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class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm jEGgOR bmhHIl alert-msage"><p>To revis this article, vis My Profile, then<!-- --> <a href="/acunt/saved">View saved stori</a></p></div><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ gJNxgH bSqbcl button button--utily close-alert-button" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Close Alert</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-close" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><path d="M16 14.586l6.364-6.364 1.414 1.414L17.414 16l6.364 6.364-1.414 1.414L16 17.414l-6.364 6.364-1.414-1.414L14.586 16 8.222 9.636l1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button></div></div><div class="StackedNavigatnSectnLogo-gMsxSu dwOfTV"><a href="/" class="StackedNavigatnLogoLk-byNqXP dmvHfj"><picture 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data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp eiGjZk"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT tPofh"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU cwyjHY bric__lk" href="/culture"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd jdcWfa isouMH"><em>Dear Whe People</em> Is Givg Us the Black Queer Reprentatn We Need</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB etVsnJ ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ eijTxK">In s send season, the show’s ma queer character is given space to grow to his plex inty.</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn epCAJC"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn epCAJC rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 80w" siz="66px"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 90w" siz="66px"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH hdWCIC byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd hSmufO skIR eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/michael-cuby">Michael Cuby</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2018-05-17T17:09:35-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd dCoEhu bDGyxQ">May 17, 2018</time></div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard ContentHearAccredatnSocialIns-jorO fPzfaa ntent-hear__social-share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR fxaFQj social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--twter social-ins__list-em--standard"><a aria-label="Share on Twter" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU blkfJb social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--twter" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div 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data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"mailto:?subject='Dear%20Whe%20People'%20Is%20Givg%20Us%20the%20Black%20Queer%20Reprentatn%20We%20Need&" href="mailto:?subject='Dear%20Whe%20People'%20Is%20Givg%20Us%20the%20Black%20Queer%20Reprentatn%20We%20Need& rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-email" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Email</tle><path d="M6 23h20V9H6v14zm3.631-12H22.37l-6.368 5.661L9.631 11zM24 12.227V21H8v-8.773l8.002 7.109L24 12.227z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kJkLmH article-body__ntent"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eOdfIs"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>“So, no sha, but I’m not like...<em>to other Black guys</em>,” says Deondre, a Black gay man, to Lnel Higgs, another Black gay man, at an on-mp Pri party one of the latt episos of Netflix’s <em>Dear Whe People</em>. Though the two ially appeared to h off, bondg over the fact that neher knew anyone else at the party, Deondre’s claratn immediately shut down any potential spark between them. He livered the le wh absolute certaty and seemgly no shame, allowg the moment to go as quickly as had e.</p><p>When <em>Dear Whe People</em> first me to Netflix last year, was praised for s abily to show that <a href=">Black inty don’t exist a vacuum</a>. Focg on a central st of Black stunts enrolled at the fictnal Ivy League Wchter Universy, the show’s first season grappled wh the myriad ways that race (and specifilly Black race) lors the seemgly non-racial aspects of s characters’ liv. In s send season, <em>Dear Whe People</em> largely sticks to that script; as the teractn between Deondre and Lnel shows, there is a ntued foc on explorg the extent to which whe supremacy has filtrated our perceptn about everythg. Y, some Black people are actually pable of seeg the bety other Black people — a very sad but unfortunate tth. (I’ll never fet the day I heard an acquatance say, “I’m already Black enough for myself. I don’t need more” when asked why he refed to date wh his own race.)</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p>But while Deondre and Lnel’s exchange illumat the clever ways which <em>Dear Whe People</em> has managed to addrs nuanc of Black inty, ’s also one of the first tim the show has actually alt wh queerns (and s tersectn wh Blackns) a nuanced way. Unfortunately, <em>Dear Whe People</em>’s first season stggled s pictn of Lnel, explorg his queerns a cidly bland, one-note manner.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p>The seri pilot troduc Lnel as a shy outsir among his Black peers at Wchter. His first appearance on screen is at a Black Cc meetg Armstrong Parker Hoe (Wchter’s all-Black dorm), but unlike the others who attend, Lnel is there to ver the meetg as a reporter for one of the school’s newspapers, <em>The Inpennt</em>. Though he is Black, the show mak sure to tablish Lnel as the odd man out; wh rerr hand, he asks qutns that others his posn would prumably know already, like what the Black Cc is the first place.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB kNleGZ sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="yicps7"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="gonhr4"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>It’s not until the followg episo that they attempt to expla what motivat Lnel’s uneass. At a meetg for <em>The Inpennt</em>, Silv, Lnel’s edor (a self-scribed “Mexin Italian gay vers top otter pup”) asks him why he hasn’t bothered to vtigate the “nflict of tersectnal inti” at Armstrong Parker Hoe — specifilly “homophobic cints,” which are largely shown as toxic microaggrsns, like the sual e of words like “faggot.” As Silv explas to Lnel, “You’re not <em>jt</em> a Black man. You’re a <em>gay</em> Black man.”</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="yvfyok"></div></div><p>For a mute, seemed as though the show would addrs the <a href=">myriad ways</a> which “Black” and “gay” n be misread as opposg or nflictg inti. Silv’s qutn had the potential to open up a much eper nversatn about that overlap; unfortunately, as the first season progrsed, beme clear that Lnel was jt gog to be rced to a trope. While most of his other Black peers were bolstered wh narrativ that were ep and plited — the ambivalence a Black female character feels when datg a whe man, for example — Lnel’s central tensn of beg gay <em>and</em> Black never expand to much more.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>In fact, the majory of his storyle is mired one of the most stereotypil queer stereotyp around: an obssn wh his straight roommate, Troy Fairbanks. Lnel spends a number of scen pleasurg himself to the sounds of Troy’s very loud sex the room next door, even gog so far as to sniff Troy’s dirty boxers when he fds them on the bathroom floor. At one pot, he Googl whether or not masturbatg while thkg about your straight roommate mak you gay. Though the rpective stanc surely ma for a few good lghs, they did so at the expense of Lnel’s evolutn as a character.</p><p>Luckily, s send season, Lnel is fally given the space and attentn he needs to grow — and the show’s exploratn of queer inty is, too.</p><p>After g out and experiencg his first real gay kiss at the end of the first season, Lnel spends the send season on the kd of exploratory journey to which many young queers n relate. In addn to takg his first plunge to the wild world of gay datg apps, Lnel also gets to experience his first heartbreak wh Silv, whose own storyle as a queer Lato man wh surprisgly nservative polil allegianc wh s own set of tertg plitns.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="wy9iem"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG 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The latter scene is one of the show’s most hilarly unfortable — and ’s perfect precisely bee of that disfort. Awkward and glor and surprisgly scere, Lnel’s “first time” don’t shirk away om the ls-glamoro aspects of gay sex. From the begng, the two fumble, both stgglg to get their cloth off and one even fallg off the bed. When thgs fally pick up, Lnel oral sex game is playfully cricized (his partner scribed as ak to “that sandp monster <em>Return of the Jedi</em>”). It has all the allure of El’s first sexual pa wh Oliver <em>Call Me By Your Name</em>, but don’t stop short of the good stuff.</p><p>Across all, the most spirg aspect of Lnel’s evolutn is how manag to celebrate queerns while also addrsg and criqug some of our muny’s more disturbg problems. Shortly after beg rejected by Deondre at the “lerati gay” party, Lnel fds himself the midst of another nversatn, where a bate epts about whether or not ’s acceptable to still refer to gay men who are to Asian men as “rice queens.” (Ht: It’s not.) When his iend lls out his sual racism, a whe gay man jtifi his age by sayg, “We’re fags! We’re not allowed to exist half of the world, so why do we have to play by s l?” This, like other moments sprkled across the season, peels back a layer on how the queer muny ternaliz the discrimatn fac, discrimatg agast self turn.</p><p>And while ’s credibly sad to see Deondre reject Lnel for their shared sk lor, ’s empowerg to then watch as Lnel learns to navigate the world as a newly-liberated queer Black man. The more Lnel sets to his homosexualy, the more nfint he be other parts of his life. By the end of the season, the shy loner om season one has blossomed to an assured, outspoken man wh a sire to make real change his life.</p><p>It’s touchg to watch how Lnel’s story upends mon narrativ surroundg Blackns and queerns. Instead of beg ostracized for his sexualy, Lnel’s queerns actually helps him build stronger bonds wh his Black peers. As someone who <a href=">has personally alt</a> wh many of Lnel’s same issu, I uldn’t help but feel kship wh him. By fally givg Lnel the space to get a ltle msy, <em>Dear Whe People</em> helped e to unrstand this character better, and let him grow to the plited, thentic person he is: He’s gay, he’s Black, and he’s proud. The Lnel we knew season one simply nnot relate.</p><p><em><a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Cuby</a> is the edor-at-large for them. His work has appeared PAPER, Teen Vogue, VICE, and Flavorwire.</em></p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="hq6mv7"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div 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320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Heartstopper Is Still a Sugary Sweet Salve for the Soul" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">TV and Movi</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed"><em>Heartstopper</em> Is Still a Sugary Sweet Salve for the Soul</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Michael Cuby</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff jCBznZ summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eIFuYX" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="All the Queer Books Isaac Reads Heartstopper Season Two" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">TV and Movi</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">All the Queer Books Isaac Reads <em>Heartstopper</em> Season Two</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div 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summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">TV and Movi</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Noah Schnapp Says His <em>Stranger Thgs</em> Character Helped Him Come Out</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p 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src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed"><em>Heartstopper</em>'s K Connor and Joe Locke on the Tolls of Beg Young, Out, and In the Spotlight</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div 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dear white people gay

Tyler Jam Williams spoke to Bossip about his role "Dear Whe People" playg a gay character, race and terracial datg Ameri.

Contents:

‘DEAR WHE PEOPLE’ SEASON 2 FALLY GIV ITS GAY CHARACTER SOME MEAT TO SK HIS TEETH INTO

Is DeRon Horton gay like his character ‘Dear Whe People’? What the actor has to say — or not say —about his sexualy and narrow-mdns. * dear white people gay *

Lnel explor the "Deep End" of the gay scene.

Last season, we watched Lnel (DeRon Horton) wa to the datg pool and experience racism the gay muny firsthand. This show brgs every sgle thg out of the closet, not jt s gay characters. Gay folks, LGBTQ folks aren't monolhic eher.

DEAR WHE GAY MEN: LABELG PEOPLE OF COLOR "DIVISIVE" ISN'T A CRIQUE — IT'S RACISM

It was ccial for Jt Simien, the show's openly gay creator, to put a spectm of LGBTQ inti the seri. In the seri, DWP's efforts to further velop Lnel’s persona filled a void of erasure and misreprentatn among muni that are normally left behd popular culture, specifilly Black gay men om Hoton.

THAT GAY ROMANCE ON DEAR WHE PEOPLE

Not all Black gay men have the accs to each other to learn about who we are.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* DEAR WHITE PEOPLE GAY

‘Dear Whe People’ Season 2 Fally Giv Its Gay Character Some Meat to Sk His Teeth Into | Hor, the Queer Social Network .

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