Euphoria Is Breaking the Rules of the Queer Teen Love Story (original) (raw)

Warning: Spoilers for the first five episodes of Euphoria below.

As HBO’s first ostensible “teen” “drama,” Euphoria is already many things that it “shouldn’t” be: An unsparing depiction of severe drug addiction, a portrait of unspeakable violence, and (infamously) the record-holder for most visible penises shown in a single scene on TV. (For what it’s worth, the show is also a brilliant font of advice on taking the perfect dick pic). But even as its scandals have caused many to wonder exactly who Euphoria thinks its target audience is, it’s fair to say that the show does offer some real, raw insight into what it means to be a teenager in 2019, especially in an age when gender and sexuality labels mean less than ever before.

A 2017 study found that members of Generation Z (those born between 1995 and 2015) are less likely to identify as “straight” than any other generation before them. Over a third of digital natives self-identify under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, compared to a fourth of Millennials. In fact, less than half of Gen-Z youth identity as “completely heterosexual.” Appropriately, the wildly precocious high-schoolers in Euphoria are sexually open, adventurous, and fluid. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the budding relationship between the show’s central protagonist, Rue (Zendaya), and her best friend-cum-lover, Jules (Hunter Schaefer).

Zendaya as Rue in 'Euphoria'HBO

That’s not to imply that these two are “relationship goals” or anything like that. Both women have spent the first half of the show battling various demons: As a semi-recovering drug addict, Rue’s attraction to Jules borders on obsession, clearly functioning as an outlet to distract her from her addictive urges. (Rue only decides to take her recovery process seriously when Jules insists that she does.) As a young trans girl in a suburban town, Jules turns to potentially dangerous (and definitely illegal) motel encounters with older men met on a Scruff-like dating app to find romantic partners, which understandably worries Rue. Then there’s the possible power imbalance: Though Rue’s crush on Jules was established early on, Jules didn’t appear to return the advances until after she found out that a boy she had been talking to online wasn’t actually who he said he was.

But their relationship’s problems don’t prevent them from taking the plunge anyway. Their romance grows gradually, almost by accident; and when they do decide to see where it takes them, neither seems to think twice about the implications of its queerness. Even those around them treat it with noticeable nonchalance: At one point, Rue’s younger sister plainly tells Rue’s former best friend that she thinks Rue is in love with Jules. When Rue’s mom and Jules’ dad begin to pick up on the more-than-friends vibes that exist between them, neither asks any invasive questions. Both parents simply express their interest in meeting their daughter’s partner.

The show is similarly relaxed about their courtship. In the series’ pilot, Rue instantly sees a kindred spirit in Jules after watching her hold her own against a threatening jock. They conclude their meet-cute by getting high on obscure psychedelics in Jules’ bedroom later that night. By the second episode, Rue’s crush is made clear. She awkwardly asks Jules to come over for dinner, because “my mom is, like, asking and stuff,” before self-deprecatingly calling herself a “loser” after Jules teases her in turn: “Are you talking to your mama about me?”

Hunter Schafer as Jules in 'Euphoria'HBO

Things really pick up in the third episode when Jules starts talking to her internet mystery boy, Shyguy118. Rue plays at being the supportive best friend, but it’s clear that her crush gets the best of her. Jules asks Rue to help her take some naughty photos for him, and Jules asks her whether or not the resulting images are “hot enough that you’d want to fuck me,” which obviously strikes a nerve. Later, after a minor fight about her concern for Jules’ safety, Rue struggles with the proper way to say “I love you” in an apology text. When they eventually make up, Rue tries to lean in for a kiss, but Jules rejects her.

When the two finally share a consensual kiss in the final moments of the following episode, it feels deservedly climactic. The show’s inventive cinematography and trippy editing (two of its best features) help transform the moment into something larger-than-life, as if Rue and Jules have been each other’s one true pairing since the beginning of time. And there’s no denying that they both care for each other more than anything — so why not, right?

It’s a beautiful depiction of young queer love, one that refreshingly sidesteps the need to slap a label on two people exploring a mutual attraction.

Halfway through last Sunday’s episode of Euphoria, Rue opens up about her feelings for Jules to Ali, her unofficial Narcotics Anonymous sponsor. In response, Ali spares no words, warning her to never lose sight of the fact that “nothing in high school lasts forever.” Of course, he’s worried about how Rue’s relationship might impact her recovery. But Rue, indignant as ever, just quotes their past conversations about moving and living together after high school. Judging by the trajectory the show seems to be taking — and by previews of next week’s episode — I wouldn’t be surprised if “Rules” (their couple name) doesn’t last. But the ease in which they were able to slide into a romantic relationship in the first place still signals a change in how we’re all beginning to think about sexuality.

Many have accused Euphoria of using shock value as a crutch to illustrate modern teen life. Others have praised it for its refusal to ignore and gloss over the darker aspects of growing up in a digitally connected age. Though its characters’ constant drug use, risky sex, and drinking can sometimes feel gratuitous, its portrayal of the openness of young love hits the mark perfectly.

What would it look like to live in a world unbound by predetermined notions of what’s “acceptable” romance? Euphoria offers this as an answer — a place where people fall in love with those who make them feel safe, comfortable, and cared for, regardless of gender.

Euphoria airs on HBO every Sunday at 10:00pm.

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