undeniable that the portrayal of trans people in this debate has taken a terrible toll on their mental health.
A study in 2020 found almost 98% of trans people had seen negative depictions of their community in media. Those who were frequently exposed to negative media were 18% more likely to suffer from depression.
In Heartstopper's character Elle Argent, a trans woman of colour played by Yasmin Finney, trans children finally have a positive depiction of their own lives. And that, Jones argues, could work wonders for their mental health as the culture war rages.
Do we need a more positive culture?
Yes: When things are bad, it is easy and tempting to sink into despair and apathy. It is much harder to find the positives and champion an upbeat view of the world. Yet it is that positivity that helps others survive and thrive.
No: Things are changing for the better, but if we are too positive we risk becoming complacent. We need to keep an eye on the negatives so we can keep fighting to improve people's lives.
Or... In the world there are things that are good and things that are bad. Living a good life means finding a balance between the two.
Keywords
Alice Oseman - A British writer who secured her first publishing deal at the age of just 17.
Owen Jones - A British left-wing journalist who writes about politics and LGBTQ+ issues, mostly for the Guardian.
Section 28 - A series of laws across the UK that prevented local authorities from engaging in the "promotion of homosexuality". It resulted in self-censorship among LGBTQ+ groups.
HIV - A virus that damages your immune system.
Culture war - An internal conflict over a country's values. The term is a translation of the German Kulturkampf, originally referring to a struggle between the state and the Catholic Church in the late nineteenth Century.
Moral panic - A widespread, often irrational fear over the future of a society's values, interests or security.
Heartstopper: ‘the loveliest show on TV’
Glossary
Alice Oseman - A British writer who secured her first publishing deal at the age of just 17.
Owen Jones - A British left-wing journalist who writes about politics and LGBTQ+ issues, mostly for the Guardian.
Section 28 - A series of laws across the UK that prevented local authorities from engaging in the “promotion of homosexuality”. It resulted in self-censorship among LGBTQ+ groups.
HIV - A virus that damages your immune system.
Culture war - An internal conflict over a country’s values. The term is a translation of the German Kulturkampf, originally referring to a struggle between the state and the Catholic Church in the late nineteenth Century.
Moral panic - A widespread, often irrational fear over the future of a society’s values, interests or security.