I really want to read some sappy YA fantasy love story of two girls just falling in love. I want to read crap lesbian novellas. Give me a lesbian love-triangle that doesn't make much sense of the plot and it's really just there for the drama. I deserve plotless, filler, sappy, rom-com content!
Of Fire & Stars is a fantasy love story between a princess and the sister of the man she is supposed to marry.
Ugh, cuuute fluffy love stories are my weakness!
Watching Shameless, and I get to the part where Trevor and Ian kiss and omg my heart melted!
But, yes, more books need to represent!
I feel like tv shows are slowly going in that direction, and getting better, but now we need books to follow suit and quickly!
I really want to read some sappy YA fantasy love story of two girls just falling in love. I want to read crap lesbian novellas. Give me a lesbian love-triangle that doesn't make much sense of the plot and it's really just there for the drama. I deserve plotless, filler, sappy, rom-com content!
Of Fire & Stars is a fantasy love story between a princess and the sister of the man she is supposed to marry.
I HAVE THAT ON MY READING LIST I CANNOT WAIT
I wish I saw more aces, demis, and pansexuals represented. I'm bi, myself, and I love seeing the B in LGBT+ represented, but I almost NEVER see aces or demis or pans.
I wish I saw more aces, demis, and pansexuals represented. I'm bi, myself, and I love seeing the B in LGBT+ represented, but I almost NEVER see aces or demis or pans.
oof def
Bi here too, and we get a little, but not enough
I've read like,, one ace book (Let's talk about love, by Claire Kann, and it WAS so great for me as a bi/ace)
But I second the motion for demis and pans, I don't think I've seen either
I believe my MC Pan is panromantic asexual. No interest in sexual activities but has a deep emotional attachment to one of the other MC's that slowly moves towards romantic.
I also have my two MC's in my other story that are (Kaleb) pansexual and panromantic & (Charmaine) bisexual. Yes, they do have a hetero relationship, but there is mentions throughout the story of the different sexual orientations.
Maybe one day I'll write a true love triangle between a a guy (A), girl (B), girl (C). Where A has feeling for B & C, B has feelings for A & C, and C has feelings for A & B and then they end up in a wonderful ployamorous relationship (anyone watch Shameless? Svetlana, Kev and Vee are an awesome 3way partnership!)
I saw a book on Amazon where the MC is questioning but has a crush on a pan girl, but the title escapes me. I have to be cautious with LGBT books in case my parents find me reading them, so I haven't read too many. I read the new Doctor Aphra though and she and Tolvan are so cute where they're on the same side? Like when they were in a firefight and Aphra is coming up with a plan and Tolvan just goes "I like your hat" out of nowhere.
^^ I have to be careful too
So on that note
LGBT books that are inconspicuous? At least cover wise
-Doctor Aphra Comic compilations (Aphra, The Enormous Prophet, and Remastered) Individual comics for one issue of Remastered have Tolvan and Aphra very close together as if about to kiss
-Reign of the Fallen, but a hardcover may have reviews praising the bi protagonist
-Magnus Chase books 2 and 3, while I personally dislike how Rick introduced and characterized Alex, but Book 2 may have a stonewall award sticker
- The Summer of Us has a girl-love-girl character. I haven't read it yet so I can't vouch for the quality.
-They Both Die At The End is apparently a male/male love story. Again, I haven't read it, but the cover is pretty inconspicious
- Six Of Crows is another I haven't read that has bi characters
- Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart isn't technically LGBT, but it hints strongly at Jule having feelings for Imogen
I'll add more if I find more.
They Both Die at the End is really good!
And The Summer of Us is on my tbr list I think, and I know Six of Crows is
I know this has already been stated, but I do want to see more well-written, YA, Lesbian, fluffy sappy stuff.
I don't know if anyone said this already, but I like to read LGBTQA+ stories where the characters aren't pushed away by parents or close friends. While the sad truth is that many LGBTQA+ people loose touch with family after coming out, it doesn't happen to everyone. Let people enjoy some happiness!
I want more books and shows where the character isn't sure, and didn't 'always know'. I know that when people figure out that they are gay, bi, pan, ace etc. They realise that they have had these feelings for a long time, and that they did always know, but I want to see them scared and confused too. Shit I didn't know I was Bi for sure until a few weeks ago, even thought I've been questioning for the past year, and before that I'd had female crushes but since it's not the same as having a male crush, I just ignored it. I didn't know that most of the time it's different, like, you look at a guy that's your type and it's like, "ooh!" while with girls it's like, "Ahh!" for me. Jeez, it sounds like I stare at my crushes like they're bloody fireworks.
Anyway, it wasn't until I watched Shane Dawson's coming out video that I sat there like, "THAT'S ME! THAT'S WHY I- OH MY GOD!" I cried like a baby watching it, because there was a word for what I was feeling. But, it wasn't exactly it, so I was still super confused. Then I was on pinterest and found the word Biromantic, and shit it's nice having a word for this.
I want characters that hate labels, then love labels, then hate em again. I want bi and pan characters that like somebody and think, "Wait, does this mean I'm straight/gay? Oh god have I come out and it turns out I was lying?" then they see somebody else and question themselves all over again. I didn't know that, that was a thing that a lot of people did! I want awareness for these feelings and thoughts so that people don't feel alone and scared.
I want characters that get outed, and even though they are in a safe place where they won't get hurt for being who they are, they still feel scared and hurt but they hate it because they 'don't care' about being gay/bi/pan/ace etc. I want characters whose friends are furious when they find out, who help them to realise that their pain is valid because being outed just sucks so much.
I want characters who talk about their crushes after coming out, showing each other pictures, and talking about the girls/boys in school that they liked and didn't like (love this with two bi, pan etc. characters mainly).
I want characters with no types, they just can't narrow their crushes down to a few common characteristics. I want characters with abnormal types that aren't usual in books or shows. Teens that love older people (but for the love of god, don't act on this type until they are of age at least. Mainly with 20 aged characters to play it safe in your story). Boys that love black girls, but only brown haired boys of any skin colour. Girls that love bright eyed boys, but dark eyed girls.
In most shows, token characters are so stereotypical. I think that Mortal instruments (tv show) is ok with it, but by god, Sense 8 runs this world with how LGBTQA+ people should be represented. I love that shit so much. It also helped to teach my Mum a lot.
Sorry, just something I wanted to shoot out into here.
I also love the idea of making LGBTQA+ stories with inconspicuous covers, and I want to add that the blurb should also not refer to it blatantly. A lot of us have internet access, and we can google this shit while keeping people who can't safely read these books safer.
YES! I AGREE ABOUT THE COVERS/BLURBS, @Twitchy!!
I want more books and shows where the character isn't sure, and didn't 'always know'. I know that when people figure out that they are gay, bi, pan, ace etc. They realise that they have had these feelings for a long time, and that they did always know, but I want to see them scared and confused too. Shit I didn't know I was Bi for sure until a few weeks ago, even thought I've been questioning for the past year, and before that I'd had female crushes but since it's not the same as having a male crush, I just ignored it. I didn't know that most of the time it's different, like, you look at a guy that's your type and it's like, "ooh!" while with girls it's like, "Ahh!" for me. Jeez, it sounds like I stare at my crushes like they're bloody fireworks.
Anyway, it wasn't until I watched Shane Dawson's coming out video that I sat there like, "THAT'S ME! THAT'S WHY I- OH MY GOD!" I cried like a baby watching it, because there was a word for what I was feeling. But, it wasn't exactly it, so I was still super confused. Then I was on pinterest and found the word Biromantic, and shit it's nice having a word for this.
I want characters that hate labels, then love labels, then hate em again. I want bi and pan characters that like somebody and think, "Wait, does this mean I'm straight/gay? Oh god have I come out and it turns out I was lying?" then they see somebody else and question themselves all over again. I didn't know that, that was a thing that a lot of people did! I want awareness for these feelings and thoughts so that people don't feel alone and scared.
I want characters that get outed, and even though they are in a safe place where they won't get hurt for being who they are, they still feel scared and hurt but they hate it because they 'don't care' about being gay/bi/pan/ace etc. I want characters whose friends are furious when they find out, who help them to realise that their pain is valid because being outed just sucks so much.
I want characters who talk about their crushes after coming out, showing each other pictures, and talking about the girls/boys in school that they liked and didn't like (love this with two bi, pan etc. characters mainly).
I want characters with no types, they just can't narrow their crushes down to a few common characteristics. I want characters with abnormal types that aren't usual in books or shows. Teens that love older people (but for the love of god, don't act on this type until they are of age at least. Mainly with 20 aged characters to play it safe in your story). Boys that love black girls, but only brown haired boys of any skin colour. Girls that love bright eyed boys, but dark eyed girls.
In most shows, token characters are so stereotypical. I think that Mortal instruments (tv show) is ok with it, but by god, Sense 8 runs this world with how LGBTQA+ people should be represented. I love that shit so much. It also helped to teach my Mum a lot.
Sorry, just something I wanted to shoot out into here.
Reading this was so relatable???? This is what I need in a book??
Sorry, got super emotional about it all reading through this earlier and I just needed to write it down, and I thought it'd be best if I put it here than just a word document because, this is what I really needed, and pretty much what I need now haha, and it's really nice to know that other people need that too. Let's be the ones to bring that to the table.
This is off topic, but goes along with the part about blurbs. I cannot stand when there's swearing in the dustcover for a book! It bothers me sooo much!
I understand what you mean, but you're right it is off topic… I'd make a forum specifically for it if you want to have a good discussion about it :P
I would love to read a story with maybe a LGBTQA+ christian, who has very strong faith, yet is still comfortable with their sexuality
Also, lots of Ace, Aro, and Demi representation would be VERY cool. Nonbinary would be amazing, as would Genderfluid and all that jazz :)
I think there should be more ace, bi, pan, and all the romantics in books. Same for gender queer, trans and non-binary. ^ And a book with a christian who is confident in both religion and sexuality? That would be awesome.
YES!! PLEASE YES!!! I want Christians who aren't straight and don't hate themselves.
Hey guys, I think it would be very helpful for writers if you all introduced yourselves. I'm only asking this because this is a very active forum, and it could be very useful and nice to do. By this I mean, what you identify as (sexuality, romantically, gender etc.) and talk about any experiences that you've had concerning these that you think are both relevant and informative for writers, that you would like to see more in stories, or experiences similar. If you don't, then that's absolutely okay I don't want anybody here to feel uncomfortable, and we've already shared a lot of very helpful comments, thanks for all of your input. Really love turning my computer on and seeing that somebody has added more to the board.
Ooh okay I'll type something quick about myself hold on a sec…
Oh sweet that was quick haha.
Also, I really love the idea of making more religious LGBTQA+ characters, especially people that are not self-hating or even god-hating. I want to note that I'm not religious myself, but I do love the idea of these characters to help represent those who are.
I'm PuffPoff, a pansexual female that has not come out yet. A few months ago I read a book called The Art of Being Normal that I think is a great example of a well written LGBTQA+ book. I agree with what most of the other people here are saying about wanting more pansexual and asexual characters, but I would also love for there to be a book with a demisexual character or any character that is panromatic, aromantic, etc. I feel like biromantic, panromantic, aromantic (and etc.) community isn't really shown in LGBTQA+ books. I also love the idea of more religious LGBTQA+ characters. I myself am a Christian and have no troubles concerning my religion and sexual orientation. My church actually has a LGBTQA+ support group. Anyway, that's my little introduction.
