In defense of celebrating Will's likely coming-out arc
I write this in response to criticism that I've received for commenting that the lock necklace likely worn by Will Byers can be both a commitment symbol (possibly related to Mike!) and also an expression of his sexual/romantic preferences, sharing what I'd just learned the lock symbol has in the gay and BDSM communities.
Given how closeted and repressed we know Will's character to be, and given other rumors/leaks, this is likely a glance at Will after a time skip after the main events of s5, or "Epilogue Will" (lol). He's likely an adult here, and his colorful style SCREAMS that he is out of the closet! (Maybe it's less true now, but wearing this in 1989 screamed I AM GAY! It was quite common to get gay-bashed for wearing something like this.). Plus the lock necklace has some flair and is undeniably stylish lol.
This necklace is literally probably WORN BY WILL IN THE SHOW. And Will is a FICTIONAL CHARACTER. So it's open season to talk about what this means for Will for whom being closeted and self-effacing has been central to his arc. And the lock having various commonly-understood symbolic meanings is a FACT. The show's creators have been open about putting a lot of thought into every detail in the show, from triangles on shirts to... well, locks on necklaces. (Personally, I didn't know about its association with BDSM culture until I googled "gay lock necklace" myself, and bam I found it!) And Will, by wearing it, would face judgment for the various things it signifies, judgment that those of us who claim to be sex-positive and/or not homophobic shouldn't partake in.
My reaction to seeing this was "This is AMAZING!" As a gay man who's been invested in Byler and Will's character arc, I saw this as cause for CELEBRATION. This older Will is WILLING TO STAND UP TO HIS BULLIES, if he's openly wearing an outfit expressing his gay identity and sexuality.
So I put up my post, and the reaction on Tumblr was ALL POSITIVE. (Then I made more Byler posts, as is my wont lol.)
Then suddenly in the past few hours, my post has gotten comments all saying the same ugly things. The timing was suspicious and I soon found where all the hate was being organized (Hint: it's not Tumblr.)
First of all, I have learned increasingly this past week or so on TikTok that saying "weird" is code for homophobia. ("Byler would be weird" etc.) Doesn't matter if the word comes from a Byler either. It's been quite consistent. It's what someone says when they want to express something but also know they'd come off as prudish and reactionary if they said what they really think.
Second, commenting on how a FICTIONAL gay character dare express HIS sexuality and CHEERING for him to do so, like really? Gay liberation has ALWAYS been about rebelling and breaking taboos, and this is Will not giving a f**k and and celebrating his sexuality. (What that "sexuality" is exactly here is ambiguous - that's the beauty and fun of interpretation!) This is CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION that WILL of all people is loving himself and claiming his right to be happy!
Are we prudes? When Milev*ns talk about Mike and El having sex in s5 while they're still minors they're not met with stigma and insinuations. But talking about an adult gay man who MIGHT ACTUALLY LIKE SEX (shock! gasp!)!?!? It's a homophobic double standard and it doesn't matter where it comes from, and it's wrong.
On to what my post was OBVIOUSLY about.
(Though first as an aside: there's nothing inherently wrong with BDSM. And people of all sexualities, gay, straight, etc. consensually engage in it. I personally have ZERO interest in it, but I'm not going to clutch my pearls and kink-shame people.)
Epilogue Will is INSPIRING that we might actually see the full promise of what the Duffers said would be Will's arc this season: "Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one thatās being protected. So part of his journey, itās not just sexuality ā itās Will coming into his own as a young man.ā
As many who've seen my Byler video probably guess, it's meaningful to me as an older Byler who grew up in the 80s to see a suffering, closeted, and bullied gay boy in the 80s OVERCOME IT ALL. This glimpse of Epilogue Will is a clue that the Duffers have motherf**kin done it: they put at the center of the world's biggest TV show a FIVE-SEASON ARC OF GAY TRIUMPH.
JUST as how it would be hugely meaningful for this TV show to feature likely TWO closeted gay boys finding the courage to love each other against all odds. Will not only gets the love of his life, but gets to be OUT AND FREE.
I was celebrating Will's coming-out arc.
And it is frankly homophobic and dehumanizing to think it was anything else.
I can stand toxic Milev*ns attacking me; they'll come up with any excuse to try to tear down anyone who points out the signs that their ship started sinking long ago.
But to see some in the Byler fandom join the chorus trying to stigmatize older fans for being passionate and wanting to celebrate Will's gay liberation is SHAMEFUL. And honestly, I don't think such people are welcome in the Byler fandom.
We shouldn't cave to the homophobes. Be Epilogue Will. Wear that lock necklace proudly, dammit. Let people think what they think, because it won't stop us from being who we are.
-teambyler
