This petition was created in response to the widespread homophobia and harmful hate speech that circulated online following Stranger Things episode “The Bridge.” In the episode, Will, a gay teenager living in the 1980s, comes out to a group of people while fearing for his safety from Vecna, his abuser.

Now that the series has concluded, it is clear that Stranger Things repeatedly builds queer storylines only to abandon them, engaging in a long-running pattern of queerbaiting. Will’s arc centers on longing for love and belonging, yet ends without meaningful closure, offering only a brief and unconfirmed moment after seasons of isolation. His coming out is awkwardly tied to the supernatural plot and places the emotional burden on Will to reassure others while he is visibly distressed. Robin and Vickie receive similar treatment. Their relationship appears briefly, serves other characters’ narratives, and then disappears without explanation, despite the season repeatedly promising that kind of love story. These choices function less as incomplete storytelling and more as deliberate teasing of queer representation without commitment, directly contradicting the show’s self-image as a story for outcasts, particularly when considered alongside its ongoing issues with race and gender representation.

Criticism of this is not rooted in homophobia. It comes from deep concern that the writing fails to reflect an authentic or respectful understanding of queer experiences. Many viewers feel that a show long described as a safe space for outsiders relied on queer pain and longing for emotional weight while refusing to fully honor those stories.

In the days following the episode’s release, and now the show's end, online reactions escalated far beyond critique of the writing. Harmful content emerged, including AI-generated videos mocking queer people, comments that sexualize minors, and deeply disturbing remarks about childhood sexual abuse. These responses are offensive, damaging, and unacceptable.

The creators of the show, including the Duffer Brothers and other key decision-makers, have a responsibility to their audience to address both the hateful backlash and the ways the writing itself may have enabled it. We are calling on them to publicly condemn the homophobic responses, acknowledge the harm caused to queer viewers, and take accountability for the narrative choices that went unchallenged.

Use your voice to demand accountability from the creators and decision-makers who enabled this harm, and insist on a public statement addressing both the writing decisions and the hateful backlash that followed.