This '13 Reasons Why' Star Has a Message For Queer Youth

Actor Tommy Dorfman never wanted to play a gay character, “For a long time I felt like, ‘I don’t ever want to play gay characters, no one’s gonna know I’m gay.’” His ‘13 Reasons Why’ character Ryan Shaver is out and proud but doesn’t fall into cliché LGBTQ+ stereotypes. “What I love about our show is we have gay characters, and it’s not a coming out story necessarily,” says Dorfman, “Ryan is so comfortable as a high schooler. I was inspired by that when I read the script because I felt so uncomfortable in high school, even though I was out…” Tommy doesn’t regret being an ‘out’ actor, but the 25-year-old is aware of his privilege, understanding that LGBTQ people from his generation inherited rights that so many before them had to fight for. Tommy also has a message for queer youth: “For young gay people who are either struggling with their sexuality, or out and open about it and seeing conflict because of it, keep pressing on because we need you. We need you to grow up and be successful, amazing adults in this country.”
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This '13 Reasons Why' Star Has a Message For Queer Youth
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