What If Love Isn’t As Simple As You Thought? (Ft. XO, kitty)
Kitty Song Covey always believed she had love figured out. After all, she’d played cupid more times than she could count I mean, she was literally the queen of matchmaking and with impressive success. For years, her heart belonged to Dae, her first crush, her first love, the boy she crossed oceans for. Moving to Korea wasn’t just a bold decision it was her love story unfolding, the kind she had dreamed of since she was little. felt like the grand romantic gesture she was destined for. Love, she thought, was supposed to be simple. A spark, a kiss, a happily ever after. Love was easy, right? Boy meets girl. Girl falls for boy. They live happily ever after. But love real love is rarely that tidy.
But what if that wasn’t the whole story?
As Kitty dives into life in Seoul, she discovers that hearts don’t always follow the script. Feelings shift. People change. And the fairy tales we write in our heads sometimes get rewritten by reality. Dae is sweet, familiar, and everything she thought she wanted. So why does her heart flutter in unexpected ways? Why does love to feel more like a question than an answer? Kitty learns that love isn’t always about finding the perfect match it’s about finding yourself, even when your heart is pulling you in more than one direction. That’s the question XO, Kitty dares to ask as Kitty finds herself drawn to someone, she never expected Yuri. And suddenly, everything she thought she knew about herself is flipped upside down. Because maybe love isn’t simple. Maybe it’s messy, brave, and beautifully unpredictable.
The Rollercoaster of Realization
Falling for someone NEW is complicated enough. But when that someone is another GIRLL, and you’ve never thought of yourself as anything other than STRAIGHT, it’s terrifying.
Kitty doesn’t wake up one day and have a big, dramatic realization. No, it’s way messier than that. It starts as curiosity, then confusion, then maybe even denial.
“Okay, so maybe I think YURI is… cool (yes she is!!). But then that doesn’t mean anything, right?”
But the heart doesn’t work that way. It doesn’t care about labels. It just feels.
The moment Kitty finally admits it to herself is PURE and REAL:
“I like Boys. I like Girls. I like… People who don’t make my Love life more complicated than it already is. Which, honestly, is a Pretty Short List.”
And for so many young people watching, that moment hits hard. Because figuring yourself out isn’t always clear-cut. Sometimes it’s messy. Sometimes it’s scary. And sometimes, it takes falling in love with the “wrong” person to realize that maybe, just maybe, they were right for you all along.
What If People Don’t Accept You?
Here’s the thing Kitty’s world is relatively accepting. But that’s not the case everywhere. For a lot of people, being anything other than straight still means dealing with judgment, whispers, or even outright rejection.
She confesses her fears to Q, her openly gay friend:
“I feel like I’m betraying who I used to be. What if people don’t see me the same way?”
His answer is everything:
“You’re not changing, Kitty. You’re just discovering more of yourself. And that’s never a bad thing.”
But in real life, not everyone gets that kind of reassurance. In some parts of the world, being openly LGBTQ+ is still dangerous. Families turn their backs. Schools don’t talk about it. Friends suddenly become distant.
That’s why shows like XO, Kitty matter. They show young people that they’re not alone. That their feelings are valid. That love no matter who it’s for is never something to be ashamed of.
Why XO, Kitty Is a Game-Changer for LGBTQ+ Representation
It’s Real. Kitty’s Bisexuality isn’t some side plot or a phase it’s a journey, full of doubts, realizations, and growth. It Starts Conversations. Whether it’s with friends, family, or even just within yourself, Kitty’s story makes it easier to talk about these things. It Smashes Stereotypes. Bisexuality is often misunderstood in media, reduced to “indecision” or “experimenting.” But Kitty’s feelings are real. Her love is real. And that’s powerful.
The Hard Truth: The World Still Has a Long Way to Go
As much as we’d love to say that the world fully embraces all identities, that’s just not the reality. In many places, LGBTQ+ people still face discrimination, bullying, or worse.
Kitty’s struggle though subtle is something a lot of people can relate to. That fear of coming out. The worry that people will see you differently. The pressure to stay silent just to keep things “NORMAL.”
A particularly emotional moment in the show is when Kitty nervously asks her DAD, “Would you still love me the same if I… wasn’t who you thought I was?”
And his response? The kind of response every “coming out” kid hopes to hear: “You’ll always be my Kitty. Nothing changes that.”
For those who don’t get that same love in real life, seeing it on screen is a reminder that “THEY DESERVE IT”.
So, What’s Next for Queer Representation in YA (young adult) Media?
XO, Kitty proves that audiences are ready for more authentic LGBTQ+ stories. And we need more: more queer protagonists, more diverse experiences, more happy endings. Because queer people deserve love stories just as much as anyone else.
And to those who are still figuring themselves out who feel lost, scared, or unsure just remember you don’t have to have all the answers today. It’s okay to take your time. And no matter what, who you are is valid.
If you’ve ever felt the same way as Kitty, confused, scared, or unsure, you’re not ALONE. Your journey is yours to embrace, and every step matters. Have you ever had a moment of self-discovery that changed the way you see yourself? Share your thoughts, your fears, or even your victories, because your story deserves to be heard.
