Initially released by Rachel Reid as a novel, “Heated Rivalry” has taken the world by storm, offering a love story rarely portrayed in mainstream media.
“Heated Rivalry” is helping shift media to provide more LGBTQ+ inclusivity online, where romantic relationships often follow couples in heteronormative relationships.
Hockey, in and of itself, is a very masculinized sport, and “Heated Rivalry” is pushing back against the heteronormative pressures that men often face in sports.
Currently, there are no openly LGBTQ+ men in the NHL and only a small handful of openly LGBTQ+ hockey players in other leagues. Another way “Heated Rivalry” is pushing the boundaries with its storytelling is by straying from the standard “coming-of-age” trope: a story in which characters often grow into adulthood.
“Heated Rivalry,” instead, is focused on two characters who are already “of age” and what life and struggles may look like as they enter adulthood. The story follows Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two hockey players from rival teams who form a relationship despite the complications from their sport and the world’s perception of gay men in sports.
Over six episodes, Shane and Rozanov go from career rivals to secret lovers as they continue to wonder what this relationship means for them, their families, and their careers.
However, like many new ideas that go viral and push back against social norms, “Heated Rivalry” has not been without backlash. One of the main critiques this show has received is its number of sex scenes and its portrayal of intimacy between two men.
Others say that the focus on intimacy is what makes “Heated Rivalry’s” writing so important. It doesn’t steer away from sex scenes or try to hide what Ilya and Shane’s relationship is all about. The two of them spend season one learning how to build a relationship together, even though the environment they live in isn’t very welcoming.
The show portrays the homophobia that professional sports suffer from.
Beyond its portrayal of LGBTQ+ romance, Shane and Ilya have stolen the hearts of millions as “Heated Rivalry” continues to be streamed with more fan content coming out every day.
