LGBTQA in Books: Baiting and Erasure
There’s a lot of discourse around books and LGBTQA - in the way that the subject is addressed, treated or even erased in books. But the thing is, there’s a strange line between queerbaiting (getting writer points for inclusiveness and diversity while in all truth the canonverse is vague, uses little to no terms, and essentially leaves it to readers to interpret at will, thus widening their audience, and their profits, but contributing little to authentic representation) and erasure, whether accidental or intentional (by making the sexuality, romantic orientation etc. clear and open in the book, yet never using any terms, thus possibly causing a disconnection between the safe space of the fictional world, and representation in reality).
I believe it is equally important to consider both ends:
- To be inclusive, multifaceted, to approach those stories not as people (characters) defined by their sexuality, but as complex and layered individuals exploring their own lives, challenges and fears and desires, all the while learning to navigate their own sexuality, which is just another facet of their identity. It’s important to make this distinction, because it is the truth, it’s the way to create organic characters that are greater than life, the sort of characters that take on a life of their own beyond the pages in the minds of readers; as a symbol, ideal or archetype, or better yet, as someone they could’ve met in real life and instantly befriended.
- To bring definition and clarification to those identities explored. To make it clear and undeniable that character X and Y are gay, or bisexual, or whatever else. To leave no doubt in the reader’s minds in terms of representation, to be able to relate with certainty that so and so is just like them, as human as they are, as ambivalent and conflicted as they are. Why is this powerful? Representation is always powerful, of course. And in times when bisexuality and asexuality for instance (both as concepts by themselves, and their appearance in literature) are so often erased, overlooked or altogether ignored, it’s powerful to bring voices to those grey spaces, those identities. Every book that fearlessly tackles this gives another voice to representation.
I don’t want my readers to ever feel like this facet of a character (if relevant to the book, the story, or the character) is used as bait, tiptoed around or glossed over. I want them to see a world where it can be easy and uncomplicated, where one’s sexuality is just a normal part of them, much like constellation-shaped freckles on a shoulder. I want them to see what it’s like to step into a world where they don’t have to question it, or worry about it, where people know - or are coming to learn - who they are, with no judgement or weight behind labels, or the absence of them.
I want my readers to be clear on my characters, to fully relish the magical world of Moonrose where people are free to be themselves. A world where Sienna is a lesbian married to the love of her life and filling one of the most important roles in Xandrias with the esteem of all, and nobody thinks anything of it because it’s literally just another facet of her among thousands others. A world where Kaodhan as the leader of the village is pan and perfectly comfortable being so, because it aligns with his worldviews of love having no boundaries in terms of physical appearance. A world where the heroine, Char, is unequivocally asexual and navigates the complicated landscape of loving others spiritually while feeling no physical attraction.
There is so much potential in these stories, each one more different than the other. It adds yet another layer of depth and humanity to characters in media, so why not go the extra mile and honor these aspects as well by representing them with empathy, and finally... finally actually showing a world where things are as they should be. I don’t know about you, but I’m over reading about dystopias. Let’s focus on how good it can be and what a utopia looks like. Not how bad it can get, because 2020 has shown us enough of that.