- 'The Happiest Season,' Hulu's newest holiday romantic comedy, features a
queer romance and a complicated coming out story. - The movie stars Kristen Stewart as Abby, a young
lesbian who wants to propose to her partner Harper, who is played by Mackenzie Davis. The problem is Harper is not out to her family. - Many Twitter users said Harper not being out in her early 30s was unrealistic and unfair to Abby, but therapists disagree.
- Here's what to know about coming out and when the "right" time is to do it.
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There's just one problem: Harper is not out to her family.
The pair come up with a plan to pretend Abby is Harper's straight, orphan roommate who has nowhere else to go for the holidays.
Many Twitter users were not pleased that one of the first mainstream queer rom-coms centers the storyline on coming out rather than queer
But coming out isn't easy for many people, regardless of age, according to New York City-based therapist Dr. Melissa Robinson-Brown.
"If someone is afraid of being rejected by their family, this will undoubtedly force them into silence and hiding. Not to mention, if their support systems outside of the family are also rocky, it would mean isolation if you are being rejected both within and outside of your family," Robin-Brown told Insider. This is very scary for people. "
There is no universal 'perfect time' to come out
Robinson-Brown told Insider that there really is no "perfect time" to come out. While many coming out stories depict high schoolers, queer people of all ages make the decision to come out.
A person's family situation and ability to come out safely can make a difference.
"I would say that whenever you decide to come out, make sure you have support. Reactions and responses can be varied," Robinson-Brown said. "Make sure you have someone in your corner who has your back and will be there to help you remember that you are still an amazing ass person regardless of what anyone says."
Many people don't come out because of the fear they will be kicked out or rejected by family
For some, coming out as queer or trans is met with loving family support. It isn't as simple for others.
According to the True Colors Fund, 40% of the US homeless youth population is made up of
A study conducted by the Williams Institute at UCLA found 46% of homeless LGBTQ youth ran away from home because of unsupportive families and 43% were kicked out.
The pandemic has made LGBTQ youth more anxious, depressed, and disconnected from their community, as many queer kids have been forced to stay in unsupportive households.
A study by the Yale School of Medicine found 83% of the world's LGBTQ population remains in the closet in part due to these barriers. While some people may feel the community is "beyond coming out stories" many people remain in the closet into adulthood out of fear of losing their entire family.
—c (@sapphiccaitlin) November 27, 2020
"Everybody's story is different," John, Abby's gay best friend, told her after recalling being kicked out by his dad.
Some people found Harper's coming out story to be deeply relatable — and important to see on screen
Many Twitter users thought that while some of Harper's actions in the film might have been mean or unfair, they were deeply influenced by her coming out.
Because Harper was so scared of what her parents would think, she lies to Abby. The act of hiding her true self and doing hurtful things to hide herself in the process rang true for many viewers' own coming out stories.
—c (@sapphiccaitlin) November 26, 2020
—jay snow. (@snowyjay) November 28, 2020
—kari (@kvrivnne) November 27, 2020
Read More:
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Meet the 90-year-old man who came out as gay on Facebook after hiding his sexuality since he was 12