by Sydney King ’26 on February 26, 2026
A&E - Film & TV
On June 24, 2015, pop artist and former Disney star Hayley Kiyoko released a music video for her single “Girls Like Girls.”The video gained traction due to its strong narrative-style of portraying the song’s meaning with distinct characters and a plot. Released the same year that gay marriage became legalized nationwide in the United States marked the single as an integral part of growing up as queer for adolescents. After a book release in 2023 that expanded on the music video’s premise and followed the same characters, talks of a feature film began.
On Feb. 10, the full trailer for the film, set to come out June 19, dropped, and its reception has been quite heartfelt. Many young queer people have begun a trend of posting themselves when the music video was released in 2015, and comparing it to them now, the year the film is coming out. Fans who have grown up with this story are excitedly anticipating the release and upcoming press because of how impressive the trailer is. Using a new piano rendition of the song, the trailer uses a warm filter over shots of lake swims, sunset horizons, and late-night outings with the character friend group to cultivate a comforting and joyful vibe, despite the audience knowing the challenges that the main characters, Coley and Sonya, face. In the time we currently live in, with a presidential administration that is adamant on restricting liberties and threatening minority groups, this film being released at all sends a hopeful message to queer adolescents. For those who were older when the music video was released, the nostalgia that the film offers serves as a reminder that we may be able to get back to where we once were in terms of social justice progression. Regardless of what generation viewers are in, “Girls Like Girls”becomes a piece of art that is timeless in its message and target audience.