Comments on: Down With Queer Lit! http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/ Neither do they knit. Apparently. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:30:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: miss sophie http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1072 miss sophie Mon, 07 May 2007 20:09:33 +0000 http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1072 In some of his works Robert A Heinlein did create a really queer inclusive world, especially the early stuff. I read him when I was 11 and it was the only stuff I had at the time where I felt like my idea of sexuality might fit, through even then I flet some of his works a little right wing (queer inclusive but right wing doesn't have to be an oxymoron), but then I once got a talking to at a girl scout camp for reading morally degenerate literature because of Heinlein, so he couldn't be that right wing ;) In some of his works Robert A Heinlein did create a really queer inclusive world, especially the early stuff. I read him when I was 11 and it was the only stuff I had at the time where I felt like my idea of sexuality might fit, through even then I flet some of his works a little right wing (queer inclusive but right wing doesn’t have to be an oxymoron), but then I once got a talking to at a girl scout camp for reading morally degenerate literature because of Heinlein, so he couldn’t be that right wing ;)

]]> By: Lakira http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1071 Lakira Sat, 05 May 2007 18:08:03 +0000 http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1071 Have you read the stuff by Robert A. Heinlein? I'm always undecided about how he treats gender roles in it, but given the time frame in which the books were written, it's not as bad as it could be, I guess. Anyway, more relevant to your post, is that while the sex that happens tends to be heterosexual, queer sex is so normal/commonplace that no one really comments on it, except maybe to sometimes say "Huh. Not normally my cup of tea, but okay." A prime of example of that is in <i>Time Enough for Love</i>, where two characters decide to have an erotic night together without having any clue what the other person's sex is. One of them, if I recall, guesses that the other is the same sex and doesn't seem to care one way or the other. (They were wearing full-body containment suits during the "shall we have sex?" discussion, so couldn't actually see anything about the other person.) Have you read the stuff by Robert A. Heinlein? I’m always undecided about how he treats gender roles in it, but given the time frame in which the books were written, it’s not as bad as it could be, I guess. Anyway, more relevant to your post, is that while the sex that happens tends to be heterosexual, queer sex is so normal/commonplace that no one really comments on it, except maybe to sometimes say “Huh. Not normally my cup of tea, but okay.”

A prime of example of that is in Time Enough for Love, where two characters decide to have an erotic night together without having any clue what the other person’s sex is. One of them, if I recall, guesses that the other is the same sex and doesn’t seem to care one way or the other. (They were wearing full-body containment suits during the “shall we have sex?” discussion, so couldn’t actually see anything about the other person.)

]]> By: Anna http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1070 Anna Sat, 05 May 2007 15:59:27 +0000 http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1070 Did you read about the brouhaha that went down recently over the gay romance novels? Apparently they're offensive to the Romantic Times people. *sigh* Are we supposed to be happy that they're in print, or mad that they're still not "real" romances? Did you read about the brouhaha that went down recently over the gay romance novels?

Apparently they’re offensive to the Romantic Times people.

*sigh*

Are we supposed to be happy that they’re in print, or mad that they’re still not “real” romances?

]]> By: Jo http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1069 Jo Sat, 05 May 2007 14:47:25 +0000 http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1069 Odd you should (re)mention it... I just finished reading what turned out to be a very disappointing historical mystery, "Absolution by Murder" by Peter Tremayne. It was recommended to me by a well-meaning woman who loved that the main character was a rather 'feminist' woman in 7th C. Ireland. Which was fine, except that she was... well... lackluster. Ellis Peters has better one-shot characters. But I digress, yet again. There were *two* characters in all of this who were *possibly* homosexual,one of each 'gender', and both were blatantly stereotyped. What became of them, you ask? The one, a male, was one of three persons murdered. The other, a female, was revealed to have killed all three. Needless to say, Mr. Tremayne does <em>not</em> get a second chance. If I find any good ones, I'll certainly let you know about it. *sigh* Odd you should (re)mention it…

I just finished reading what turned out to be a very disappointing historical mystery, “Absolution by Murder” by Peter Tremayne. It was recommended to me by a well-meaning woman who loved that the main character was a rather ‘feminist’ woman in 7th C. Ireland.

Which was fine, except that she was… well… lackluster. Ellis Peters has better one-shot characters.

But I digress, yet again.

There were *two* characters in all of this who were *possibly* homosexual,one of each ‘gender’, and both were blatantly stereotyped. What became of them, you ask?

The one, a male, was one of three persons murdered.

The other, a female, was revealed to have killed all three.

Needless to say, Mr. Tremayne does not get a second chance.

If I find any good ones, I’ll certainly let you know about it. *sigh*

]]> By: jennie http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1068 jennie Sat, 05 May 2007 11:57:09 +0000 http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2007/05/03/down-with-queer-lit/#comment-1068 I have similar feelings about "Women's Books," and other special-interest marketing categories. However, I'm noticing increasing numbers of "normal" gay relationships in SF. It's by no means prevalent, but it's certainly present. Have you tried <i>Carnival</i> by Elizabeth Bear? Also pretty much anything else she's written? The fact that I can think of specific authors who queer the relationships in their books does indeed say something, but here are a few more: Charles deLint's Newford books have some gay characters. Mercedes Lackey's Elves in LA books (if you can stomach them.) Tanya Huff's Victory Nelson books. Ummm ... it seems to me that I've read more genderqueer than that, of late, but nothing's springing to mind. Hmmm ... Oh! Yeah! <i>Swordspoint</i> by Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman. All of these can be found in the Fantasy/SF section. Well the elves in LA are kinda old, so they may not still be in print, and I can't remember the titles (gosh, I'm useless), but Lackey's a pretty easy-to-find author. None of them make a Thing of the gay characters. More if and when they spring to mind. I have similar feelings about “Women’s Books,” and other special-interest marketing categories. However, I’m noticing increasing numbers of “normal” gay relationships in SF. It’s by no means prevalent, but it’s certainly present.

Have you tried Carnival by Elizabeth Bear? Also pretty much anything else she’s written?

The fact that I can think of specific authors who queer the relationships in their books does indeed say something, but here are a few more:

Charles deLint’s Newford books have some gay characters.

Mercedes Lackey’s Elves in LA books (if you can stomach them.)

Tanya Huff’s Victory Nelson books.

Ummm … it seems to me that I’ve read more genderqueer than that, of late, but nothing’s springing to mind. Hmmm … Oh! Yeah! Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman.

All of these can be found in the Fantasy/SF section. Well the elves in LA are kinda old, so they may not still be in print, and I can’t remember the titles (gosh, I’m useless), but Lackey’s a pretty easy-to-find author. None of them make a Thing of the gay characters.

More if and when they spring to mind.

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