I love that "lgbtq fiction" is its own genre now, with queer characters in all different types of stories, but I often get frustrated reading these books because it feels like they do way more tell than show.
What I mean:
Most of my friends know I'm trans because it's not a secret, but I never just tell people. They figure it out on their own from clues (and me not denying anything). People who are introduced to me never think I could be trans but I get misgendered by strangers and eventually they realize why.
In a book the character is just outright described as trans early on. It feels like the author wants us to know immediately, but in real life it's usually not this simple.
Does anyone have any recommendations for books with natural lgbt characters? it doesn't have to be the focus of the book, I honestly prefer it if it isn't. you don't have to be lgbt to recommend things I just want to know about any books like this!
by angelic_creation
2 Comments
My suggestion would be to try older books.
There was a time not too long ago when hearing a book (or movie, tv show, game, etc) was LGBT provoked a Pavlovian response in me. “LGBT” was a good indicator that I’d like something, not because I was particularly drawn to LGBT characters or stories, but because survivorship bias meant that the LGBT works of art that made it all the way to me were almost guaranteed to be amazing. It meant a very talented person fought hard to be true to a particular story, and succeeded.
Alas, I’ve noticed the opposite Pavlovian response in myself lately. If I see something marketed as LGBT now, it’s a negative indicator that I’ll enjoy it. It’s not because I’m any more close minded than I was years ago, it’s because the average quality of art I’ve encountered with that label has plummeted. It’s now the “done thing” that everyone is clumsily cramming in, rather than something that artists are fighting for.
Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova could be a fit, if you’re interested in horror that leans literary.
Literally all of the characters are queer, but it’s never the focus of the story. They just exist as queer people in the narrative.