Two Boys Kissing

The kiss itself becomes a symbol, representing different things to the different characters. For Neil and Paul, it represents love’s endurance against all odds. They watch the livestream together, and even take a shot at kissing for a length of time. For Avery, it represents defiantly being yourself in the midst of people telling you that you can’t. He hears the way the people on the radio disparage gay people in response to the kiss, and as a gay and transgender boy, he's spent most of his life hearing such negative comments. For Tariq, it represents bravery. To watch his friends kiss in such a deliberate and public forum reminds him that he shouldn’t be afraid of the people who would do him harm for being queer. For Harry and Craig, themselves, it represents all of those things. They both still care deeply for each other, and Harry participates more because Craig wants to break the record. Craig, likewise, still has romantic feelings for Harry, and wants to be close to him. They both also want to show that boys can kiss and that it shouldn’t be condemned. Craig endures the kiss while being rejected by his family. It’s a challenge both physically and mentally, and the kiss helps so many people. The only highlighted character who doesn’t interact with the kiss in any way is Cooper, who is also the most disconnected character. His lack of interaction with the Big Kiss symbolizes his lack of connection to the world.