this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2023
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One of my friends was just talking about Heartstopper and while I haven't watched it because I just don't really care for a show with a cast of teens, it got me thinking about how lucky young LGBT people are these days in terms of content they can watch and see themselves in. When myself and my generation were coming out and looking for media that represented us it was all very full on, and stuffed to the brim with sexual content, a lot of it truly dubious. My friends and I at the time just didn't understand how incredibly damaging watching that stuff could be for us as teens. I don't know, just got me deep into thinking about how not just myself but my friends maybe wouldn't have engaged in some risky shit had we had shows and movies that showed healthy age appropriate stuff.
Related off note, but I thought about the OG UK Queer as Folk, and how I thought 15 year old Nathan banging grown arse Stuart wasn't that bad. Adult me is mortified, but I think about how those old shows were all my friends and I had so of course we thought yeah that's how it is, that's what we should want and how we should behave.
I dont usually get deep on here, but I just can't stop thinking about it now.
I would be a considered a somewhat older gay now but I can't watch shows like heartstopper. I just can't relate at all, and I'm too cynical to suspend disbelief ๐ซข
I'm in that weird section where being LGBTQIA+ was accepted but still sort of looked down upon (like I grew up learning to say "that's gay" whenever something bad happened or something I didn't like happen, if that helps put a stamp on when I grew up). And I love Heartstopper, I actually just finished reading the first two volumes of it and I watched the show when it came out. But admittedly, I am slightly jealous that kids nowdays can see representation on tv, and not just gay and straight people, but bisexual characters, pansexual, trans and nonbinary. If I had the language I have now that would've helped me as a kid.
But ultimately, I am so happy that kids are now getting tv shows and movies where they can see themselves. I just hope that for us 25+ and older can get some representation. I want to see more elder LGBTQIA+ folks on my screens. Because, I mean as you would know, so many of our elder died unnecessarily because the government didn't care about us. We've lost so much history. And being able to see old LGBTQIA+ folks means that we're here. And that we can grow old and beautiful.
I've felt weird about how I'm not even 30 and my hair is greying, but I watched some TikToks where elder queers have said "Grey means you're here". And as a queer person with depression, I take that to heart.
We must be a similar age, growing up (especially in Brisbane) I still had bullies and things weren't great but for the most part people left me alone.
I do enjoy seeing so many of the letters present these days, at the time I was coming to terms with being bisexual it was still very much a pick a side mentality from both sides.
I also agree some more content with older LGBT for would be great, especially as my friends and I transition into the next phase of settling in life.
31yo nb bi (lol)... there is still a 'pick a side' mentality from both Ls and Gs (edit: and the Ss) today. To me, labelling myself bisexual means I am attracted to people with my genitals, and people who don't have my genitals. Like-me and not-like-me. Binary.
everyone is hot, is really my point.
edit: not like, actually have my genitals, but, yknow, people who have genitals like mine and people who have genitals that aren't like mine. Have I typed genitals enough? Probably. Did I think of that ridiculous song 'show me your genitals'? Yes I did.
You know what's wild, is that there are bisexuals who say that pansexuals are just biphobic or have internalised biphobia. Nah man, I just like pansexual, but I dig tf out of the bi flag. I like to think that pan means attracted to people regardless of gender. And I don't have a definition for bi because it's up to how the bi person identifies.
I love my bisexual siblings, y'all are amazing.
We as queers shouldn't be so divided against each other; we are many different colours but we are all part of the rainbow flag, because there is strength in kindness and numbers. Bi and pan are both part of the spectrum that is our human experience, and whatever label we identify with shouldn't stand in the way of us standing up for each other in face of discrimination. We cannot let labels divide us - that is exactly what the ultra-conservatives, far-right extremists, and cookers want. It makes it easier for them to kill us off if we do most of the work for them.
Bs who hate on Ps, or Ts, or anyone really, are pieces of shit like any other bigot. Bs ought to know what it is like to be invisible, they shouldn't be perpetuating the cycle of hate and exclusion. Ugh.
You are amazing, thank you for being amazing. ๐ thank you for reading my long-ass rant ha