by Katherine Winton (’25)

“Pieces on Pride” is a discussion regarding various pieces of young adult media. For each issue, this column will focus on the positive and negative aspects of the piece of media, as well as the impact of such media.

Pieces on Pride: “The Ellen Show” and what it means to advocate for human rights

by Katherine Winton (’25) | March 22, 2024 I remember watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show growing up and thinking that she was a hilarious host. It wasn’t until I was older that I began to grow uncomfortable with some of her jokes, not to mention the treatment of her guests. The beloved comedian who had…

Pieces on Pride: lackluster detail in “Heartstopper, Volume 5”

by Katherine Winton (’25) | March 1, 2024 Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper, Volume 5 is the fifth and penultimate installment in the graphic novel series that has taken the Internet by storm over the past few years, especially after its television adaptation was released on Netflix in 2022. The comic was released this past December and…

Pieces on Pride: allyship in “You Need to Calm Down”

by Katherine Winton (’25) | February 2, 2024 Released in June 2019, Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” was the second single she released off of her album Lover. The song debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of its release. Although arguably not as well-received or…

Pieces on Pride: coming out in “Happiest Season”

by Katherine Winton (’25) | November 17, 2023 Happiest Season, a Christmas movie released in 2020, focuses on the difficulties of coming out and feeling welcome as an LGBTQ+ individual in a strict, upper-class social sphere. The movie, which has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, was written and directed by Clea DuVall, who is…

Pieces on Pride: representation in “Imogen, Obviously”

by Katherine Winton (’25) | October 6, 2023 Published in May 2023, Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli follows Imogen Scott, a teenager about to enter college, as she grapples with her sexuality. With a 4.33 star rating and 9555 ratings on Goodreads, the book has been well-received since its publication. When I read it, I…