Everyone and their mothers seem to be watching Heartstopper, the gay, teen series now streaming on Netflix. Actor Kit Connor, 18, plays Nick Nelson, a star rugby player who develops romantic feelings for gay peer Charlie Spring (Joe Locke).
Nick ultimately comes out as bisexual in season one, and apparently that’s led to more than a bit of online speculation about Connor’s own sexuality.
And yes, he’s seen the chatter.
Posting to Twitter, Connor responded to his fans’ overactive imaginations. “Twitter is so funny man,” he wrote, “apparently some people on here know my sexuality better than I do…”
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twitter is so funny man. apparently some people on here know my sexuality better than I do…
— Kit Connor (@kit_connor) May 2, 2022
Fans quickly chimed in to support the young actor, reminding him that no one has the right to assume someone’s sexuality based on a performance.
(1) Let’s clear some things up. Just stop. Kit hasn’t explicitly come out about his sexuality, so he’s the only person who knows about his sexuality yk (and maybe friends and family). But this idea of trying to cancel people for “queerbaiting” without evidence… is insane
— Nathan 🍂🏳️🌈 (@nathwheel05) May 3, 2022
did they even watch heartstopper bc that’s literally the point hello
— em 🍂 heartstopper spoilers (@sprjngnelson) May 2, 2022
GET THEM KING!!
but seriously, so sorry people are being gross and invasive! you’d think if they watched media like heartstopper they would know that sexuality is no one’s business except for the individual and who they wish to express it to
— gecko 🍂 (@nickheartstpper) May 2, 2022
people on social media think they have the right to assume everything about others just because they’re public figures and it sucks because it’s REALLY none of their business. don’t mind them kit we love u ^_^
— manda 🍂 (@kitcoded) May 2, 2022
they think they have the right and “must decide” how you feel and who u are, and that surprises me every time in a really disappointing way.. I’m so sorry you have to deal with those people, man.
— 💫Toon💫 (@ZGatoToon) May 2, 2022
ppl are chronically online & think every person in the world has to voice their gender/sexuality or else they’re queerbaiting. it was done w dan & phil, its been done w ashnikko & doja cat. ppl cant just simply Be anymore, everyone has to have a label even tho its not that simple
— gizzmo (@cynyoon) May 2, 2022
It’s so unfair that people speculate on your sexuality (especially fans of a graphic novel series and TV show that spreads the important message of letting people embrace who they are in their own time, with support, and without judgement).
— beatrice | crying happy tears (@heissleepless) May 2, 2022
im so sorry u saw that😭 some people just watched heartstopper and everything they heard went in one ear and out the other. ignore them we got you
— zoe🍂 | LOVES BASH!!! (cast pr manager) (@vaItcrsen) May 2, 2022
Heartstopper has earned wide praise for the tenderness with which it treats its subject matter. That extends to British TV personality Phillip Schofield, who fought back tears while interviewing the stars of the show.
Locke and Connor stopped by the Britain’s This Morning to sit down with Schofield and his co-host Holly Willoughby on April 28. For Schofield, who publicly came out as gay at age 58 in 2020, seeing the acceptance with which friends and family greet Nick and Charlie proved more emotional than he expected.
wiggie
ugh, this is stupid. Why is it when someone pays a gay or bisexual character, the person’s real sexuality is questioned? John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson played hitmen yet no one questioned if they really were hitmen
fpcinnyc
exactly
dwick
it’s really sad that you can see the difference
Nicknelsonhearts
Just FYI, we’re not entirely sure who exactly he was addressing whether it was the “gay rumours” or the “straight rumours” because only a few hours before he posted it there was a whole lot of people who decided to say kit was straight and queerbaiting. It received over 800 qrts and I’m pretty sure kit ended up seeing that too. Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter what his sexuality is it’s none of our business. Just pointing out there were barely any gay rumours and it was mostly straight + queerbaiting rumours
johnnysimpatico
For me this is about moving beyond shame and queer and trans representation in media. Even this sites use of the word “rumor” is loaded for me because it is based on something wrong of deviant. For me the conflict is not around this young dude (is he or isnt he?) that part is stupid. Its about who represents queer and trans characters in the media, to me that does matter and is an issue with film makers (producers, casting, directors, and actors) that should be confronted. Its like when woman were played by men 400 years ago in theater, or black face, this does need to change at least for a while until we have more equality and acceptance, give it 100 years.
smittoons
Oof, can we not and just let an 18 year old kid live his life for awhile?
bachy
Imposing one’s sexual politics on a teenager is especially egregious.
Cam
Interesting that you would refer to somebody’s orientation as “Sexual Politics”.
linedrive
Sexual politics?
Bengali
Aren’t you supposed to be on the I LOVE BEN SHAPIRO page?
IanHunter
I don’t care about his sexuality. It may change 15 more times before he even knows. I really just like the show and I don’t need to need to know everything about the actors’ lives.
glennmcbride
Whether he is gay or not is not important, but he most certainly is a well spoken young man and definitely an ally.
Leo
But did question and still are questioning Travolta’s sexuality.
Jaquelope
What difference does that make for you? He might be a member of the LGBTAIQ+ community by being bisexual, but is it REALLY that important?
In the case of Kit, is it because his acting is so convincing that everyone seems to think he has the same sexual orientation as his character? An actor’s job is to convincingly play another person, even if there is nothing in common with their actual personalities or behaviors.
Give it a rest, people!
johncp56
Young people now are better informed, and do not have playing a gay part, as they respect others more than my years long ago LOL
dali
Terrible example with John Travolta.
nm4047
give the show some more publicity. Not sure if it is an argument for a gay actor to play a gay role or that then opens another can of worms for the trolls
Nicknelsonhearts
Just FYI, we’re not entirely sure who exactly he was addressing whether it was the “gay rumours” or the “straight rumours” because only a few hours before he posted it there was a whole lot of people who decided to say kit was straight and queerbaiting. It received over 800 qrts and I’m pretty sure kit ended up seeing that too. Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter what his sexuality is it’s none of our business. Just pointing out it there were barely any gay rumours and it was mostly straight + queerbaiting rumours. Lol
Nicknelsonhearts
Just FYI, we’re not entirely sure who exactly he was addressing whether it was the “gay rumours” or the “straight rumours” because only a few hours before he posted it there was a whole lot of people who decided to say kit was straight and queerbaiting. It received over 800 qrts and I’m pretty sure kit ended up seeing that too. Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter what his sexuality is it’s none of our business. Just pointing out there were barely any gay rumours and it was mostly straight + queerbaiting rumours. I think you should add that in this article just not to mislead people.
Nicknelsonhearts
I find it really funny how you didn’t do enough research and as soon as he posts that tweet you automatically assumed he was addressing the “gay rumours” when in fact, there were barely any. So you were being hypocritical as well assuming he’s in fact straight and addressed gay rumours. Again, we can’t be sure, but do more research next time.
BaltoSteve
Honey, sweetie, you forgot to switch screen names. LOL!
mailliw110
Other than your personal sexual fantasies, I’m not sure why it matters. I’m pretty sure I’ll never get the chance to find out in person.
BaltoSteve
I feel this is a story as old as time. Actor plays sexual minority role well, folks speculate on why Actor plays part so well. Before Twitter, when when folks met up on BBS’s, that schznit happened. Some of it makes sense. You will have kids wondering “Is he really like me!?!” “Shit, he is like me, I can do that too!” But that there is a fine line between that and this toxic hounding of someone’s private life.