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YA novel with slight homo-erotic overtones

Thread starter motormind
Start date Apr 14, 2009

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motormind

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Apr 14, 2009

#1

I am working on a novel in a mundane fantastic setting that I might send off to an agent, if I still like it after some thorough revising. The thing is that emotions between the two female leads run quite high toward the end, to the point where they can be easily construed as romantic tension.

I'd hate to change the story, since the relationship between the two girls is the backbone of most anything that happens. I wonder whether agents would see it as ground to reject it. I am simply curious about this matter, since there may still be lots of other reasons to reject my novel.

Does anyone have any insights about this? Thanks in advance.

RoseColoredSkies

It's a long and winding road

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Apr 14, 2009

#2

I don't see why it would be grounds for outright rejection. Homo-erotic relationships are rather prevelant in today's society. It's a situation that many teens may face as they struggle to come to terms with their feelings. I think if your characters go through struggle in a realistic fashion (even within a fantastical setting) then young adults will be able to relate to it, and so will agents.

Just my $.02

Fade

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Apr 14, 2009

#3

IMO, that's not a problem. I think I pretty much agree with exactly what Rose said.

Llayth

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Apr 14, 2009

#4

Personally, I wouldn't see anything wrong with it. Whether they are lesbians are not, this close friendship they have for one another or love like you say they have seems sweet and possibly a friendship people may relate to. I love seeing strong friendships between characters where they are male/male, female/female, or male/female. If your two female characters have that then, to me, that seems great and I'd love to read about their friendship - overtones or no overtones.

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

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Apr 14, 2009

#5

All my books have major homoerotic overtones.

**looks at avatar**

David Levithan? Alex Sanchez?

it's not a problem.

Zoombie

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Apr 14, 2009

#6

My life is one giant homoerotic overtone.

It'll be fine.

wandergirl

~kirsten hubbard

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Apr 14, 2009

#7

Mine definitely has tension between the female MC and the female antagonist. See: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129474. I would call it undertones, as opposed to overtones, because it's in the subtext -- I'm being true to my MC, who hasn't figured anything out herself. It's up to my readers to interpret the intense attraction the girls have for one another; whether it's just best friend intense, or something more.

Ken

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Apr 14, 2009

#8

... if you want to play it totally safe, make them male and female, instead, and also be sure to make them the same nationality, and ethnicity, and religion, and age, and ....

(In other words, if editors have an issue with the homo-erotic overtones in your work than that is their problem, which is in need of correction.)

tiger-lily

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Apr 14, 2009

#9

Women / Girls are highly emotional by nature. They can be very good friends without it being sexual. It's a YA, not an adult novel. Kids as young as 9 and 10 years old read YA's books. Part of writing for kids and teens is writing responsibly. IF (and that's a big if) a publisher took a chance on it, you will probably face controversy and book banning. The question you have to ask yourself is -Is it worth it?

Shady Lane

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Apr 14, 2009

#10

tiger-lily said:
Women / Girls are highly emotional by nature. They can be very good friends without it being sexual. It's a YA, not an adult novel. Kids as young as 9 and 10 years old read YA's books. Part of writing for kids and teens is writing responsibly. IF (and that's a big if) a publisher took a chance on it, you will probably face controversy and book banning. The question you have to ask yourself is -Is it worth it?

um

what?

YA is for young adults, meaning 14-20 or therabouts. It doesn't matter if a few 9 or 10 year olds read them; the books aren't for them. Am I allowed to complain that middle grade books don't tackle complicated enough themes for me? No. I'm not a middle-grader.

And I take offense to the idea that it's irresponsible to have characters questioning their sexuality in teen fiction. What's irresponsible is teaching them it's not okay to acknowledge these questions, or that no one else is struggling with them.

bethany

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Apr 14, 2009

#11

tiger-lily said:
Women / Girls are highly emotional by nature. They can be very good friends without it being sexual. It's a YA, not an adult novel. Kids as young as 9 and 10 years old read YA's books. Part of writing for kids and teens is writing responsibly. IF (and that's a big if) a publisher took a chance on it, you will probably face controversy and book banning. The question you have to ask yourself is -Is it worth it?

Whoa, what rock have you been hiding under? Part of writing responsibly is showing life how it really is. People are gay. People are bi. People who are not gay or bi sometimes have attractions to people of the same gender. There are lots of YA books with homo-erotic overtones, undertones, themes, characters, issues, etc.

Good luck OP!
ETA cross posted with Shady.

Last edited: Apr 14, 2009

Red.Ink.Rain

Not your kid brother's YA

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Apr 14, 2009

#12

Um, yeah, tiger-lily - I gotta agree with everyone else here. If there is the tiniest hint of two homosexual girls in a book, it's not going to be banned. Maybe in some places or schools, sure, but a publisher's not going to turn it down just because of that. And bethany's right. People are gay and bi and transgender. It's a fact of life, and YA literature is starting to reflect that.

Zoombie

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Apr 14, 2009

#13

Oh dear, looks like I'll have to remove all the sex from my novel.

Course teaching kids that teenage relationships only contain holding hands, smiling at one another, and occasional kisses on the lips is just as irresponsible as teaching them that its nothing but sex.

As Beth put it: Our job is to show reality as it is.

Or in my case, reality as it is if we lived in space and there were giant lizards everywhere.

Sage

Our Lady of Parentheticals

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Apr 14, 2009

#14

I LOVE homoerotic subtext. Or text too.

Anyway, sure, some agents might reject it for that, whether for their own beliefs or for what they feel the market wants. They also might reject it because of many other reasons, picky, not-so-picky, prejudiced, or enlightened. Make them like Ken suggested, and still get rejected just because the agent feels that type of relationship is boring or unlikely to sell in today's market. Don't plan to please everybody. Let your characters be themselves.

Red.Ink.Rain

Not your kid brother's YA

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Apr 14, 2009

#15

Zoombie said:
Course teaching kids that teenage relationships only contain holding hands, smiling at one another, and occasional kisses on the lips is just as irresponsible as teaching them that its nothing but sex.

Very true.

Kathleen42

crushing on fictional characters

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Apr 14, 2009

#16

tiger-lily said:
Women / Girls are highly emotional by nature. They can be very good friends without it being sexual. It's a YA, not an adult novel. Kids as young as 9 and 10 years old read YA's books. Part of writing for kids and teens is writing responsibly. IF (and that's a big if) a publisher took a chance on it, you will probably face controversy and book banning. The question you have to ask yourself is -Is it worth it?

Will some people have problems with it? Possibly, but then some people have issues with Harry Potter.

Frankly, I see nothing irresponsible in it. I would much rather my child read something with romantic tension between two girls than a series where the female lead becomes catatonic when her boyfriend leaves her.

Last edited: Apr 14, 2009

Zoombie

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Apr 14, 2009

#17

My only issue with harry potter is he never once considered the throbbing attraction we all know simmered between him and Malfoy.

Esopha

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Apr 14, 2009

#18

Zoombie said:
My only issue with harry potter is he never once considered the throbbing attraction we all know simmered between him and Malfoy.

I lol.

My novel has quite prominent homo-erotic overtones. If it'll be banned for anything, it's the way it treats religion. *shrug* Can't please 'em all, and I don't particularly want to. Besides, I think it's a damn good book.

Zoombie

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Apr 14, 2009

#19

Also, boys from time to time have been known to have emotions.

Sometimes, we even CRY!

I know.

Its shocking.

Red.Ink.Rain

Not your kid brother's YA

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Apr 14, 2009

#20

Zoom -

:roll:

Kathleen42

crushing on fictional characters

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Apr 14, 2009

#21

Zoombie said:
My only issue with harry potter is he never once considered the throbbing attraction we all know simmered between him and Malfoy.

THIS IS WHY PEOPLE THINK YOU CORRUPT THEM.

Now if you said Snape and Lupin...

Zoombie

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Apr 14, 2009

#22

Lupin?

NO!

HE'S MINE!

bethany

:)

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Apr 14, 2009

#23

I will apologize to Tiger-Lily for the under the rock part of my response, I shouldn't have made my response personal. BUT the must be responsible thing irritates me. Do you say must be responsible to the authors of adult books? Gnashes teeth.

sorry for the name mix up. I used to have cats named Tiger Lily and Calla Lilly. Duh. Thanks Sophie!

Last edited: Apr 14, 2009

wandergirl

~kirsten hubbard

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Apr 14, 2009

#24

tiger-lily said:
Part of writing for kids and teens is writing responsibly.

I really don't want to add to the pile-on, but after following amazonfail this past weekend, and viewing this piece of melodramatic hypocrisy, I am feeling really prickly when it comes to the topic of re-shutting the closet door.

The word "responsibly" is what disturbs/frustrates/angers me about your comment (because yes, gay-themed books will be continue to be banned in backwards places, so that part is true.) It's saying that YA writers portraying homosexuality in their books is irresponsible, which is inherently saying homoexuality is a bad thing. And that it's a preventable thing.

Yes, I believe writers of juvenile lit should be responsible. Obviously, we shouldn't promote things like gang-rape, or heroin, or homicide (although that doesn't mean these topics can't be covered in YA books) -- things that harm others, or oneself.

However, homosexuality does not belong anywhere near that list. For many reasons, but primarily because HOMEOSEXUALITY HARMS NO ONE. At least, no more than heterosexuality!

In fact, when it comes to homosexuality, I adamantly believe it is our "responsibility" as responsible YA writers to responsibly let kids know that homosexuality IS ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT OKAY. As Willy Wonka (almost) said, "we are the music-makers, and we are the ~~dreamers of dreams~~ heralds of tolerance."

Last edited: Apr 14, 2009

Zoombie

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Apr 14, 2009

#25

wandergirl said:
this piece of melodramatic hypocrisy,

I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

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