The Heartstopper graphic novels by Alice Oseman, and the accompanying Netflix series, are geared toward young people, but there is something utterly healing about it for adults. Oseman, an asexual English author and illustrator, has crafted a wholesome queer story that can seem almost too good to be true, particularly for queer people used to seeing their lives depicted in traumatic ways in pop culture.
At the heart of every Oseman narrative is an issue that is often solved with basic kindness, caring, or communication, and that’s something that everyone can relate to. And right now Oseman is focused on wrapping up the charming love story of Charlie and Nick and their queer and trans friends. “Figuring out how to end Heartstopper was a huge challenge, especially now that so many people are invested in the story and all have their own opinions about how it should conclude,” they say.
One thing that’s easy for Oseman, though, is articulating their message to the LGBTQ+ community. “It’s more important than ever that we are all standing up for trans rights and trans liberation,” they say. @aliceoseman
