Stranger Things
On November 6, 1983, Will Byers disappeared. Facebook/Stranger Things

Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers in the hit 90s-themed horror/sci-fi TV series “Stranger Things,” recently gave the most-fitting reply to those who have questioned his character Will’s sexual orientation.

A lot of talks have been making the rounds for quite some time especially after the homophobic slurs the bullies in the show showered on Will. It even seemed a bit awkward because of the weird way of coding a character.

Will’s sexual identity has not been explored in the series yet and Schnapp wants to keep it that way. He even thanked Duffer Brothers for keeping the audience thinking and not giving answers directly.

“Does being sensitive, or a loner, or a teenager who likes photography, or a girl with red hair and big glasses, make you gay? I'm only 12 but I do know we all relate to being different. And that's why I think the Duffers wrote the show the way they did. So you can ask all these questions. I hope the real answer never comes out!” Schnapp wrote on Instagram.

So I thought it would be time to jump into the conversation. I've been reading stuff for a while. I think everyone here is missing the point. An author called Gary Schmidt came to speak at our school this week and he said that good stories aren't supposed to leave you with answers because then you never question yourself and you forget about it. A good book, or a good show leaves a lot of unanswered questions but makes you think. Which is what you are all doing. For me, Will being gay or not is besides the point. Stranger Things is a show about a bunch of kids who are outsiders and find each other because they have been bullied in some way or are different. Does being sensitive, or a loner, or a teenager who likes photography, or a girl with red hair and big glasses, make you gay? I'm only 12 but I do know we all relate to being different. And that's why I think the Duffers wrote the show the way they did. So you can ask all these questions. I hope the real answer never comes out! #dufferbrothers ❤ ️ ❤ ️

A photo posted by _ Noah Schnapp _ (@noahschnapp) on

Schnapp's answer is both pragmatic and thoughtful that clearly indicated his character should not be stereotyped in any manner into a sexual orientation. He urged his fans, critics and members of the LGBT community to interpret the situation themselves, reports Gizmodo.

Will in the show is still a child and it is obnoxious to confine the character into any sexual stereotype whatsoever. Will is sensitive and he is subject to homophobic slurs from bullies. But bullies call a lot of things and that should not be taken as any indication of the receiver’s sexuality.

As per Entertainment Weekly, in July, Daniel Reynolds, who writes for The Advocate, published a long essay that discussed how people like Will and Barb are treated as queer characters in American culture and how they are looked at as outsiders, dragged into the Upside Down (metaphor for closet) and left to die.

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