Along the same lines as Adrian's question about writing for the opposite sex, I wondered how everyone felt about writing for the opposite sexuality. As a hetero, do you feel awkward about writing gay story lines? If you are gay do you struggle writing straight romance? I have straight, gay and bisexual characters in my book. I found the gay characters the most difficult to make believable as I kept wandering into stereotypes. In fact, with one very gregarious character I had to develop a whole back story unrelated to his sexuality before I could take him seriously. Anyone else had difficulties adding characters outside the experience of their own sexuality? What do we think are the main pitfalls of writing outside your own experience in any context?
"Why is it so difficult to imagine Harry Potter as gay? He is a *child*, his sexuality plays a very miniscule part and that only in allowing the audience to connect/remember their own first awkward kisses & crushes. To add a dash of familiarity and mundane to the grander plot scale."
A fox once again, you try to express your opinion as a fact. You say that, why is it so difficult to imagine, maybe not for you, but what of the others?
are you so sure as to say that everybody across the world agrees with your opinion? I do not think so, people's opinion differs, as is the case between you and me.
And pray do tell me, when have I said 'Male Dominance" is the majority, I do enjoy books books with female protagonists as do many others, The Hunger Games, is a fantastic example for what I'm talking of, not to mention A Series Of Unfortunate Events, which has a female as one of the three main protagonists. I'm not talking of "male dominance in any case" Both the male and the female are equal.
"The implication that your anti-gay/bi stance is a moral one, that gay/bi people are immoral"
Christians may have different beliefs and Muslims might have different beliefs, and if, take- a christian holds to his values and his belief's, that does not mean he despises Muslims or thinks that the religion is immoral, just because he is not in it. He just goes on with his own religion while the Muslims go on with their own. That's the way things work. Why, I have a very good friend who's a Muslim. As I said and once again repeat, I DO NOT DESPISE or HATE Gay/Bi people, please understand, I have even provided an example for you to better understand my point. Note, nor do i hate any religions listed above.
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Damien- You make an excellent point, this is a place for us to acquire more knowledge and improve ourselves and help others, not for quarrels or any other discussions over sexuality, religion etc. I do hope this post will end this.
Bloody hell A Fox take a chill pill....lol
Ritesh was just saying it's not their cup of tea that's all. We have all sorts of people from all walks of life on this website. I believe the majority of people embrace them all. I for one couldn't be called prejudice against gays, lesbians or different colour skin. Like I said this isn't the place to air any grievances. Doesn't even fit the question asked.
keep writing, keep smiling and be yourself.
Regards
Lol, shall I then bow my head meekly whilst the mens talk, reinforcing their homophobic status quo? I think not.
This is a discussion which directly relates to the OP. My post was a constructive rebuttal, blowing down blatantly homophobic straw men, achored in areas related to writing: genre, industry, current tends, community, writing techniques & published works that link in to the greater context. It was not abrupt, it was concisely examining the subject in point of reference.
Ritesh:
"But if I were to even try to write something like that, for fun, or for myself, I probably couldn't, as I practically don't even know how gay, Bisexual people behave***, and I suppose my brain wouldn't be able to form much of a story with a bunch of character's like that, character's which I don't really like*. No offence to anybody, I hold to my own believes and morals**,"
* Clearly stating that you do not like gay/bi people/characters.
** The implication that your anti-gay/bi stance is a moral one, that gay/bi people are immoral
*** This is Othering, upholding that people who are not straight are inherently and incomprehensibly different.
Which you further reinforce in your above post. Why is it so difficult to imagine Harry Potter as gay? He is a *child*, his sexuality plays a very miniscule part and that only in allowing the audience to connect/remember their own first awkward kisses & crushes. To add a dash of familiarity and mundane to the grander plot scale.
On audiance:
Straight Male dominance is not the majority, it is a minority which happens to hold voracious power thus enabling a dominant narrative. This does not mean that it reflects a majority opinion, nor an audiences desires, nor that it goes unchallanged...or disproven.
A list of fantasy books with gay characters:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3948.Best_Fantasy_Books_with_Gay_Main_Characters
And this wonderful blog by Jim C Hines, which is choc full of links regarding Diversity in SFF.
http://www.jimchines.com/2013/09/diversity-in-sff/