Writing Fantasy with Homosexual overtones

[orionsixwings]

Is it taboo? Young Adults are old enough to understand this, right? Or would it be wrong to write stories that feature these relationships?

Just wondered, because I love the way Pullman wrote Balthamos and Baruch, and have in fact, written numerous stories with the same tone --- male / male love, but not necessary sexual in nature, and it's fantasy --- dark fantasy.

Is it acceptable now? Or will my work be classified adult material?

 

[nixie]

One of the characters in Holly Black's Tithe a modern Faerie Tale was homosexual,and that is a YA book

 

[Jeremy]

I don't think it's taboo, and I think it will be classified as YA as long as the protagonists are adolescents. I just don't think books with overt homosexual overtones will sell very well, since the vast majority of population is not homosexual, and parents are unlikely to buy such books for their children. Also, I think female homosexuality is more accepted in our society than male homosexuality. Actually, I can't remember reading any YA book with homosexual overtones. Maybe Ender? Card would be furious if he reads this.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

I think the Fantasy genre as a whole is laced with homosexual overtones. Male love - comradeship - sacrifice. I guess it is simply how the relationship is handled. Sam and Frodo's relationship is steeped in male love, only the convenient entry of Rosie at the last dispells this.

 

[Jeremy]

I have a feeling that Sam will think about Frodo until the day he dies, even with Rosie and the kids around.

 

[Alia]

I think the Fantasy genre as a whole is laced with homosexual overtones. Male love - comradeship - sacrifice. I guess it is simply how the relationship is handled. Sam and Frodo's relationship is steeped in male love, only the convenient entry of Rosie at the last dispells this.

When I first read The Lord of the Rings, I strongly believed this... Rosie was the only thing that kept me from thinking that it might not be a homosexual relationship.

As far as Y A with homosexuality goes...

Before it was very taboo, but now more and more authors are pushing it the the limits Which fits the how our society is more accepting of the issue, or at least more open about it.

Bloom is an author who seems to be testing the limits on this subject too.

 

[Prefx]

I would say the young adult market is moving forward with what it allows. Up until a few years ago, having main characters die was considered taboo. Of course, today, I would say writings that have homosexual themes would be more for older teens, and even then, it couldn't bog down the book. From the teens I know, about half wouldn't mind reading such a book, and the other half would.

Personally, I don't get what all the hub-ub(?) is about. Is killing not a sin? Is killing not gross? These aren't my opinions, just pondering.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

I think that homosexuality is not taboo at all. What you need to ask yourself is whether anybody would be interested in this. Can't quite imagine many hetrosexuals being that interested in this to be honest. You have been watching too many cowboy films mate.

'Why won't you quit me?'​

 

[the_faery_queen]

i think a slong as you avoid being too graphic, it should be ok. people may protest, but they protest about potter, and that didn't damage her sales. in fact, people protesting might even be good for sales!

i think that it should be relevant to the characters. i don't like people writing gay characters just for the sake of it, as long as it seems natural and realistic then all is good. my own hero is gay, but then my novel isn't young adult, but i don't think that having a young adult novel with gay characters would put anyone off. most young adults make thier own choices with books and it doesn't come down to the parents choices and i am someone who believes in treating kids and young adults like people, not patronising them. so as long as the gay characters are relevant and realistic (not put in to sell copies, not conforming to some steroyped view) then why not

 

[Lacedaemonian]

I envisage some kind of Big Brother Fantastical horror show.

'Are you a gay?'
'Indeed I am brother.'
'Tis unnatural I will kill you.'
'Put down your sword brother, I am not a fighter I am a lover...'

 

[Brian G Turner]

I would think of homosexuality less as a taboo subject, as much as a target market issue - I think inclusion of homosexual themes in most literary genres isn't going to cause problems, so long as it's a smaller part of a larger whole.

But if homosexuality becomes the overwhelming issue of the story,
then it may well be viewed by publishers as outside of its traditional niche genre and instead part of the erotic fiction genre instead.

2c.

 

[cornelius]

if it goes beyond the ( often pink) stereotypes, than It can be good. It shouldn't be just another marketing trick. and making fantasy into an erotic (gay) story... I don't think it adds anything of value

I go with Brian, here's my Two Cents

 

[Alia]

I think the value, cornelius, the author adds to their story by including homosexual themes is variety and acceptance. Including such diversity doesn't mean the story is an erotic story, those stories are not tended for Young adults at all. But rather, they merely suggest that this might be the situation and the way these characters live.

It makes me wonder if there has yet been a story where there was nothing but homosexuality and heterosexuality was taboo? Just a thought...

 

[cornelius]

I think the value, cornelius, the author adds to their story by including homosexual themes is variety and acceptance. Including such diversity doesn't mean the story is an erotic story, those stories are not tended for Young adults at all. But rather, they merely suggest that this might be the situation and the way these characters live.

It makes me wonder if there has yet been a story where there was nothing but homosexuality and heterosexuality was taboo? Just a thought...

well I was suggesting there was only erotic contence, nothing more, for instance when an autor only adds the homosexuality for the intercouse
Variety and Acceptance are indeed of great value

 

[Lacedaemonian]

All human beings yearn for acceptance on some level, even if it is just to be accepted as being different. The Japanese have been covering homosexual topics in Samurai films and novels for years, perhaps you should look here for inspiration. I am not sure the YA Fantasy genre has a need for homosexual heroes, not sure the kids would feel comfortable with this. The fantasy genre is about escapism not about accepting a real and dull adult issue.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

There are homosexual characters in Mercedes Lackey's Herald Mage books. It's been a long time since I read them, but I remember those books as being otherwise aimed at teenage readers (young protagonists, plenty of horses, etc.). And Marion Zimmer Bradley had so many homosexual and bisexual characters in the Darkover books, it would strain my brain to try to make a list of them all.

Diane Duane, Anne McCaffrey, and Jane Yolen have also written about gay, lesbian, or bisexual characters -- three authors who have a considerable following among young readers.

I really think this is a non-issue; these books have been around for quite some time, and they're all by popular authors.

 

[the_faery_queen]

i wasn't aware last herald mage was particularly aimed at youngsters tho. most people i know who read them are grownups! i always thought of them as just rather cross generation reading. *shrug*

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Cross-generation reading qualifies as YA for me, particularly when the first books in the series are heavy on the adolescent wish-fulfillment.

(Most of the adult readers I know read YA and children's books all the time, so I wouldn't use that as a guide for what age a series was aimed at and who else that I don't know is reading it.)