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| www.malindalo.com |
I recently read Ash, a
novel by Malinda Lo in which the main protagonist is not only female but also a
lesbian. Lo’s modern take on Cinderella pulls us into a world of fantasy and
royalty. Instead of Ash falling in love with prince charming, she slowly
develops feelings for Kaisa, the King’s Huntress. In this version of
Cinderella, tales about faeries run rampant amongst the country, and these
stories mix with those of the Huntress, who hunts wildlife with other hunters.
They provide for their people, while magic hides in The Wood, the place Ash
first meets Kaisa.
This novel dealing with
coming of age, family trauma, and realizing one’s sexuality really touched a
soft spot in my heart. We read the struggle of losing both parents and feeling
lost without them, and we can relate to Ash’s pain. When I read what Lo said
about her book, the feeling of nostalgia hit even harder.
On her blog, Lo describes
how her story came to fruition. It began with her just working on a
heterosexual take using Cinderella.
One of her friends read the manuscript and
told her that it seemed Ash felt closer to another female in the book more than
she did to the prince. With that comment, Lo discovered the real story she
wanted to tell. Ash’s misunderstanding of her feelings towards Kaisa naturally
depicted the insecurity of being a gay teenager.  |
| dailyfig.figment.com |
Lo also discusses how as a
writer you shouldn’t be afraid to write what you want. People often email her
about whether or not they should write from a gay character’s point of view,
worried because doing so isn’t “mainstream”. Lo’s lesson with Ash,
her first novel, really can be a tale for aspiring writers. Write what you want
to write. Read what you want to read. And don’t be afraid to do it. Don’t force
yourself to follow to the “trend”.
The only problem is that
there seems to be a lack of YA in the LGBTQ category. There are many dystopian
novels out there, and yet I’m hard-pressed to find even one LGBTQ focused story
within the genre. My initial Google search led me to gay dystopian erotica. Not
exactly what I wanted.
Why does it seem that
there aren’t any gay characters outside the realm of realistic fiction? I love
contemporary stories with gay protagonists but I think there needs to be even
more challenges within the LGBTQ literary world; to challenge traditional
stories and stereotypes and create stronger narratives. However, there is this
fear that some writers and publishers have of not being able to market such books
to a wide audience. Who will read a gay cyborg, multi-perspective thriller set
in a futuristic holocaust?
But, hello? I read
straight books. I read books about guys dealing with girl troubles, and girls
dealing with guys or girl troubles. I read realistic fiction, fantasy, horror,
romance, mystery. Just because I identify as a gay male doesn’t mean I can’t
read stories that are outside that identification. I have other friends who
feel the same way. So, why not take the risk? Write about the battle the cyborg
is dealing with the murder of all homosexuals, while also dealing with only
being half human and falling in love with another boy
Malinda Lo even dedicated
the prequel of Ash to her partner, Amy. Even she went through the journey of
following someone else’s idea of what people will read.
Whether you’re a reader,
publisher, or writer, you shouldn’t fear what the general audience will think.
Some of the best books are the most controversial. Madame
Bovary. The Adventures
of Huckleberry Finn. The
Catcher in the Rye. Even Harry Potter. We need more books that include different
cultures and sexualities and ways of life. There are people out there who want
to read them.
By TJ Ohler
