Watching a kids’ movie about self-acceptance reduced Will Hopkins to a blubbering mess. But Herschel’s reaction made him feel safe and free from judgment

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In 2020, I was living in Sydney, working in real estate, attempting to finish my law degree on the side and struggling to juggle full-time work, full-time study and, admittedly, full-time partying. For a while I had been contemplating moving home to Brisbane to escape the chaos of Sydney but, at that time, chaos and I were old friends, and it was a friendship I thought would prevail my whole life.

I met Herschel on 20 December 2020 at about 10pm. I remember it well as it was also the day that a once firmly held belief of mine was shattered into oblivion.