For years now, there's been discussion about the power of representation in the media, particularly LGBTQ+ stories. And in the past month we've been treated to some moving stories, specifically the steamy queer series Heated Rivalry (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription), as well as Will Byers finally sharing his queerness in the penultimate episode of Stranger Things. I watched both of these shows' coming out scenes in the same week, and I couldn't help but think about all the young LGTBQ+ folks who might be streaming at the same time.
While Heated Rivalry's sex scenes helped it go viral, the last few episodes told an emotional story about Shane and Ilya coming to terms with their true feelings for each other. Will's sexuality was something hinted at since Stranger Things Season 1 (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription), so his coming out scene was a long time coming. While they were very different sequences and shows, they were both heartwarming, emotional, and a powerful example of representation.
Stranger Things And Heated Rivalry Had Two Different (But Powerful) Coming Out Scenes
While Stranger Things is an action-packed sci-fi story, Heated Rivalry is a book-to-screen adaptation focusing on closeted hockey players with (presumably) a fraction of the budget. Funny enough, their stories about characters coming out of the closet aired at around the same time, showing two distinct but moving takes on how terrifying it can be for queer folks to tell their loved ones about their hidden sexuality.
In Heated Rivalry's finale "The Cottage," Shane's father stumbles upon he and Ilya kissing, forcing him to come out to his parents. What resulted was a beautifully moving scene, where Shane's mother weeps and apologizes for making him feel like he couldn't tell them about his queerness. It's a scene that illustrates a parent's love, and how even LGBTQ+ folks who have loving families can still struggle to come out of the closet thanks to the fear of being rejected.
Throughout Stranger Things' run on Netflix, Will was heavily hinted at being gay, starting from its very first season on the air. But it took until Season 5, and some encouraging words from Maya Hawke's Robin, before he could finally come out to his family and friends.
What resulted was not only him being accepted by both Joyce and The Party, but his strong sense of self manifested in him being able to use his own abilities to fight Vecna. Noah Schnapp offered a beautiful performance in the coming out scene, and seeing the rest of the cast one by one put their support behind him was tear-inducing. The group hug at the end was the cherry on top, and serves as an example of how many LGBTQ+ folks wish their own coming out story would go down.
I'm in my 30s and have been an out gay man since 17, but that didn't make me any less emotional watching these sequences in Heated Rivalry and Stranger Things. I remember the fear of coming out, and the tears that came as I slowly told my friends and family, although most of all these episodes made me think of queer youth who might be watching these two wildly popular streaming shows.
I came out of the closet before we got much positive LGBTQ+ representation; this was before shows like Glee helped to pop that bubble. I can only imagine how powerful it would have been to see these positive coming out scenes on the screen as a young person, and I only hope that queer youth are given comfort and hope when seeing the way both Will and Shane were embraced.
Heated Rivalry Season 1 is streaming on HBO Max, Stranger Things is streaming in its entirety on Netflix, along with a documentary about the final season that just premiered as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Luckily, Heated Rivalry was renewed for Season 2, so hopefully the wait between seasons isn't too long.
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