Alice Oseman criticizes decision to fine Hungarian bookstore for selling Heartstopper -TGN

A Hungarian bookstore chain has been fined for failing to hide copies of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel Heartstopper. (Aliceoseman.com/Attitude Magazine)

Heart stopper author Alice Oseman has spoken out about a decision to fine a bookstore in Hungary for displaying unpackaged copies of their classic queer YA graphic novel.

Heart stopper became a nightly, strange sensation when the Netflix adaptation dropped last year, with LGBTQ+ youth around the world finally seeing themselves positively on screen.

But even before the success of the TV series, Oseman’s original stories flew off the shelves. Last year, the Daily Mail estimated she was selling around £1 million worth of books a month in the UK alone.

The Heart stopper books follow sweet and sensitive gay student Charlie Spring and his rugby boy love interest Nick Nelson, played by Joe Locke and Kit Connor respectively in the Netflix series. For many queer young people, the stories did what others had yet to do: they told a story about being young, out and queer – with minimal violence and trauma.

Despite the positive impact the novels and series have had on young LGBTQ+ people, Heart stopper remains a bone of contention for some right-wing countries and states.

Last week Hungary’s second largest bookstore chain, Lira Konyv, was fined 12 million forints (about £27,800 or $35,900) for displaying the graphic novel without it being in a sealed package.

Hungary passed a law in 2021 that prohibits making LGBTQ+ content accessible to minors. Bookstores are required to ensure that children’s books with gay or transgender content are placed in a ‘closed package’.

Proponents of the bill viewed the move as “helping combat pedophilia,” though human rights groups denounced it as unfounded anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.

Now Oseman has told her 1.8 million Instagram followers how she feels about the bookstore fine.

“Really sad and angry to hear this is happening. Queer young people deserve to see themselves in literature. Queerness is not inappropriate for children,” she wrote.

“Sending love to all who fight against this and support gay books.”

The author’s statement has already been praised by queer people in Hungary, with one person tweeting, “Alice Oseman posting about what’s happening with queer books in Hungary right now means our voice is finally being heard outside Hungary.”

In a statement to ReutersLira Konyv’s creative director Krisztian Nyary vowed to challenge the fine. “Since this is a resolution on a fine, it cannot be appealed, it can only be attacked – which way our lawyers will judge… we will use all legal means at our disposal,” he said.

Heart stopper is not the first book to be approved in Hungary. In 2021, the Hungarian distribution company will find out about children’s books What a family – a combined translation of Lawrence Schimels On an early morning And Bedtime, no playtime! – was fined £650 ($840) because the book depicts a same-sex couple as parents.

The debate over LGBTQ+ content in books has also made headlines in the US. Earlier this year, the American Library Association (ALA) revealed that the number of attempted book bans in US schools and libraries in 2022 was higher than any year since the organization began keeping a record more than 20 years ago.

This book is gay by British author Juno Dawson and George M Johnson’s All boys are not blue are two of the most banned books in the country. Books on topics such as racism and racial inequality have also been banned en masse in the US.

In March, a Florida school district was banned Heart stopper as well as Oseman’s earlier novel Radio silence.

“Racism, homophobia and transphobia thrive under the guise of ‘caring for children’. This is also not just an American issue,” Oseman warned in response. “We see the exact same ‘concern’ in the UK.”

Earlier this month, London-based children’s museum Young V&A faced criticism for removing Rowan Ellis’ trans-inclusive book, Here and Queer: A Queer Girl’s Guide to Lifefrom the gift shop.