New sci-fi series Paper Girl praised for gay storyline: ‘Everything we want Stranger Things to be’
Paper Girls. (Amazon Prime/Prime Video)
Paper Girls, the new Amazon Prime supernatural sci-fi series, is being praised for its queer representation by fans.
The series, based on the comics of the same name, follows four girls after they are snatched from the ’80s and dropped into 2019 where they navigate the supernatural, puberty and encounters with their chaotic older selves.
One of the four, KJ, also comes to realise she is a lesbian, grappling with self-acceptance, burgeoning feelings and what it means to love women.
kj realising she's a lesbian and learning to accept herself is my favorite thing in the entire show #PaperGirls pic.twitter.com/TPHYWebiP4— ً (@wandazula) July 31, 2022
Fans have been impressed by the diversity of the show – as well as KJ, who is Jewish, there is a leading East Asian character (Erin), a Black character (Tiffany) and a working class character (Mac).
Of course, fans can’t help but draw parallels to Netflix’ hit show Stranger Things – another sci-fi series set in the 80s that has tiptoed around their LGBTQ+ characters.
As one fan wrote: “Paper Girls is nothing like Stranger Things, in Paper Girls the gay people can actually kiss.”
paper girls is everything we want stranger things to be! queer rep, character development, plot!— Jaylynn 🇵🇸 (@hijaylynn_) July 31, 2022
https://twitter.com/jujublaqueman/status/1554832021762891782?s=20&t=lCP5gBE-UWDckGMjMqBKZg
Brian Vaughan, who created the Paper Girls comics, has said the Stranger Things comparisons are only skin-deep.
Vaughan told The Independent: “I knew that it had some surface similarities. But within the first three minutes, you realise these are completely different shows. I hope the world is big enough for both of us.”
Mostly, fans are showing a lot of love for KJ and how needed proper queer representation is.
“It’s so refreshing seeing pre adolescents being gay,” one person wrote, “it’s a fact that people often ignore that kids are gay too and maybe seeing it being so well portrayed in media will help the new generation of queer people to grow up less scared of being themselves.”
Another said the series is the new go-to “if you want an 80s sci-fi show where queer characters’ plots don’t glorify trauma but instead celebrate queer joy”.
#PaperGirls is so so go good, I hope it gets the audience it deserves. Read some the comic years ago, forgot how queer it was. It deals with that really well in the show I think.— HywelWJ (Gofod Gwag) (@HywelWJ) August 3, 2022
https://twitter.com/millbyler/status/1554175255194787841?s=20&t=lCP5gBE-UWDckGMjMqBKZg
Please watch #PaperGirls. IT DESERVES TO LIVE. Great characters and performances, cool comics shit, lots of emotions, and one very adorable queer ship. Also, I cannot believe I didn't know my man Jason Mantzoukas is in it.— Jamie Jirak (@JamieCinematics) August 1, 2022
I loved the Paper Girls comic and the TV series is just doing great things for my insecure queer teenage self from the '80s. (Not to mention my secure queer adult self right now).
No spoilers, but get your hearts and minds ready. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XYIG3RuNxH
— Shanna Germain (The She/Her-Devil You Know) (@ShannaGermain) August 1, 2022
It’s a female-centric show led by talented young actresses and the show has so much to offer, from time travel, space to mecha and it has such and amazing poc and lesbian rep! This show literally has everything! #PaperGirls https://t.co/7N1V27i9Lm— XAI (@queerbinging) August 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/lalacroix69/status/1553271591399788546?s=20&t=lCP5gBE-UWDckGMjMqBKZg
