I Just Rewatched Love, Simon, and I Love The Way It Shows The Impact Of LGBTQ+ Allies

Love, Simon is a coming-of-age story with all of the feels of what it’s like to be in the closet while in high school. While a memorable quality of the young romance movie is the moment he finally meets his true love, “Blue,” I absolutely love the friends and family Simon has throughout the movie. When you see how wonderful they all are, you see why Simon was afraid to come out in fear of things changing between them. After rewatching Love, Simon, I need to give a shoutout for the impact that the LGBTQ+ allies had on the main character's coming out story.

Abby Suso is Seriously the Most Loyal Best Friend a Queer Teen Would Be Lucky to Have

Abby Suso was the first person to whom Simon came out to. Even though he only knew her for six months, he clearly felt comfortable confiding in her. When he told her he was gay, she smiled and said she loved him. She didn’t ask any questions or treat him any differently. It was a beautiful moment between the two.

As Abby kept Simon’s secret and gave him tips on how to describe hot guys, any queer teen would love to have a friend like Abby. She listened and accepted her friend’s sexuality with no hesitation or awkwardness. She still saw Simon as the good friend he’s been to her.

I Felt So Bad for Leah Burke's Unrequited Feelings For Simon, But I'm Glad She Was Still There For Him

At some point in our lives, we have had experiences with unrequited love. That’s what happened to Leah Burke in the great LGBTQ+ rom-com. She was in love with her best friend, Simon, whom she had known since kindergarten. Then, when Leah found out Simon was gay, she knew her best friend was never going to see her the way she wanted him to.

Despite the sadness that Leah felt knowing she was never going to end up with her long-time crush, she didn’t ditch her friendship with Simon. When someone is that important to you, I'm sure Leah felt she'd rather have Simon as her friend than not at all. She still allowed herself to learn about the guy he liked, all while getting over her crush on him. It takes a strong person to do that, and Leah deserves all the credit for it.

Ms. Albright's No-Nonsense Attitude Against Homophobia Deserves a Standing Ovation

Ms. Albright was the drama teacher at Simon’s school and definitely not someone to mess with. When Simon got bullied in the cafeteria, Ms. Albright had no problems interfering and telling those boys off. Otherwise, I'm sure things would have escalated very badly. Ms. Albright probably calling those teen boys “sweaty, hormonal virgins” wouldn’t be the traditional way for a teacher to handle things, but I still love her for it!

Instead of ignoring Simon's bullying, Ms. Albright showed true inclusivity by being a strong ally who refused to tolerate hate. Vice Principal Mr. Worth's awkward, unnecessary way of showing acceptance was through wearing a rainbow pin and assuming Simon and another gay student, Ethan, were “boyfriends.” But Ms. Albright gave Simon what he needed, which was a teacher who was there for him and not afraid to take action.

Simon's Parents' Reactions to Simon's Sexuality Weren't Perfect, But I Still Saw the Love

When Simon first came out to his parents on Christmas morning, their reactions weren’t the most ideal. Simon’s mom was silent for the most part, and his dad was joking around about which girl “turned” him and walked away. Sometimes, unexpected news can lead to unexpected reactions.

Even though Simon’s parents handled their son's coming out uncomfortably at first, it was their treatment of Simon afterwards that deserved a round of applause. Compared to Simon being turned away by his parents, the love between them all was ever-growing.

There’s a reason Love, Simon is one of Jennifer Garner’s best movies, as she played a mother who told her son about finally getting to “exhale” after coming out and reminded him how special Simon was. Simon’s dad emotionally apologized to his son for his past bigotry and even hilariously wanted to join LGBTQ+ social media with him. Simon was really lucky to have such loving parents as he did, who made sure to remind him that the love they had for him would never change.

Nora Spier May Not Always Know What To Do, But I'm Loving Her Showing Up For Her Big Bro

After Simon’s secret of being gay came out online, his little sister, Nora, was trying to show she was there for her big bro. However, she didn’t know what the right thing to do was. She tried to report the leaked post despite it going viral. Nora was also confused why Simon didn’t want to deny his sexuality if he was scared of his secret circulating online. It’s clear that Nora cared deeply, but didn’t understand what Simon was going through.

Nora’s big standout moment was when she called out their dad for joking about Simon being gay while he was coming out to everyone. She recognized those jokes weren't making it easy for her big brother and did something about it. By speaking up, Nora showed Simon that she’d make sure their household was an accepting one under her watch.

One of the best teen rom-coms, Love, Simon, shows that through each of Simon’s friends, family members, and school staff, LGBTQ+ allies don’t need to be perfect. Showing up, listening, and being there can make all the difference in a person’s coming out story. Director Greg Berlanti believed his movie was still special for being available to LGBTQ+ youth struggling with their sexuality. By watching Love, Simon, you can see that you don’t have to be alone when coming out and that a loving community will accept you just the way you are.