Heartstopper fans are rightly calling out this ‘sickening’ response to new film trailer

As fans prepare to bid farewell to the phenomenon that is the Heartstopper franchise, many people are asking one deeply disturbing question.

‘Do they f**k or no’, wrote @inagreyhoodie on X in response to the final film trailer.

‘Right like I watched it and I wasn’t even turned on once’, replied @yyzvc.

The comments are unsettling, to put it mildly, prompting other viewers to issue stern reminders that not only are the characters of Nick and Charlie teenagers, but also, if you’re looking for a hypersexualised story, then this isn’t the show for you.

Created by graphic novelist Alice Oseman, Heartstopper was adapted for Netflix in 2022 and achieved roaring success practically overnight.

In the years since, not only have its three seasons continuously topped streaming charts with millions of views, but cast members, including Kit Connor (who plays rugby lad Nick Nelson) and Joe Locke (more reserved classmate Charlie Spring), have forged astonishingly successful, international careers.

Now, as the beloved characters look to the future and boyfriends Nick and Charlie navigate more mature challenges in their relationship, the story is being wrapped up with a two-hour movie, Heartstopper Forever, in July.

The trailer dropped yesterday, leaving longtime fans screaming, crying, and smiling simultaneously at their computer screens as it began to set in that this really is the end.

Soundtracked by Olivia Rodrigo’s new single Stupid Song, the first look teases Nick and Charlie’s biggest tests yet as they grapple with separation anxiety and self-discovery outside of their couple, while their friends embark on new chapters of their own.

With Nick at university and Charlie gaining independence at school while still pursuing recovery from his eating disorder, it surely promises to be as tender and warm-hearted yet as deeply emotional as the seasons we’ve already had.

It’s just a shame that, despite the significant cultural impact the TV series has had and the important LGBTQ+ issues it explores, some online jokers are only fixated on what may be happening under the covers.

‘Have the boys from Heartstopper already had sex or not?’, @iguflips demanded to know, the replies to their tweet flooded with explicit jibes and sexual references.

Quite rightly, hundreds flocked to retaliate, explaining that such ‘sickening’ remarks are not only problematic, but they also detract from the ‘beautiful’ coming-of-age story that Heartstopper tells of a blossoming romance.

‘why do you guys want to see teenagers f**k so badly?’, @xofreyr pointed out.

@anditslou asked, ‘can we not have one thing without crazy sex scenes??’ while @kinho_here wrote: ‘Its a teen series, there will be mentions of sex and some happening sometimes, but its not the focus. Its about the living of a queer teen group, going through mental problems, coming out, family issues, relationship problems, etc. Not EVERYTHING in life needs to be about sex.’

@Cristian212004 noted that there is an ‘obsession’ with explicit scenes in queer media, and @chucky198913 bluntly told the filthy-minded folk to simply ‘watch porn’ if that’s what they care for.

When it comes to LGBTQ+ TV shows and films, while such representation can still be met with resistance, there’s no shortage of risqué scenes within them.

Over the past year, Heated Rivalry has taken the internet by storm, producing a wildly passionate following.

Starring Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov, the Canadian sports romance series explores the classic theme of illicit romance as two professional hockey players attempt to maintain their relationship while representing opposing teams.

The steamy scenes raised eyebrows, with plenty lauding the sizzling chemistry between the two leads, even if others did criticise it for being too explicit.

Then we have Red, White & Royal Blue, a sweet queer rom-com starring Taylor Zakhar Perez as the US president’s son and Nicholas Galitzine as a British prince who, you guessed it, embark on a hot and heavy forbidden affair.

A sequel is already in the works, with fans (particularly those with existing ties to the original novel) eager to dive back into the playful, fanfiction-like world of a romance that shouldn’t work, but one you can’t help but root for.

In contrast to those, which are readily available for streaming to perhaps fulfil a specific need (and which undeniably tell important stories of their own), Heartstopper is more character-driven.

There’s intimacy, sure, but it’s not forced for the sake of it.

Instead, Nick and Charlie’s connection strengthens over a period of time, resulting in an almost cataclysmic first kiss after a string of agonising, gentle touches and longing glances.

From there, they’re not only getting to know each other but also themselves, as Nick is faced with the daunting task of coming out as bisexual to his loved ones, while Charlie’s mental health presents numerous hardships through his formative years.

Each episode is rich in narrative as that transitional chapter into adulthood becomes all-consuming for the students – not just Nick and Charlie, but also Elle (Yasmin Finney), who is transgender, Darcy (Kizzy Edgell), who begins exploring their non-binary identity, and Isaac (Tobie Donovan), who concludes that he might be asexual.

Ultimately, to reduce a show so multidimensional and with such intricate, important storytelling to its sexual content feels not only degrading but also hugely disrespectful to the LGBTQ+ adults who have sought comfort in Heartstopper after growing up without people who looked like them on their screens – and if they did, their characters were often portrayed poorly, if not dangerously.

Even actors Kit and Joe themselves have praised the show’s ‘natural evolution’ over the past four years, explaining during promo for season 3 that it was ‘exciting’ to watch Nick and Charlie progress from the shame of failing to hide love bites from their classmates to bonding on a whole other level.

Heartstopper has become a ‘blueprint’ for future queer media, that’s for sure, and the impact of the story it has told will live on far longer than that of any quickie sex scenes.

Heartstopper Forever will be released on Netflix on July 17.