But it's just wonderful that LGBTQ+ people can hop on a streaming service and find a show with positive queer representation to bring us some joy. We definitely need more, sure, and there's certainly a long way to go with more under-represented experiences such as trans characters and intersectional queer characters. Even if it came out tomorrow, the Heartstopper TV show would be just one of many shows that exist nowadays that feature LGBTQ+ lead characters and joyful storylines. What does it mean to you to be a part of this movement? It's an honor. It's wild that we're just now getting to see LGBTQ+ characters lead films and television shows in ways that don't end in some big tragedy.

I am incredibly excited about that and I hope the readers are too. The original comics will always be the original canon story, of course, but the TV show has so many new things to offer to the Heartstopper world. Getting to spread the story out over eight episodes has given me the space to add various things into the story and develop certain ideas and plot strands and relationships that there simply wasn't room for in the comics. There have been so many parts of the writing process and the production process that I've loved, but I've especially enjoyed getting to expand the world of Heartstopper.

Because aro and ace people go through that journey too!Ĭan you tease anything about the show? I feel incredibly fortunate to have been allowed to adapt my own work for the screen! I've learned so much about screenwriting over the past couple of years, and I'm so lucky to be working with some amazing people at See-Saw who've been helping me along that journey. I wanted to read a story that explored all the uncertainty, confusion, internalized phobias, and path to self-acceptance that I've read lots about in gay coming out stories, but never had with an aro or ace protagonist. I wanted to write a story about being ace and aro in the form of a 'coming out novel' - a style of novel in which the protagonist realizes that they are queer or trans and comes out during the course of the novel - because I hadn't been able to find a book about being aro/ace that followed that format. What does it mean to you personally to write this story about asexuality? Asexuality and aromanticism are very under-represented identities in the media, and there is a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about them out there. Honestly, I just enjoy writing about LGBTQ+ characters! Why is it important to you to create stories like Loveless, specifically highlighting LGBTQ+ folks? As a queer person myself, my works always feature LGBTQ+ love stories, whether that's LGBTQ+ romance or friendship.

Loveless alice oseman summary