Alice Oseman & the Importance of Representation

Reading the books of Alice Oseman (queer YA author) can help so much with understanding the important of representation. Here's why.
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[@MrSnail-ih1rk]

Alice Oseman's books have changed my life in so many ways because I had never seen myself represented in a book. I'm demisexual and non binary so when I read radio silence and loveless I was so happy to read a book about a sexuality i identify with. I also love how it explains the sexualities and genders too. Theres something safe about her books I just love them so much. I also think Sunil is an amazing character and says things that arent talked about how you can be gay yet still be a bigot and how you shouldn't be so harsh on yourself because of who you are or how you identify. She helps you to understand yourself yet educates others to understand you.

[@ilikecheesecake5682]

There is one kind of representation I love above all others: Casual One of my FAVOURITE things in this world, is to read a book with no mentioned rep in the blurb, title, cover, reviews etc, and find out that one of the main characters is gay, nb, trans, poc, disabled, adopted, has lgbt parents etc. this feels so good to me, because in the real world, most people have bigger problems of their own, than whether someone else is any of these things. It gives me so much serotonin, I don’t think you understand.

[@femboy-jt7lr]

Alice’s books are one of the few things that make me feel loved. I remember that scene in Heartstopper, when Charlie corrects Nick before saying Elles dead name. And then Nick just walked up to Elle with zero questions. I cried for a really long time. It was so nice to see someone do that. Alice’s books saved my life, literally. When Heartstopper is over, I’m buying all of the volumes including radio silence, loveless, I was born of this and solitaire. Then I’m bingeing the Netflix adoption😌👊

[@WillowTalksBooks]

God, that is so wonderful to hear. I'm so glad that her books have spoken to you in such a profound way. Stories and art made by other people really can save lives and I'm so glad you have the stories of Alice Oseman.

[@antoniamcgregor3285]

You are absolutely right!!! 👏👏👌and it means so much to me as someone who suffers from a condition called pcos (polycystic ovarian syndrome) I'd love someone to represent me in media but as long as it was done accurately and realistic my condition is rarely depicted and that's why I'm writing a novel at the moment which has a female protagonist with the condition ❤️🤗

[@thaisvasconcellos3528]

There's a book called If Only by Melanie Murphy where the main character has pcos! I'd recommend looking it up to see if it interests you.

[@antoniamcgregor3285]

@@thaisvasconcellos3528 I had no idea about that thank you very much 😊 can you get it from waterstones, or order it from there?

[@thaisvasconcellos3528]

@@antoniamcgregor3285 I think you can order it from Waterstones, but I'm not british so I'm not sure

[@RickMacDonnell]

Firstly, I’m loving this journey you’re on and that you’re willing to share as much as you have. I’m here for whatever version of yourself you discover, Will, because the world needs more of whatever you are. Secondly, I might as well start a Will Heath book club because I want to read every damn book you talk about. Adding this to the pile! (Aromanticism fascinates me, in that I don’t really understand it. Happy to dive in and learn more.) Thanks for another great video. Loooooooved this.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

You are my guardian angel.

[@somebody_else8243]

KZbin curiously recommended your video for me right after I finished reading loveless, and I don't think that I will ever be able to thank Alice oseman enough, I can't count how many times i was crying and laughing while seeing Georgia and also being able to see myself in her... For the first time in my life I felt represented and it was SO GOOD, I can't stop talking about this book (Sorry for any mistakes, not my first language)

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Just more proof of why we need representation in media for all genders and sexualities 💜

[@celestialflights]

i really enjoyed this video! heartstopper was also the first thing i read by alice oseman, and then i read her other books and she has become my favourite author! i fully agree with everything you've said, and alice's books have helped me figure myself out too. i'm asexual, and reading georgia's journey to figure out her sexuality resonated with me so much. also (which it's not about sexuality) the scene in heartstopper where charlie says that he doesn't have to forgive everyone who hurt him was the first time i had really considered that, as someone who has been bullied in the past, and it helped me to finally heal. i would just like to add that, to my recollection, sunil is actually homoromantic asexual, not aromantic asexual, but that's just a tiny thing i noticed :) this is an excellent video, and i'll definitely give some of your other videos a watch!

[@larrythoren9683]

Thank you. What I crave, especially at this time in my life, is forthright discussion .

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Discussion and representation saves lives.

[@narmalek5389]

Great video! I hope Oseman's books and other novels like these helps pave the way to normalize diversity and casual representation in other media.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

God, I really hope so too.

[@mooonblooom]

I just finished reading Loveless two days ago, finally concluding my Alice Oseman binge, and I LOVED it. I'm not ace, but I am aromantic, and I have only recently come to terms and become confident about it. It's still weird and confusing to navigate, especially since I'm not 100% aro and not 100% allo (greyromantic, specifically!), but this book made me feel so seen. I related to Georgia so much, and it felt so amazing to know that other people feel the same as me. It makes me feel less alone ♡

[@mooonblooom]

I was about to comment that I absolutely relate to your potentially-nonbinary confusion, and then I looked at your profile and realized that you came out as trans!! Wow, congrats on finding out who you are! This is actually so heartwarming, even though this is the first video I've ever seen of you. 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@eenainwonderland]

I finished reading/listening to Loveless earlier and was looking for an Alice Oseman interview about the book and your video was the next one recommended and I’m so glad to watch this one! It’s like you put words to all my thoughts that I’m still processing. I also can’t connect to a bunch of YA novels lately even though I was addicted to a lot of them just 10 years ago, but yeah, now this one was such a game changer and I cannot wait to read more of her books! Alice Oseman is just soooooo good. I told my partner that Loveless is indeed one of those books that I wish I had when I was in uni

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I wish I'd read it at uni as well! It would've been invaluable to so many of us.

[@kailawkamo1568]

I'm aromantic grey-asexual. Alice Oseman's books are life savers 😭

[@WillowTalksBooks]

That is so wonderful to hear. Representation saves lives 💜

[@ameliareads589]

Do I really have to mention that this is a great video? It so obviously is. And btw I would wish that more men I know would wear nail polish. Usually I have similar conversations to the one you had about gay men, who shouldn't be too flamboyant, when I tell people that I like men (or any gender), who are wearing nail polish.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Thank yooouu! I do not know who I am without nail polish. While I don't like the feeling of makeup on my face, I love to be as colourful as possible and wearing nail polish feels like getting my fingertips tattooed. I love it so very much.

[@angelaholmes8888]

I really enjoyed loveless it's the first book by alice that i have so far read i need to read her other books

[@r.i.t.i.k.a]

Yes representation is very important. I reason I say this is because I think I'm asexual. And the only reason I only "think" so is because I don't have anything to compare myself too. If I compare myself to allosexuals then I'm just broken and weird and I have a disability or something. But when I compare myself to fellow asexuals then I'm fine. But the problem is that I don't see any fair amount of asexuals. I'm 19.. I went 6-7 years believing that something is wrong with me because I didn't even know that asexuality is a thing. I pushed myself into uncomfortable situations in order to be "normal". And now when I know in my deep core that I am I'm having a hard time accepting it.

[@theo-tv4pi]

now i’m just waiting for a canon disabled character

[@mooonblooom]

season 2 of Heartstopper on Netflix had a disabled side character, but they were only in a handful of scenes