anthropomorphised to-read list

| he/they | No plan, no theme, no clue | 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 | 📑📚🖊️ | Currently writing essays about Heartstopper under #things i love about heartstopper

[afinestoutlove]

things i love about heartstopper 41/?

Charlie and Tao's friendship is so great (I mean all of these friendships are, I'll get to the others, don't worry!). It can be so hard to have friendships with straight guys when you're queer, because (heteronormative) masculinity is a prison. But Tao Xu says "fuck your heteronormativity I do what I want".

"People might think you gave me the hickey if you keep this up." "So? Might help to deflect the rumours." ('Heat')

And yeah, Tao's a disaster and Charlie's a mess, and they both fail to communicate, and self-sabotage, and fuck things up, but they love each other through all of it. And, another thing that's so hard for men to do (especially straight men), they tell each other how much they love each other. They always show each other. There's never any (real) doubt.

No matter what happens, these two beautiful disasters are here for each other and I just love their friendship so much you guys.

And a quick bonus thought prompted by a (joking) reply to yesterday's post...

Someone commented "Charlie's cheating on Nick nooo" and yeah I get that it was a funny. BUT it prompted an important addition to this post. It's really common for people to view the kind of friendship Charlie and Tao have as a kind of threat to their romantic partnership, but Charlie dgaf (and neither does Nick because he's a good person and trusts both Charlie and Tao). Not only that, but Nick values Charlie's friendship with Tao, and likes Tao because of it. This is so wonderful to see, so much healthier than what we usually get.

Our culture is so fucking weird about romantic relationships, placing them on a pedestal above others, but a really important part of Charlie and Tao's story is learning to balance their romantic relationships and their friendships - and to make space for each other's needs as well (Tao's jealousy in S1 isn't expressed in the most constructive way...). They both learn not to neglect their friends - including each other - and also to communicate around those issues more. I love seeing this and, like so much in the Osemanverse, I wish we had more of it in the world.

[rainydropz]

[afinestoutlove]

things i love about heartstopper 40/?

[writingmyheartoutforyou]

"Sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."

"It's a lot more complicated than that --"

"No. It ain't. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, it means they're getting worried they won't like the truth. People as things, that's where it starts."

"Oh. I'm sure there are worse crimes --"

"But they starts with thinking about people like things..."

- Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

[radicarian]

it is past time we jettisoned the useless false dichotomy of introversion vs. extroversion and just accepted that everybody has a minimum amount of social interaction, failing which, they get really weird. and everybody has a maximum amount of social interaction, exceeding which, they get really weird. these levels are different for everyone, for a variety of reasons, and have no moral dimension. and that is all.

[mjalti]

why would you come to this club and just shoot Myers & Briggs like this

[masaotheheckindog]

they deserved it

[afinestoutlove]

things i love about heartstopper 39/?

I love that almost all these characters look like real people. Yeah, they’re all beautiful real people, but they aren’t (all) the sort of interchangeable, predictable, normative beauty that you get in so many US teen shows (or adult shows tbh).

I think this is one of the many things that makes it so obviously, unapologetically British. Okay, yes, Elle is played by a model and she looks it, and her style is impeccable at all times, but even she’s shown dressed down occasionally, looking like a whole human teenage person. (And there are actual character related reasons she's so impeccably styled...) Nick obviously fits normative beauty standards as well, but again, he always looks like an actual person and not some perfect airbrushed film version of a person.

There are shots with all of them from less flattering angles, with imperfect hair, with makeup that looks like a (competent) teenager chose it, with wrinkled clothing, in blah school uniforms like all of us had to deal with (and adapting those uniforms as best they can). There's a range of body types - and not just existing, but also seen as attractive, as capable, as desirable. There are facial features that don't fit normative beauty standards portrayed as beautiful (and they are!!). Our one visibly disabled character is shown as stylish and cool, without making it A Thing - they're treated like a person. Darcy actively shifts away from normative beauty as they become more themselves and it's celebrated - as it should be! If only more media gave us this.

I have Some Thoughts about some of the makeup (esp what happened to Nick’s freckles) after S1, but this is generally the exception to the way these kids are portrayed as actual people and not idealised beauty standards.

[ucanbanything]

[inmybubblesblog]

This is so dear to me 🥺

And tori saying nick’s her favourite makes me feel so warm

🥺🥺🥺🥺

I’m not crying you are

I’m fine (not)

[abomination-unto-nuggan]

Vetinari: The dinosaurs did not "rule the Earth", they were just alive. Stop giving them credit for administrative skills they almost certainly did not have.

[afinestoutlove]

things i love about heartstopper 38/?

I cry at the after prom thing every time. This is like a little glimpse into Nick and Charlie’s future. Imagine the Paris squad comes around for a dinner party and they all dress up for fun. And when it’s time to say goodbye, Nick and Charlie hug all their friends and wave from the front door before wandering up to bed and it’s just peaceful and cosy and cute and they love their friends and they love each other so much and everything is good. This is what I’m imagining for them (and honestly it might be the only way I’ll be able to get through the argument from Nick and Charlie if when we get a S4).

[anexperimentallife]

[maranello]

you DON’T need to know where your favorite celebrity/artist/athlete lives, who they’re dating, where they go grocery shopping, what they are doing at any given moment when they are off camera actually. just an fyi

[afinestoutlove]

YES, THIS! THANK YOU!!!

[ucanbanything]

Tell me you're filmmaker without telling me you're filmmaker.

Tao:

The scarf!

[afinestoutlove]

things i love about heartstopper 37/?

[neoyorzapoteca]

Mary Oliver, Long Life: Essays and Other Writings

[toneelspeelster]

you find your way back down, and i will keep the area clear.

[afinestoutlove]

things i love about heartstopper 36/?

The acting. I know, it’s already been said, but every one of these actors, including the extras, are so freaking good. Including in scenes where they’re playing against seasoned, award-winning actors. Imagine acting with people like Olivia Coleman when you're so early in your career (well, some earlier than others)!! It must be so fun but also... that's some pressure! The little details, expressions, movements they all bring to their roles are so wonderful. It’s so clear they deeply understand and care about their characters and the story. Can’t say enough good things.