From Heartstopper to Red, White & Royal Blue : LGBTQIA+ Entertainment and Its Impact on Queer Audiences

*This article contains spoilers for Heartstopper and Red, White & Royal Blue.

The summer of 2023 brought some heartwarming entertainment for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies alike. The month of August came with new releases on streaming platforms, such as the second season of Netflix’s Heartstopper and the film Red, White & Royal Blue on Prime Video.

Heartstopper was a huge success on Netflix after its first season in April 2022, with the show claiming a 100% Rotten Tomatoes sco re . Red, White & Royal Blue hit #1 on Prime Video worldwide upon its release and also became one of the top three most-viewed rom -coms on Prime Video . Despite these heartfelt stories, they are juxtaposed against an increasingly hostile culture against LGBTQ+ individuals.