One of the biggest talking points in the third season of Stranger Things revolved around Will's (Noah Schnapp) sexuality. In the series' bible, back when the show was called Montauk, Will was said to be a kid struggling with sexual identity issues but that hasn't really been touched on in the Netflix show.
However, Schnapp said in a recent interview that, rather than confronting the issue directly, it should be left up to the audience to interpret. However, that feels like a cop-out and could detract from the show's narrative, which could be construed by some to be queerbaiting.
The first couple of seasons painted Will as an ordinary boy who just wanted to play Dungeons & Dragons with his friends, that is until he was taken to the Upside Down. It then followed his PTSD in the wake of being rescued and his possession by the Mind Flayer, before Season 3 brought his sexual identity into focus. It wasn't explicit but Will being jealous of how Mike and Lucas embarked on relationships clearly hinted at something. It all culminated in a fight where Mike shouted at him "It's not my fault you don’t like girls!"
This led to speculation the Duffer brothers were following through on Will being gay. Now, Schnapp's comments haven't necessarily poured cold water on the LGBTQ+ angle but he did say viewers can decide for themselves if he's gay, asexual or whatever orientation they believe he is. His belief is the boy just wants to remain a kid after spending so much time in the dark realm, and he just doesn't know how to deal with girls right now. "Some people perceive it as Will could be gay, asexual or whatever," Schnapp said. "Or, like how I see it, he was stuck in the Upside Down, and he was away for so long that all of his friends started growing up while he was in this other world."
That ambiguity feels like a disservice to the character and the show. The idea of not touching on Will's sexuality takes away from who he really is, gay or not, and it's shocking because Season 3 already handled Robin's queerness and coming out to Steve so well. Netflix isn't afraid of gay stories, especially with teens, as seen in shows such as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Voltron: Legendary Defender (despite that arc's issue), The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and even Atypical. So one has to wonder why Will is being handled this way, with such a reluctance to affirm who he is.
The Duffers believe in progressive storytelling and the streaming service has always been about diversity. In fact, Stranger Things always touts itself as an inclusive show with the kids being the rejects, so addressing this other facet of "the other" should be straightforward. Some theories even surfaced suggesting Will being trapped in the Upside Down and then struggling to reconnect with the real world might have been a subtext for him being trapped in the closet and not knowing how to re-establish himself as a gay kid in society.
The series doesn't leave the other characters' sexuality up to the audience so it's odd to see Stranger Things playing so coy on this point. After all, Mike's mom, Nancy, almost slept with Billy, a high school student, so boundaries have been pushed. It just feels unfair for the audiences to have to imagine what Will's orientation is because something so simple shouldn't be molded by us. This is a chance to explore who he is, who he loves and why Will is the way he is. Keeping fans in the dark is basically putting his entire essence in the fridge. It also robs Joyce and his brother, Jonathan, from sharing in the coming-of-age story that could help influence and inspire so many kids afraid to come out to families and peers.
Seriously, teen angst is a hell of a thing and this is a huge real-world arc occurring in many pockets of society. If left to the audience, they could diminish it in their minds. After all, Lucas, Max and even Dustin got their big romantic moments, so why should Will -- the teen who's literally suffered the most mentally and physically -- be robbed of his crowning time in the light. Will's sexuality is something the show has to address, like it or not, because he's a major character being treated like a set prop currently. The more this stalls, the less important he'll feel. While Hawkins and his friends fly by, Will's future in Utah after moving away would be made even more interesting. And no matter what, Will's orientation will be a formative component in the person he's going to becomes as Stranger Things continues.
Stranger Things was created by the Duffer Brothers and stars Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Priah Ferguson, Cary Elwes, Jake Busey and Maya Thurman-Hawke. The first three seasons are currently available on Netflix with a fourth already in the works.