Quotes from Why Are We Like This? Stories of Transformation

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"It cracked open a part of me that lay dormant, shook me awake, and reminded me what it feels like to experience being truly alive."

“Watching Charlie go through his mental health journey was revolutionary for me in that it helped me understand that it is okay to lean on your friends and to get support. This helped me to be more vulnerable and open with the people in my life about how I was actually doing."

"My first reaction to Heartstopper was, 'This is everything.” It's hard to put into words, but it was a moment of euphoria, as though everything on my journey of being bisexual had finally come full circle."

"Why had I found this series both equally gratifying and traumatic? Well, I quickly realised that as the show went on, I was being forced to revisit my own experiences, and it made me realise that I've got a lot of healing to do." 

"For those who were bullied or ostracized as children, an invisible minefield of memories and unresolved trauma can remain. Heartstopper sheds light on the trip wires, so we can slowly tiptoe to a safe place where we can process surfacing emotions gently, and at our own speed."

"Heartstopper didn't just give me representation. It gave me hope, self-acceptance, and the belief that love, real, soft, meaningful love, is possible for me too." 

"Heartstopper has given me the confidence to truly be myself and love with my entire heart, not just that tiny scrap of it." 

“I expressed my desire to watch Heartstopper with my children to show them the hope and joy that can come with being queer. There’s so much pain and fear – not from being queer but from the world we live in. We need to hold onto that joy and beauty with both hands.”

"Heartstopper not only allowed me to dream in reverse but to simultaneously heal retroactively. It was as if Heartstopper’s positive movie print of healing imagery became superimposed over the negative movie print of my life."

 "My whole life, I felt like an outcast, and I was bullied as a kid, so Charlie’s storyline very much resonated with me. Heartstopper helped me find some actual self-compassion and self-acceptance, which is something I truly never had before." 

"I realized after some reflection that what touched me most is that the characters were loved for all of their strengths and needs, and were beautifully strong in their vulnerabilities, and beautifully vulnerable in their strengths."

"Watching Heartstopper that first time was like a window opening out onto the light, and being shown a reminder of what healthy and loving relationships look like, and I suddenly just knew that I could not continue to accept less for myself and my child any longer. Nick and Charlie are my comfort couple, and feeling armed with them, within just one month of first watching the show, I found the strength to tell my ex to leave the house, and a couple of days later, he was gone."

“It also helped me through serious dark times, and I honestly don’t know if I’d be alive right now if I didn’t find Heartstopper when I did. It helped me realise that it’s okay to ask for help when you’re struggling."

“The friendships and relationships in the series have modeled the types of people I want to surround myself with.” 

“My heart truly cracked open with these boys and their love for each other.The way they communicate also blew me away. I've always bottled up my feelings, but Nick and Charlie were so open with theirs, able to work through conflicts and express themselves deeply, creating a safe space for each other.”

"When Nick decided to identify as bisexual even though he never tried to be intimate with anyone, something clicked for me. I realized that physical experiences weren’t necessary for someone to decide their sexual orientation."

"Heartstopper showed me I don't have to have it figured out, I can just feel.” 

“I truly believe if it wasn't for Heartstopper, I would still be closeted. Just seeing all the joy I had missed in my life gave me the push to live my best life.”

"I put on the Heartstopper soundtrack, pulled up my favourite fanfic, surrounded myself with the support of my Discord group friends, and fought back. Through each surgery and each round of treatment, my focus has been on Heartstopper (there's nothing like an imaginary Nick Nelson hug to get you through yet another injection or anaesthetic), and I'm officially in remission.”

Heartstopper helped me wake up and see my true self and is a guiding light for what a life celebrating and embracing that could look like.”

"Within a year of first watching Heartstopper, I travelled from the mundane to the extraordinary... I reclaimed my right to happiness, left my loveless marriage, bought my own house, went back to work full-time, and am now able to live independently.