Heartstopper creator is looking to continue improving representation in Season 2
In an interview with PinkNews posted on Friday, Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman spoke about what’s coming in the upcoming season of the graphic novel adaptation on Netflix. According to Oseman, the show will be sticking fairly closely to the plot of the graphic novel, but will also use the opportunities of TV to expand on the world and characters.
“Just being able to help someone in some small way on their journey [by representing them in her stories] is a really special thing as a creator and more than I ever could have hoped for,” Oseman told PinkNews. “I’ve always believed that in young adult fiction, we should care about all young people, and as a creative, I’m always trying to be careful about treating my readers with respect and giving representation where I can.”
This focus on representation and authenticity is something that has made Heartstopper such a hit with LGBTQ+ fans. Oseman told PinkNews that her goal with the show is to to feature “a diverse range of queer characters, not just Nick and Charlie, because the series, as well as being a romance, is about queer friendships.”
Oseman identifies as asexual, and told PinkNews that improving representation for asexual people is “really important” to her.
“When it comes to less understood queer identities, such as asexuality, it can be difficult for writers who aren’t those identities to tackle those stories, because they just might not really understand that experience,” she said.
“Hiring writers who share those identities is a good idea. But also not being afraid to give the limelight to those stories that don’t normally get the limelight. I think people often wouldn’t want to make the main character asexual because they might not have a romance storyline, necessarily. And people don’t know how to write stories that don’t have romance.”
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