You’d think that since we’re much closer to the year 2030 than 1930, we’d be more accepting, open, and loving as a society, especially with our understanding of humanity as humans ourselves. As we learn more about those who came before us and fought for our freedom to love and our freedom of happiness, you’d think we’d be more concerned for our loved ones if not the people around us.
Recently, however, I have detected a development where I am much more hyperaware of mainstream media’s audiences and their negative opinions involving queer characters and storylines. Through this, I would like to not only voice my frustrations on what I’ve observed in pop culture and media, but hope to bring understanding on why exactly queer character arcs and love stories are necessary and meaningful, and why we as human beings are responsible for comprehending their importance.
Firstly, I’d like to start off with a mainstream television show that was released right at the end of 2025, making the start of 2026 a hard one for fans. The hit show, Stranger Things, released its final episode on December 31st, ending the series with a ten-year-long queerbait. Though the subject faces several opinions and much controversy on whether or not it’s considered queerbait, I argue it is. Not only were there several marketing tactics that depicted a love triangle between Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, and Eleven, but there was also a countless amount of evidence found within the ‘Byler’ fandom (the ship name between the fictional main characters, Mike Wheeler and Will Byers). As a fan of the series, I rewatched the show before the fifth season hit and consumed as much information as I could within the fanbase. I was extremely confident that this pair would end up together, so I was very surprised when they didn’t. While I do find self-acceptance to be a crucial part of queer characters’ stories, I found Will’s coming out scene to be out of touch because he was pressured by his abuser. I believe that after everything his character has gone through regarding agency, he should have at least gotten to have his moment where he feels safe to express himself. Some fans thought the scene was great, and that it’s exactly what his character deserved. Although I agree he deserved a coming-out scene, I still believe it could have been handled with more sensitivity. I began to question the constant need for queer characters to undergo a self-acceptance arc, and wonder why these queer stories couldn’t be about love too, especially for characters like Will Byers, who in the end could not have the one thing he wanted.
If anything, the finale was nowhere near empowering for the queer community, and while researching the effects within the fanbase, some fans have reported coming out recently in fear of ending up like Mike Wheeler, who is canonically alone, and perceived as closeted and unhappy. The show has also experienced major homophobia from viewers who wouldn’t typically resonate with the show’s original message.
And though I didn’t believe Netflix could stoop much lower, it proved me wrong when they announced they’d be getting rid of their Netflix original, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. She-Ra is a powerful cartoon that includes a prominent sapphic relationship between the main characters, Catra and Adora, and themes of self worth and the fight for a better world. I find it alarming that out of every Netflix original there is to offer, the decision made was to remove such an influential story in the current political climate. Though the reasoning was due to licensing with DreamWorks, the cartoon is unavailable for streaming unless purchased or viewed illegally, and many in the fandom have voiced their worries about such a great story becoming lost media.
Of course, it does not surprise me that a love story between two women would be cast aside and forgotten, especially with the recent release of Bridgerton season four. I, for one, am extremely excited to view Francesca’s season and the complex ideas it has in store, including the compulsory heterosexuality (comphet) experience and the homophobia that was common during this period. However, much of the audience disagrees. In fact, most claim that they will be skipping her season, and others hold hope for a change in production plans, specifically the modification of Francesca’s love interest, “Michael,” and the decision to gender-bend him into Michaela, a female love interest. It’s especially disheartening when the same fans were very accepting and supportive of her brother, Benedict, when he was exploring his sexuality for the majority of season three. Though the queer community as a whole deals with the same struggle, it’s much more common for sapphic love stories to face more hatred due to misogyny and/or the sexualization of MLM relationships on-screen.
Similarly, the hit show Heated Rivalry was all anyone could talk about for the past few months. The show explores the dynamic between Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov as two rival hockey players with a secret relationship. With its romantic and empowering love story, it has successfully reached closeted athletes who have contacted the actors, expressing their gratitude and their joy of feeling seen (Interview with Hudson Williams). The show includes mature content, similar to Bridgerton, which some worried the audience wouldn’t enjoy, but there was an amazing turn out and many fans were in full support of the relationship. With the recent uplifting support for Heated Rivalry, members of the queer community and others worry the same energy will not be given when the upcoming film Girls Like Girls (inspired by the original music video that many queer fans resonated with) is released. This issue specifically comes from the major differing reactions to MLM media v.s WLW media.
I am lucky enough to find authors that publish wonderful stories about queer characters and love, but I cannot help feeling dissatisfied by the current state of queer stories in video media. Thankfully there are several authors who specialize specifically in those areas, and lists I’ve written include some releases and recommendations. As readers, we build our empathy through experiencing other worlds as other characters, and I’d expect the same from those consuming films. Hopefully, there is a better tomorrow where we can learn to love, support, and accept one another.
Anasofia Alejandro, Pine Reads Review Writer