We should not only insist on more queer coming-of-age stories, which can be life-changing for LGBTQ youth who don’t see themselves depicted elsewhere, but insist on our inclusion in so-called “regular” coming-of-age stories. Many of my favorite coming-of-age stories are heartbreaking for just how poignantly they show this plight, from Hilary Swank’s performance in Boys Don’t Cry to Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain.
Of course, it’s only recently that LGBTQ youth have had the possibility of a coming-of-age story like the one shown in Booksmart. LGBTQ youth have lived in fear of bullying, harassment, and abuse for decades, and it’s important to tell those stories to let those suffering know they’re not alone.
