In Chicago Med Season 10, Episode 16, “Poster Child,” Dr. Charles (Oliver Platt) and Dr. Frost (Darren Barnet) treat a young boy who presents symptoms of self-harm.
The duo works together to determine what could be the underlying cause of Liam Russell’s (Wesley Holloway) eating disorder.
They discover that Liam has just started to understand his sexuality, which hasn’t been easy since his parents are not the most supportive.
The episode doesn’t take the obvious but very real route of explicit physical and mental abuse that many queer children experience when they start understanding themselves.
Homophobia takes many faces, and in Liam’s case, it’s masked as care and love by his parents, especially his mom Jessica (Adelind Horan), who refuse to accept that he’s attracted to boys.
Jessica: You knew something was wrong, and you were trying to fix it, and we’re gonna get you the help you need.
They convince him that he can get better if he uses the right techniques (conversion therapy). As a result, he develops bulimia, and that lands him in the hospital.
What’s particularly sinister about Liam’s case is that this abuse could have gone on forever without anyone noticing, and by the time he learns he was abused, the damage would have been done.
Having doctors like John Frost, who believes children can advocate for themselves, is a game changer because most doctors would default to the parents’ opinion.
‘Chicago Med’ Showcases the New Face of Homophobia in Season 10, Episode 16
Homophobia is a monster that morphs, grows, learns, and evolves.
Russell’s parents combine several techniques to be able to try and convert their son without looking like the other homophobic people they’ve disagreed with for their practices.
Henry: You know, Jessica and I, we don’t hate anyone. It’s just not a lifestyle we condone.
Chicago Med does something admirable and flips the dynamics in the parents’ relationship. While most media would paint the dad as the abuser, the mom takes the lead, and the dad enables her.
Henry Russell (Adam Aalderks) tries to justify it by regurgitating right-wing talking points about how the existence of gay people has been shoved down their throats.
Henry: Growing up in today’s world, you’re inundated with these images, and you can’t even turn the Olympics on without it being shoved in your face.
Dr. Charles does his thing and, without sounding judgmental, refutes all those points.
While he doesn’t get through the dad immediately, he plants a seed of critical thinking and that saves Russell.
When Henry stands up for his son to protect him from his mother — who loves her son but has a twisted idea of how to show that love — it’s a tearful moment that many gay kids could have used growing up.
Henry: There’s nothing to apologize for. I love you no matter what. There’s nothing to apologize for.
And not just gay kids. Russell’s case demonstrated the need for parents to stand up for their kids.
When they don’t, adults like Dr. Frost are left picking up the pieces well into their adulthood. If only someone had protected Frost from being exploited…
Chicago Med Season 10 airs on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.