Honestly, this is just me thinking out loud, but the backlash to Will’s coming out scene really gets under my skin. I grew up in a deeply backwards red town, and coming out for me was never some cozy, protected moment. For me, coming out was practically another form of survival. It was about getting ahead of it, about speaking before I lost control of my own story, before other people twisted it into whatever version of me they were already trying to sell. And here's the thing it also didn't work perfectly! I was outed by a cousin who worked at my first job before I even started, and the harassment and bullying followed immediately.
Sometimes you sit down the village and ask for support because the alternative is worse. In the context of the 80s, and with no time, no safety net, I think that choice makes sense for Will. Will is lucky he had his people. He’s also unlucky that he didn’t get to come out on his own terms, without pressure. But the truth is, a lot of us don’t or didn't get that grace.
I saw a lot of myself in Will. My partner did too. And because of that, I don’t think that scene deserved even half the flack it got.
