Imogen’s story in Heartstopper season 3 reflects the quest for identity beyond heteronormativity

Heartstopper Season 3 grows deeper themes into identity and self-discovery, and no one character embodies this quest better than Imogen Heaney. As entertaining as Heartstopper has always been in celebration of queer experiences, Imogen's subtle, yet significant, arc in the latest series has captured fans who believe she is experiencing her brand of sapphic awakening.

Her story speaks to the effects of compulsory heterose*uality, which is a term referring to societal pressure on women to accept heteroses*ual norms. So they can live according to societal expectations and efforts that often come at their own expense. As seen so far in the series, Imogen's relationships with boys have always felt staged, like she is performing, not exploring any true attraction.

Heartstopper Season 3 may be the season in which she will finally see the show. That glance she shares with Sahar, lit up by lesbian flag-colored lighting during prom, has fans eagerly waiting for a possible romantic revelation that will redefine her journey in the series.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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Is Imogen breaking free from compulsory heterose*uality in Heartstopper Season 3?

Imogen in Heartstopper Season 3(Image via Netflix)

Throughout Season 3, Imogen's relationships with male characters repeat problems faced by many queer women upon encountering the compulsion of heterose*uality. Rather than being drawn to someone, Imogen says that she has known these boys for so long or hangs out with them that often, much as she did in her earlier seasons when she was with Nick and Ben.

She even discovers more about her actual desires through her relationship with Sahar. With this past as being childhood friends and the loving glance Imogen gives Sahar in the season finale, it is presumed that these two are likely to potentially be indulging in romantic activities.

If Imogen is indeed on a route to sapphic awakening, that will make it all the more similar to the passage many women undergo, in which they are socialized to hide their attractions to other women and toward heterose*ual norms.

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How does Imogen’s femme identity complicate her realization?

Imogen in Heartstopper Season 3(Image via Netflix)

This conventional feminine look that Imogen carries gives her potential queer awakening many more layers because femme queer women often face problems being visible and accepted by straight and queer communities alike. To society, femininity forms the very basis of heterose*uality; hence it becomes difficult for a woman like Imogen to be aware of the queerness in herself.

For most femmes, a lack of visible characteristics that are in line with stereotypical images of queer women—like short hair or more masculine clothing—can delay the realization of their own identity. Perhaps Imogen's hyper-femininity has something to do with the fact that she hasn't, until now anyway, recognized herself as queer in the same way that others have overlooked her queerness.

Sahar, in being so overtly queer, is like a potential mirror for Imogen, through which Imogen can imagine and revise her own identity. Hopefully, Season 3 provides enough time for her to explore that, seeing as queer women, femme especially, often live outside the possibilities of traditional stereotypes.

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What could Imogen’s awakening mean for queer representation in media?

Imogen in Heartstopper Season 3(Image via Netflix)

If Heartstopper does pursue Imogen's journey to self, it might mark a crucial moment for queer femmes in mainstream media. Fans and media experts alike have noticed the acute lack of queer women who do not fit into those more archetypal LGBTQ+ characters on screen.

For the sake of breaking new ground, Imogen's arc will probably show that queerness and femininity aren't enemies of each other and will bring much-needed visibility to femme queer women.

Furthermore, Imogen's romance with Sahar could blow the "best friends to lovers" trope wide open for queer females; she would offer a storyline that comes alive with audiences who have felt such awakenings. Her odyssey would be a strong reminder that discovery of identity is often complicated, by learning what they are not by embracing who they authentically are.

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Heartstopper Season 3 is currently streaming on Netflix.