LGBT Literature

My opinions on homosexuality have grown and changed a lot in the last few years. I am a product of a relatively conservative Christian upbringing. Outsiders might consider my family ultra-conservative, but from the inside, I know that my immediate family, at least, is simply conservative, not ultra-anything. :) So you can imagine the response I was conditioned to have growing up. However, as an adult, there are a number of people who are dear to my heart, both family and friends, who are gay. Because of this, I have continuously revised my opinions. I have become something of an outspoken supporter of marriage equality and an avid reader of LGBT fiction. Oh, but there's one problem: there's not much LGBT fiction, and a lot of it is *bad*.

Two posts showed up in the Book and Author section of my Google Reader tonight that made me think. First was a review of Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card. Second was a response to a Dear Story Siren post over at Story Siren's blog. Both made references to gay characters or LGBT literature. Story Siren listed a number of LGBT titles, must of which I have not read (although I have Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green!) I *want* to read them, though. (Confession: I almost bought a copy of Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez yesterday at B&N. I resisted, though!) The Card piece mentions that the Homecoming series has a gay character. I had no idea. (I love Card's writing very much, I am fascinated with the Enderverse, and I've seen him speak twice, but I haven't read the Homecoming books.)

So...I'm sure you'd like to know what the point is. I promise my rambling thoughts will catch up. :)

I wonder if the problem with the lack of LGBT literature (especially in the YA/Teen section) has to do with presentation. Do we want books about *BEING GAY*, or do we want books about life, love, adventure, dystopia, vampires...whatever...which happen to have gay characters? I think there is a market for both, again especially in the YA/Teen section. One of the great things about YA/Teen lit is that it allows young people to read about *themselves* in every situation. So of course we need books about being gay, coming out, falling in love with someone of the same gender, because those are situations in which teens find themselves. However, as a teen it is also nice to read about someone who is just like you going out and doing something extraordinary, surviving something having experiences that don't necessarily have anything to do with who you are. So it makes sense to met that LGBT teens would want to read about LGBT characters fighting evil, falling in love with vampires, or escaping some menacing dystopian society, just like straight teens do.

So maybe the problem is this: we need more books with LGBT characters. We need some books to be about being gay, and we also need some books about other things (dystopia? vampires?) that have gay characters. But they need to be *good* books that people will want to read no matter their personal sexual orientation.

Books with gay characters/themes: parts of list borrowed from Story Siren...thanks!)
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan & John Green
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman
Twelve Long Months by Brian Mallory
Ash by Malinda Lo
I am J by Cris Beam
Sister Mischief by Laura Good
Huntress by Malinda Lo
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
Rainbow Boysby Alex Sanchez