We’re tearing up over these kids reacting to gay animation In A Heartbeat

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

A bunch of kids have reacted to the gay animation film In a Heartbeat and we’re weeping tears of joy.

The animated short film was released earlier this year and now it’s been featured on the long-running YouTube segment, kids react.

The utterly adorable animation, created by Beth David and Esteban Bravo, tells the story of a shy boy whose heart pops out of his chest, and eventually outs him.

The moving four-minute film was first revealed earlier this year in a brilliant trailer.

Sherwin’s heart chases Jason across the school campus, before finally catching the boy in the school hallway.

His heart is then broken as other school kids watch on and judge him.

The film has been celebrated online for its exploration of love, heartbreak and self-acceptance.

In a Heartbeat Animated Short Film
(In a Heartbeat Animated Short Film/YouTube)

As the kids watch the story they begin to realise that it is about two boys in love.

“It’s not that their best dudes, it’s more than that!” said one child. “It’s basically love.”

When the kids were asked about whether they thought the animation was appropriate for kids, the most of them had perfect responses.


“It’s really nice to see cartoons like that, and I want them to make more so they can know it’s okay to be gay or lesbian because that’s fine,” said one.

“Boys can like boys, girls can like girls. We just wanna be ourselves. It doesn’t matter what people tell you what to be. You can be whatever you want,” another explained.

However, one girl was less than sure about the animation.

“I want to see the normal kind of relationship, not the other kind of relationship. Some people, like me, don’t really understand,” she explained.

When questioned further she seemed pretty indifferent about the film.

In a Heartbeat Animated Short Film
(In a Heartbeat Animated Short Film/YouTube)

Another child said that they were “bothered” by “people who are still like very close minded”.

“It’s really nice to see more cartoons like that so that people know it’s ok to be gay or lesbian,” a different person added. “It’s the same thing as boyfriend and girlfriend but just two genders.”

One girl summed the film up perfectly: “It’s a good step forward for humanity”.