Is there a market for an intersexed character?

Mark Moore · Mar 11, 2013

I'm currently developing a series to self-publish, which will be categorized under Romance -> Erotic (among other things), although it'll be more than that.

I'm considering giving the lead character, who is a female, a penis. She will still appear female and be identified as female throughout the series. It'll just be that she "has both", and it'll be an issue only when she's in sexual situations.

Is there a market eager for stories about a "girl with something special", or would I be limiting my potential audience by going this route?

RemaCaracappa · Mar 11, 2013

Mark Moore said:
I'm currently developing a series to self-publish, which will be categorized under Romance -> Erotic (among other things), although it'll be more than that.

I'm considering giving the lead character, who is a female, a penis. She will still appear female and be identified as female throughout the series. It'll just be that she "has both", and it'll be an issue only when she's in sexual situations.

Is there a market eager for stories about a "girl with something special", or would I be limiting my potential audience by going this route?

I've seen at least one call for submissions recently for works featuring intersex characters. If I can find it again, I'll post the link.

Deleted member 42 · Mar 11, 2013

Not as such no; the proper term is intersexed, and I'd suggest treading cautiously.

Very very cautiously.

dangerousbill · Mar 11, 2013

Medievalist said:
Not as such no; the proper term is intersexed, and I'd suggest treading cautiously.

Very very cautiously.

There's a thorough article in Wikipedia on it. Note this statement: true hermophroditism is unknown in humans. This would be a person with two sets of completely functional sex organs. Usually it's a partial development of both, which often makes normal sexual function impossible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex

There are all sorts of degrees of intersexuality.

A friend of mine was diagnosed as 'intersexual' which in her case meant that her body contains both male and female cells in every organ. She's functionally female in every respect that matters, and quite attractive. But she's unusually tall, broad-shouldered, and contralto-voiced as well.

Ann_Mayburn · Mar 12, 2013

Yes, at least for one of my publishers. Loose Id has a couple hermaphrodite stories that I know of, probably more.

http://www.loose-id.com/the-coven-unus.html
http://www.loose-id.com/the-bacchi.html

etc etc

I think there is a pretty good market for it, you just have to figure out how to reach the readers as it's a rather niche group. But, if you write a good book, regardless of the subject, it'll sell.

Good luck!

MumblingSage · Mar 12, 2013

Circlet Press has opened an imprint specifically for positive treatments of intersexed & trans* characters. I do echo Medievalist's advice that you tread carefully and use sensitivity in the topic, though.

Filigree · Mar 12, 2013

Check Storm Constantine's 'Wraeththu' books for some interesting hermaphrodite characters.

MacAllister · Mar 12, 2013

You know what, guys? Using "hermaphrodite" for the sake of a discussion like this is very like using something like "pickaninny" -- it's not just woefully dated, it's actually desperately hurtful to a number of people.

PLEASE STOP.

ETA: Changing the thread title.

thethinker42 · Mar 12, 2013

To the OP: If you don't know enough about genderqueer people--be they trans*, intersexed, etc--to know that "hermaphrodite" is an offensive and inaccurate term, PLEASE do the entire queer community a favor and DON'T WRITE THE STORY. Educate yourself first. Understand what people outside the accepted gender binary deal with on a daily basis.

But it's just a fun story, right? An erotica story that's not meant to be a commentary on social issues or whatever? Too bad. There is already far too much exploitative material out there, things like "tranny porn" and "she-males" and what have you. Speaking as someone who writes trans* fiction and busts her ass trying to avoid writing something hurtful, and as someone with numerous trans* friends, I implore you to educate yourself and then decide if you still want to write from this angle. If you just want to write about a woman with penile capabilities, then give your girl a strap-on and call it a day. Make it a real penis, and you're stepping into tremendously sensitive territory, and whether you realize it or not, whether you intend it or not, you're writing about A LOT MORE than just a female with a penis.

Unimportant · Mar 12, 2013

I'm going to echo thethinker's advice.

Mark Moore said:
She will still appear female and be identified as female throughout the series. It'll just be that she "has both", and it'll be an issue only when she's in sexual situations.

Is there a market eager for stories about a "girl with something special"

If the person in your avatar is you, then you are a guy. Now:

Imagine you have breasts. Or a vagina. (Or both.) You would appear male and would identify as a male. But, would you consider yourself as a male who 'just has both'? Would your breasts or vagina only be an issue when you were in a sexual situation? Would you never think of them otherwise? Would they have no impact on your self image? Would you expect the world to view you as 'a boy with something special'?

IMO, it sounds pretty naive, exploitive, and insensitive.

Yes, there are a zillion kinks out there. But, as others have noted, a woman with a strap-on is a very different situation to being an intersexed person.

Filigree · Mar 12, 2013

Mac's right about the terminology. When the Constantine books were published, 'intersexed' was just coming into use. Mea culpa.

gingerwoman · Mar 13, 2013

Of course there is a market. I know Riptide Publishing is looking for such stories. I also notice Carol Lynne has one out and it is doing well. https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cattlevalleyhawk039slanding-582047-145.html
But you'd need to do a great deal of research and write it with sensitivity and from the heart.

veinglory · Mar 14, 2013

There was a novel a few years ago called Raptor with an intersexed MC http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/79202.Raptor

But the territory of 'female with penis' is rife with landmines.

gingerwoman · Mar 14, 2013

If I were to try writing such a story I'd read some autobiographies first.

Unimportant · Mar 14, 2013

Not erotica, but J Eugenides's novel "Middlesex" won the Pulitzer in 2003.

gingerwoman · Mar 16, 2013

Well Carol Lynne's book that I just noticed is erotic romance. I discovered it looking at her books on ARE which are in order of Best Selling to poorest selling and it's in the top half of her many many books.
It's called "Hawk's Landing."
If you're interested in this topic I think you should read the blurb for this book.

Here is the link

Alice Xavier · Apr 4, 2013

Yo Mark, if you spend some time poking around in the Amazon erotica department, you will find the answer to your question. Hint #1: 'Intersex' is not the search term you are looking for. Hint #2: Go write the damn story.

Also, I highly suggest hiring out your covers. Decent erotica covers using sexy stock photos can be had for $30 or so. Or you can pick up GIMP and some stock photos and make covers yourself. People really do judge books by their covers, and good covers really can help attract buyers, just as bad/bland ones can repel buyers. No one is going to buy an erotica piece with a blank default blue cover with a Times New Roman title when it's surrounded by infinitely more appealing ass, titties, and sexy man-torsos.

WriterInChains · Apr 4, 2013

Unimportant said:
Not erotica, but J Eugenides's novel "Middlesex" won the Pulitzer in 2003.

And was considered offensive in some circles. I couldn't finish it (mom of a transwoman here :hi:

). Just my $0.02.

Alice Xavier · Apr 4, 2013

Wait... so are we talking about girls having dicks for sheer titillation (what I was assuming, because that's what erotica generally is), or is it supposed to be a some bigger, more significant serious issue?

WriterInChains · Apr 4, 2013

Erotica doesn't have to offend to titillate.

I'm sure someone will come along and say it more eloquently but IMO, writing a story about a character whose life experience is vastly different than one's own requires some sensitivity, regardless of whether the aim is to educate or arouse.

Alice Xavier · Apr 4, 2013

Oh, I definitely agree that whether it's titillating or offensive (or just plain badly done) comes down to how you handle it. Pretty much all the titillating gender bender (I can't really describe it as being about intersex) stuff I've seen in erotica is presented in a fantastical, lighthearted way involving magic and transformation and doesn't attempt to touch or compare itself to the issues that real intersex people deal with.

If you're setting out to tackle something more serious and real that a girl growing a dick for a day and having fun with it, then erotica probably isn't an appropriate genre in which to put a story about an intersex character. A story can certainly have sexually explicit content and NOT be erotica.

thethinker42 · Apr 4, 2013

WriterInChains said:
Erotica doesn't have to offend to titillate.

I'm sure someone will come along and say it more eloquently but IMO, writing a story about a character whose life experience is vastly different than one's own requires some sensitivity, regardless of whether the aim is to educate or arouse.

That sums it up pretty well, actually.

gingerwoman · May 1, 2013

Alice Xavier said:
Oh, I definitely agree that whether it's titillating or offensive (or just plain badly done) comes down to how you handle it. Pretty much all the titillating gender bender (I can't really describe it as being about intersex) stuff I've seen in erotica is presented in a fantastical, lighthearted way involving magic and transformation and doesn't attempt to touch or compare itself to the issues that real intersex people deal with.

If you're setting out to tackle something more serious and real that a girl growing a dick for a day and having fun with it, then erotica probably isn't an appropriate genre in which to put a story about an intersex character. A story can certainly have sexually explicit content and NOT be erotica.

I'm becoming offended by your assumptions about erotica writers. I think you'll find there is a vast difference between free stories on the internet and erotica and erotic romance published by good quality publishers.

Filigree · May 1, 2013

Ah, yes. What Gingerwoman said.

Alice Xavier · May 3, 2013

gingerwoman said:
I'm becoming offended by your assumptions about erotica writers. I think you'll find there is a vast difference between free stories on the internet and erotica and erotic romance published by good quality publishers.

Um.. color me confused, but what assumptions am I making about erotica authors? What did I even say to offend? The stuff I mentioned isn't free crap on the internet, it's paid content you can find in the Amazon erotica section. Gender swap/transformation and futanari is a fairly solid niche and I know a few erotica authors who've made some good money from gender swap/futanari stories. Or does it not count because it's self-pub and not released under good quality publishers? I was just saying dick girls and gender swap for titillation was a (viable) thing.

To be honest, this whole topic confuses me. OP asked if there was a market for a female character with a dick (there is, in short form erotica), but then everyone was all, 'omg insensitivity!'. So... I'm honestly not sure what everyone else is getting at. Or even what type of story the OP was trying to write (he never came back). So... :e2shrug:

Is there a market for an intersexed character?

Wouldn't you like to know?

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