Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies A Cross-Disciplinary Approach LGBTQ+ Literature

11 Literature Miller , editor LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this chapter , students will be able to do the following Identify and describe resistance to cultural to literary fields ( comics , literature ) Explain how content creators overcame censorship to create varied and complex representations of , desires , and lives . Describe that emerge in particular of literature . Explain literature role in identity and community formation . INTRODUCTION Queer desires have found their way into literature for thousands of years . Authors from ancient Greece and Rome , such as Plato and Homer , include love between men in their writing , and reputation as the mother of lesbian poetry is acknowledged by those who have never read her By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in Europe and the United States , representations extended beyond celebrating sexual and romantic desire to playing a vital role in the development of identities . In fact , the social development of identities runs through literature , as demonstrated by many of the sections in this chapter . 395

396 Introduction to Studies Commonly used themes and literary devices . For instance , the American writer Walt Whitman poetry collection Leaves of Grass , a lifelong project published in 1855 and revised until his death , brims with erotic descriptions of men without ever characterizing desire as an identity . More blatantly queer is the British author Halls The Well ) 1928 ) which tells the story of invert Stephen Gordon lesbian romance and her life negotiating social isolation and stigma as a result of her gender presentation and desire for women . Similarly , the African American author ames Baldwin Room ( 1956 ) deals directly with issues of masculinity , homosexuality , and bisexuality through its thoughtful protagonist ?

Attempting to describe a canon of literature or to create a genealogy of texts spanning continents and centuries is an impossible task . Instead , this chapter explores of literature . Abiding by this limitation acknowledges that any survey of a as vast and diverse as literature can not be meaningfully cataloged in a single chapter . Students may wish to select one section and pair it with primary sources for an look at a . The chapter focuses primarily , although not exclusively , on work published in the United States to explore multiple of literature children picture books , young adult novels , comics , pulp , and memoir . Each section provides readers with a historical overview of the and introduces readers to key terms , debates , and primary texts in the . Each section also the creation , publication , distribution , and reception of literature within a shifting sociocultural scape . Readers will gain an understanding of social , political , and nomic constraints and opportunities that have the creation , distribution , and consumption of literature , which has always met with unique pressures from cultural gatekeepers . Contributors to this chapter consider literature both a product and producer of history , and they suggest that literature plays an essential role in queer culture , community , and identity formation . The genealogical structure most sections adhere to allows readers to consider how literary content changes at different historical . Even more , by reading two or more sections , similarities in content can be compared across . Additionally , each section and describes key that emerge in the discussed . These shifts in societal attitudes about identities . For example , in pulp and young adult literature , representations of gay and lesbian love have historically been tragic happy endings have only recently begun appearing ?

The quantity and quality of literature for young adults shifts in social acceptance , which the publishing industry willingness to Literature 397 lish these books and the ability of teens to access them in bookstores , libraries , and even schools . It fair to say that literary and cultural texts are slowly making their way into dominant culture , which means more diverse representations and more positive representations are increasingly available to all readers . Miller section , Children Picture Books , maps the development of children picture books in the United States from the to the present . Maddison Simmons undertakes a similar project in in Lesbian Young Adult Literature as does Robert in Trans and Characters in Young Adult Both trace content shifts in representations of lesbian and transgender or youth in middle grade and young adult literature . All three sections demonstrate that representations of youth in books written for young people have contributed to parallel shifts in sociocultural understanding and acceptance of people . However , there is no linear path to progress representations remain dominated by white gay men in young adult fiction , and white representations still dominate dren literature , although transgender and are increasingly prevalent in the latter . Comics , by and Cathy Corder , focuses on popular and underground comics . They consider how the 1954 Comics Code queer representations in comics by forcing them underground . The Comics Code was prompted by the psychiatrist book Seduction the Innocent The of Comic Books on Today , which argues that comics turned vulnerable youth into ' Similar claims about the seductive power of culture have been used to justify censoring other forms of culture with a young audience , including and picture books . Whereas cultural gatekeepers worked to censor comics , lesbian and gay pulp remained relatively free from the censor wrath . Cathy Corder Lesbian and Gay Pulp Fiction explores the melodramatic world of pulp , which often depicted young women and men in spaces falling in love . There are rarely happy endings in the realm of pulp , which tended to reproduce the trope of the tragic queer found across fields of literature . However , these books were formative in the lives of many gay men and lesbians at a time when few other representations existed . The chapter last section , Olivia Wood Memoir and Life Writing , is unique in focusing on nonfiction books . Wood notes that because of homophobia and , life writing has only recently become available . She explains that life writing before the century was often in diary form and not meant to reach a public

398 Introduction to Studies audience . In fact , according to Wood , memoirs produced for public consumption are a relatively new phenomenon that didn take off until the . Like the other sections in this chapter , Wood that increased social acceptance of people has prompted increased representations . This chapter does not represent literature in its entirety . Each section shares a snapshot of a particular aspect of writing as it has developed in the United States over the last several decades . This deliberate choice introduces important and engaging content to readers in a way that encourages meaningful exposure and exploration . CHILDREN PICTURE BOOKS Jennifer Miller children picture books use images and text to explicitly sent identities and experiences . They counter dominant constructions of gender , sexuality , children , childhood , and These texts contribute to a queer project by rendering queer genders and visible , viable , and accessible to young audiences ranging from babies to . According to Ian , children picture books are a powerful socializing agent because they help children form a , develop a sense of cultural expectations , and imagine inhabiting social In addition to doing important socializing work , children literature is a rich historical archive that struggles occurring within culture to define the meaning and value of genders and that fall outside narrow and oppressive norms . The best way to tell the story of children picture books is through the books themselves . This section examines texts published in the United States and Canada between 1970 and 2018 . It describes key texts and identifies key themes , as well as shifts in thematic content . It concludes with a brief discussion of how children picture books became an identifiable within the category of children literature . A Genealogy of Books Published between 1970 and 2018 Overt representations of identities and experiences are a fairly new occurrence in children picture books , which is why most queer scholarship about children literature seeks to uncover the queer potential in more readily available classic texts ?

children picture books Literature 399 slowly began to appear in the , a trend that accelerated greatly after 2010 . Sissy Boys A few books about boys who challenged gender stereotypes , a theme that remains popular , were published in the . The trend began with Charlotte William Doll ( 1972 ) which is the story of a little boy who wants a doll . No one supports William desire for a doll , although his grandmother eventually buys him one . She appeases his angry father by explaining a doll will help William be a good father . The gay author Oliver Button is a Sissy ( 1979 ) also tells the story of a boy who doesnt enjoy typical boy things . Oliver is bullied at school because of his effeminate behavior . When his parents enroll him in dance he gains and even acceptance from peers as a result of his talent . This book has a positive message , although it demands that youth demonstrate exceptional behavior to be accepted by peers and family . The queerest of the trifecta of sissy boy books is Bruce Mack esse Dream Skirt ( 1979 ) which explores a boy desire for a skirt . esse mother accepts him as do his peers , who end up emulating his Lesbian Moms Very few childrens books containing overt themes were able between 1979 and 1989 . Jane Severance published two books with Lollipop Power Press , a small feminist press located in Chapel Hill , North Carolina , that published books in its of operation . When Megan Went Away ( 1979 ) is told from the point of view of a girl processing the separation of her mother and her mother partner . Her mother is emotionally unavailable during this period as she deals with her own pain . Lots of Mommies ( 1983 ) is about a girl raised communally by several women . Severance creates a robust cast of lesbian characters who provide the protagonist with a happy , albeit unconventional , home . Annie is a carpenter , Vicki is a school bus driver , and is a healer . These texts are important historical artifacts of lesbian culture and lesbian cultural production in the late and early In an email exchange on August 16 , 2018 , Jane Severance told me that she was only a few years out of high school when she wrote her children book . She describes herself as heavily involved in the movement , mostly concentrated on working at Woman to Woman Bookstore in Denver . Severance observes that parents were looking for books showing children with different families , children

400 Introduction to Studies Figure . Newman Heather Has Two Mommies ( 1989 ) Deborah . making nontraditional choices and being supported for making those choices . It was in this context that Severance , with no training but a lot of passion , began writing . Severance received a lot of for showing a lesbian couple in an light in her book , but Severance notes that lesbian mothers were generally not supported , which meant that they could always make good parenting Her work is a product of the moment it records and in many ways is far more than many of the children picture books that followed hers and that remain in circulation . Newman Heather Has Two Mommies ( 1989 ) inaugurated a new trend in children literature by representing MOMMIES ILLUSTRATED BY

Literature 401 lesbian families as patterned after heteronormative conventions . Newman published Heather Has Two Mommies without the help of a traditional publisher . In an email exchange from January 28 , 2019 , Newman told me , Though Heather Has Two Mommies is , I did actively participate in its publications . My business partner at the time , and I came up with the term . She had a desktop publishing business , and when no traditional publisher was willing to publish Heather , we decided to do it ourselves . We raised via a campaign , found an illustrator and a printer , and brought the book out in December of Micro presses and ( as opposed to publishers ) continue to be a mainstay of children literature publishing . In fact , though platforms like are the latest tech version of the campaign Newman used to fund her project . Gay Uncles Throughout the , small presses with a mission , such as Publications , which was founded in 1980 and created a children book imprint , Wonderland , in 1990 , were at the forefront of creating children literature . Books helping children understand and process loving and losing adults with began to appear in this period . A Name on the Quilt ( 1999 ) written by Atkins and illustrated by Tad Hills , is the story of a family memorializing a beloved family member after his death . In the book , which is told from the point of View of the man niece , the family creates a patch for the AIDS Memorial Quilt . This is one of the few books that gesture toward gay community and activism while representing most depict gay men in isolation , as outsiders within the heterosexual family unit . This is the case with Newman 7220 Far Away to ( 1995 ) in which a young girl uncle , who is ill from complications , helps her begin to process his eventual death by explaining that he will always be with My Dad Has HIV ( 1996 ) takes a different approach . It is an text about HIV told from the point of View of a child whose father has the virus . The book was by Earl Alexander , an instructor , and two elementary school teachers , Sheila and Pam . The father sexuality is never discussed , instead the book focuses on normalizing That it took until the to see representations of make their way into children literature evidences the cultural lag that can be

402 Introduction to Studies Figure . Newman Too Far Away to Touch ( 1995 ) Deborah . seen until around 2010 , when children literature really became a site of advocacy and activism for youth . Gay and Lesbian Parents In the first decade of the , children that explored a variety of themes became the norm instead of the exception . Most of these books continued to focus on lesbian and gay adults through stories that the experience of children related to them . Increased publishing opportunities eventually led to more diverse representations after 2010 . Newman , the author of Heather Has Two Mommies ( 1989 ) and 7230 Far Away to Touch ( 1995 ) continues to publish in the . Her experiences negotiating the publishing industry ing shifts . She went from raising funds to publish her first book through a campaign in 1989 to being solicited to create board books with themes in 2009 . In our email correspondence Newman wrote , I was asked by Tricycle Press to write a set of board books one about a child with two moms and one about a child with two dads . Which I did . Tricycle was subsequently bought out by Random House , and the two books , Mommy , Mama , and Me and Daddy , Papa , and Me are still in print ( 10 years later ! and doing very well ( Dozens of books about and families have been published since the , with most being writing after 2000 .

Literature 403 This increased social acceptance and public visibility of lesbian and gay families parallels political discussions about marriage equality and adoption . If traditional publishing companies with marketing and production budgets are now publishing content , that attests to the marketability of these books , not just to families but to all families who wish to provide their children with realistic windows into the world . This is not to say that all queer content has found a home in publishing or that traditional publishing is even desirable for all authors producing children picture books . For instance , Myles Large Fears ( 2015 ) a series of about , a queer Black boy who loves pink and wants to go to Mars , was In a 2019 Twitter exchange with me , Johnson said , has limits , but it is perfect if you see a demand and just let the audience fund it instead of waiting on unique narrative style and focus on the subjectivity of a Black queer boy make pursuing traditional publishing , which primarily considers ability and , challenging . Small , presses and are still more likely than traditional publishers to publish content that engages marginalized social identities . For instance , Inhabit Media , an Figure . The board book Daddy , Papa , and Me ( 2008 ) Deborah .

404 Introduction to Studies Figure . Myles Large Fears ( 2015 ) Deborah . publishing company founded in 2006 , published Mike and Kerry Families ( a picture book that Various family forms , including lesbian and gay Although a handful of books on transgender experience have been published traditionally , most continue to be published by nontraditional means . The very queer Flamingo Rampant , a Canadian micro press funded , I in Figure . esse Mike and Kerry Families ( 2017 ) Deborah .

Literature 405 by , explores queer gender and sexual identities as they intersect with other identity categories , including race and In one of their publications , A Princess Great Daring ( 2015 ) written by and illustrated by , a transgender girl has not seen her friends all summer and prepares to share her gender identity with them for the first time . two moms drop her off at her friend house , and her friends are playing a game in which they save a princess from a dragon . Jamie offers to be the princess , and the boys are excited to have someone to rescue . interrupts the narrative by declaring that she will be a princess of great Concerned that they will have no one to rescue , one of the boys , Liam , volunteers to be captured by a dragon , but even the dragon der expectations . She grabbed Liam only because she was lonely . When the game ends , friends tell her that she makes a great princess . She takes the opportunity to explain that she is a girl . They immediately accept her , and ask how they can best offer their Not surprisingly , in more traditional presses , marriage became an increasingly popular theme throughout the and second decades of the , mirroring the increased visibility of sociopolitical debates about marriage equality . Sarah Uncle Bobby Wedding ( 2008 ) tells about Chloe , a little girl worried that her favorite uncle will have less time for her once he marries his partner . Extended family are accepting of the relationship , and Chloe comes around once she realizes the joy of having two uncles . Newman Donovan Day ( 2011 ) also takes up the theme of marriage , this time through the point of view of a young boy whose mothers are . me a ma an iv Newman ( In Figure . Newman Big ( 2011 ) Deborah .

406 Introduction to Studies Additionally , over the last several years , books have introduced Very young readers to transgender and children , and to a lesser extent , adults have begun to appear . For instance , Worm Loves Worm ( 2016 ) written by . Austrian and illustrated by Mike , is a candid story about two worms who fall in love and wish to marry . Their insect and arachnid friends demand they jump through all the hoops , including getting rings even though they do have and buying a cake even though they eat only dirt . They go along with everything until it comes to choosing who will wear the white wedding dress and who will wear the tuxedo . At that point , the worms queer gender expectations when one wears the dress with a top hat and the other wears the tuxedo with a veil . Another example , Square Pair ( 2015 ) written by ase and illustrated by Christine , takes place in a fantasy world inhabited by . hatch from eggs that grow from vines . Some are tall and square others are short and round . Round and square always form a pair by attaching tails . One day two square pair . The community is outraged and demands they leave the group , using rhetoric like that of the Right . After the exiled save the other from starving during an unexpected winter storm , they are accepted back into the community , which echoes the demand for queers to be exceptional to be Stories about children are also ( slowly ) ning to appear . In Thomas by Heart ( 2018 ) two boys share an affectionate friendship that makes the adults in their lives able . This is one of only two representations of love between children available in children picture Ernesto When We Love Someone We Sing to Them Cuando ( 2018 ) is the other ( It is a joyful celebration of relationships and young love . Martinez depiction of the Mexican tradition subtly queers custom . It was not until 2009 , with the publication of Cheryl My Princess , that transgender and children began appearing in children picture books . The protagonist , who is never named but instead referred to by the as my Princess Boy , seems to be effortlessly accepted by family and friends . This book and others like it break out of the mold present in earlier books by representing boys who enjoy toys and activities associated with girls as accepted by family and Two years later , the gay author Marcus published one of the first children picture books , Dresses ( 2011 ) illustrating the experiences of a transgender girl . The child , Bailey , is bullied by family members who insist she is a boy even though she knows she a girl .

Literature 407 Figure . Martinez When We Love Someone We Sing to Them Cuando ( 2018 ) Deborah . Rex Ray illustrates the text , providing the reader access to Bailey inner life by depicting her dreams and thoughts . Every morning when Bailey wakes up , she tells a family member about the dream she had the previous night . Every morning a new family member dismisses her dream , ignores her attempt at , and tries to silence her . After her brother threatens her with physical violence , Bailey runs away from him . She meets an older girl named Laurel who is the only character besides Bailey who is given a name and face . The two girls create beautiful dresses together . The image is of the girls wearing the dresses they worked together to make . The book alludes to chosen families through Bailey experience of rejection by her heterosexual ily and the support she with Laurel . I Am ( 2014 ) is an autobiographical children picture book by and the title character , azz . now a young transgender woman with her own show , first entered the spotlight in 2007 when she was featured on a about transgender children . This book is a to children literature because it is by and narrated from the perspective of the transgender child books published in the last few years demonstrate how social and cultural visibility of youth has increased . that youth especially medical models of care for young queer people that better meet their needs .

408 Introduction to Studies The Making of Literature The conversations that surround children literature , challenges and celebrations of its existence , are an important part of the fields story . The internet has played a critical role in increasing the visibility of identities and aiding postmillennial queer community building . Blogs by book reviewers , parents , teachers , social workers , and librarians have provided a virtual grassroots campaign to spread the word about children books . For instance , Sustenance for Lesbian Moms is a parenting blog that was founded in 2005 when the creator noted a lack of sites with current , practical news and information for parents , or sites that looked at other aspects of culture with a parent 24 The blog contains a wealth of information about children culture and smart reviews of dozens of books . The recent emergence of literary awards provide children literature a degree of respectability and authority . For instance , the Stonewall Book Award , which is administered by the American Library Association Gay , Lesbian , Bisexual , and Transgender Round Table , was established in 1971 , but a Children and Young Adult Literature Award was not created until 2010 . The Lambda Literary Awards began edging and awarding authors and writers of content in 1989 and created a category for Children and Young Adult Literature in 1992 . Awards lend legitimacy to the . Both of these relatively new awards help children books get the accolades they Less affirming discourses predate blogs and awards . Children ture has many gatekeepers parents , educators , librarians , even publishers themselves . Representations of lesbian , gay , and transgender experiences , expressions , and identities remain some of the most contested within the world of children literature . According to the American Library ation , two of the top ten most contested books of the represented queer parenting Dad ! Roommate , by Michael , and Newman Heather Has Controversies over children literature are hardly a thing of the past . In the , myriad attempts to keep books with content out of libraries and classrooms have sprung up across the United States as well as globally . In Kansas there were attempts to remove Am jazz and other books with transgender characters from libraries . Attempts have been made to ban the books of children author Gayle Pitman in Colorado , Texas , and Illinois . The political , cultural , and personal of picture books can be best understood by cataloging responses to it . Like

Literature 409 Explore Peruse Miller Them , Choose an children picture book to read . What of identity , community , or culture are ?

What changes in topics , tone , and style do you see in books published earlier versus more recently ?

What key themes can you identify through them ?

Miller talks about children picture books as a powerful socializing How might the book you chose to read be described as helping children develop a sense of cultural expectations or understand diverse social roles ?

the texts themselves , discourses that challenge and discourses that the work are critical archives of feeling and practice that shifting social and cultural responses to identity . IN LESBIAN YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE Maddison Lauren Simmons To explore the rising importance and acceptance of the and uncover and themes , this section examines lesbian young adult fiction , novels written for to , that have a lesbian protagonist . Eight popular and accessible novels written since the are the basis of this examination , with one or two books selected from each decade . All include a woman attracted to other women , with most of them being clear that the character is a lesbian ( or in one case , bisexual ) In the discussion , queer refers to women who identify as lesbian , bisexual , pansexual , or queer . The first young adult novel was not published until 1976 , Rosa Guy Rub ) According to Christine and Michael Cart , the general types of stories with queer characters published between 1969 and 2016 had one of three themes homosexual visibility , gay assimilation , or queer . Homosexual ity refers to a character coming out and the tension that might happen

410 Introduction to Studies when the invisible is made Gay assimilation involves a melting pot of sexual and gender identity , and these stories involve characters who just happen to be gay but its not their main characteristic . Finally , stories that involve queer consciousness show characters in the context of a 29 Although the homosexual visibility category is seen in nearly every novel , gay assimilation novels were more common in the 19905 to early , and stories with queer communities were more common after 2000 . This could be due to changing attitudes with respect to the queer community over the decades . Novels closer to the have more positive and diverse queer representation . Like literature more generally , lesbian young adult tends to fall into one of the three categories and Cart introduce . In addition , the narrow of lesbian young adult fiction includes these ( the Miserable Lesbian , which refers to lesbians depicted as unhappy and lonely , the Lesbian Victim , who has experienced acts of homophobia and violence as punishment for her sexuality , the Confused Parents , who think that they did something wrong while ing their daughter and that why she gay , or they think that someone turned their daughter gay , Lesbian , in which she feels right with her sexuality and queer love interest , and ( Found Family , focusing on the importance of friends and on those in the queer munity triumphing over hardship and coming together as a family when the biological family of a queer person is lacking . The earliest lesbian young adult novels are littered with unhappy and lonely queer characters , secret relationships , and violence against the bian characters . Of the eight books examined for this project , the stories published in the and ( and even some into the early ) exhibited these of the miserable lesbian and the lesbian victim , but they accomplish the homosexual visibility and gay assimilation that and Cart . Although they may have been unhappy , queer characters were at least there , allowing some sort of visibility , even if the queer character didn get a happy ending . This is important because it showed lesbian characters during a time when the community was not accepted in general society . Between the and early , novels that enfolded the beliefs of society at the time encountered less pushback than those featuring an out and proud lesbian who had no problems with her sexuality . People expected lesbian and queer to face setbacks because of their sexuality , but as they became more represented and accepted , over time the stories about queer characters were able to evolve from miserable lesbians to lesbians who are out and proud and facing little to no pushback for their sexuality . Rosa Guy Ruby ( 1976 ) is often heralded as the first lesbian young adult novel . In the book , Ruby Cathy and her family

Literature 411 move from the West Indies to Harlem , New York . The story describes the family adjustment to Harlem and Ruby budding relationship with Daphne , a and charming girl in Ruby classroom . Ruby is described as a terribly lonely girl plagued by sadness , but she sees Daphne as a way to escape her loneliness . Although the story touch on lesbianism much and never explicitly Ruby as a lesbian , this was the young adult novel that involved a relationship between two women . This book is a great example of and Cart sexual visibility because , although Ruby is not happy , at least her story was published and people could read about a young queer woman and her relationship with another woman . Anne Peters novel Keeping You a Secret ( 2003 ) is about land , the protagonist , realizing she has feelings for a girl named Cece and their eventual relationship . This novel back to the miserable lesbian trope of earlier years because Holland gets kicked out of her house once her mother learns about her and Cece . But it also anticipates the presence of queer community , because Holland uses local queer resources to move into a apartment complex . This novel includes the confused parent , lesbian victim , and and falls in line with all three themes of and Cart . Although her life seems bleak after she is kicked out , Holland believes that one day things will be okay and she will have a home , pride , and acceptance within the queer By the early , the queer community theme and found family trope are widely used . Published in 2012 but set in 1990 , The lion Cameron Post , written by Emily ( is set I , Figure . The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily . Deborah .

412 Introduction to Studies in a conversion therapy camp . This story involves the miserable lesbian , lesbian victim , and found family and falls into Jenkins and Cart queer community category . Although the camp itself is extremely toxic and is meant to break down the very essence of who each camper is in order to convert them to heterosexuality , the friendships formed between the more rebellious campers are a saving grace in a place where they would otherwise lose sight of who they are . As the first semester at the camp comes to an end , all the campers go home to their families during ter break . After spending months with new people and having practically zero Contact from her life before , Cameron notes how strange it feels to be leaving camp . She realizes that the camp has become home , but more specifically , she realizes just how important the friendships she made have been . Despite the circumstances that brought them together , Cameron feels closer to the other campers than she does to her aunt , who sent her to the camp . This shows that , even though this type of camp was meant to strip away the essence of who a queer person was , it did always work and sometimes created stronger friendships and a strong found These Witches Don ( 2019 ) written by Isabel Sterling , is about a teen witch named Hannah who has to deal with her and an attack on her Coven while managing life as a teenager . This novel is with positive representations of queer characters , and and Cart theme of queer community is very present in this novel . The trope of is also prevalent , but because Hannah is an out lesbian from the page , the trope focuses more on her feeling right with her new love interest than on wrestling with her sexuality . A lot of queer characters throughout These Witches Don Bum show queer consciousness and the importance of positive queer representation . There are lesbian neighbors who are married and expecting a child , there a trans coworker at Hannah job , and various other queer students . When Hannah first meets her new coworker Cal , she slips up and mentions her ex and then has to say that her ex is another woman . She is nervous , her internal monologue saying , Coming out is always , no matter how many times I do Cal then comes out to her , mentioning an of his and that he trans , and nah recalls instantly feeling a tighter kinship with my new coworker , like seeing a familiar face in a crowd of strangers 32 Theres a powerful dynamic when queer people meet in a public space and recognize that the other is queer . When two queer characters meet in a story and recognize that the other is queer , it lets readers know that nothing bad is going to happen to them ( at least with the other person ) because of their sexuality .

Literature When people are not accepted by their birth families , stories of found families and queer communities resonate deeply . These and themes are important not just as story elements but for queer readers to see themselves in fiction . Even with the ruling of Hodges in 2015 , which legalized gay marriage in all states , there are still homophobic people who do support queer people . Although society is generally becoming more inclusive and welcoming of different people , not everyone is lucky enough to be loved and supported by their biological family when they come out . Queer friendships are usually stronger than other types because most queer people live with the fear that they will eventually come in contact with someone who hates them just because they queer . Finding another queer person and creating a found family that provides safety , love , and support is an incredibly important event in real life and in literature . The trope of and feeling right with a queer partner is in nearly every novel of this project . The character deals with their sexuality or , if they were already out , with their feelings for another woman . In Annie on My Mind ( 1982 ) and Keeping You a Secret ( 2003 ) especially , in a moment of gay panic , the main character slowly realizes she is queer and freaks out , but her worries melt away once she kisses her love interest and feels that nothing had ever been more right or made as much sense . In the novels published after 2010 , there is less of this gay panic and more nonchalance about sexuality , because the main character was usually already aware of her sexuality and okay with Even if the story has many pitfalls and trials for the queer , at least each novel mentions that being with the right person , no matter their gender or sexuality , feels right and good and brings peace . It something that most people can relate to , and it a powerful ment that queer relationships by implying that queer people and queer relationships are not inherently disgusting or wrong . Allowing queer characters the same ability to or . Right , but of the same gender , queerness in a heteronormative society . Since the 19705 , lesbian young adult novels have moved away from the miserable lesbian trope and toward happier lesbian characters who a strong queer community and feel love and acceptance . The trend of the and themes discussed here suggest that , one day , queer experiences will be with less tragedy , but until then , literature will continue to have a strong queer community and an of stories .

414 Introduction to Studies Read Lo writes about her journey toward embracing literature and ies that feature lesbian characters in her blog post The Invisible Lesbian in Young Adult Fiction , February 10 , 2020 ( What is your experience of viewing or reading about lesbian characters ?

Does the discussion of in lesbian young adult literature help you understand your own response ?

Lo states , Cis queer women have always been because we exist at an intersection of misogyny and homophobia , at minimum . Add in race , disability , class , and things become even more Discuss any con you see between this statement and the in lesbian young adult fiction discussed here . Lo talks about the relative lack of recognition for lesbian young adult fiction in the last ten years , using literature awards as an example . She asks why cis queer girls have not been recognized and introduces the idea of mi not as a personal attitude but a system that enforces attitudes . Expand on her ideas using what you have learned about how in lesbian young adult fiction have evolved over time . TRANS AND CHARACTERS IN YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE Robert Literature for young readers constantly to and speak to the experiences of children and teens in different geographic and , rapidly , as in the case of gender and time as the sociopolitical landscape shifts ?

Literature the realities of youth is indeed Very reactive to the sociopolitical landscapes in which it is written and published . As queer and trans acceptability grows in mainstream media and the political landscape , so too does representation increase in the literature published for young people . This section focuses primarily on literature produced between 2000 and 2020 for middle grade readers , between the ages of eight and twelve , and young adult readers , between the ages of twelve and eighteen .

Literature 415 ing with a look at where transgender representation in young adult began , this chapter then follows a time line of transgender and representation in middle grade and young adult literature , highlighting the evolution of gender identities in these years . The last part of the chapter explores used themes or literary devices that can become cliche over trans and narratives and how they can be problematic . Beginnings The year 2004 is often cited as the beginning of transgender in literature for young adults , and in many respects , this is true . In this year Luna , the young adult novel with a transgender , was published , but it was not the instance of a transgender character in young adult That distinction is given , as and Cart note , to Francesca Lia Block short story Dragons in tan , published in her 1996 collection Girl Goddess They further note that although the story itself is young adult , the trans character is an adult , unlike the vast majority of trans characters in young adult literature today . Five years after Block short story , Emma published The Welcome in Michael Cart edited collection Love and Sex Ten Stories 77711 ( 2001 ) Both Block and short stories feature trans women , as does Luna . These are to be commended for paving the way for future transgender and other characters , but since that time , scholars have noted the problematic nature of these early representations , particularly in Luna , mostly due to the emphasis on Luna sibling , rather than Luna herself , and also because Luna is portrayed as a burden to her family and friends throughout the novel . The existence of other characters in young adult literature is a relatively new phenomenon spanning just over two decades , even less when looking only at novels . With this in mind , the many varieties of gender identities now represented is , especially considering how long it took to move beyond gay and lesbian Since Luna , there has been greater of characters who are not , including transgender , intersex , and representation . These diverse gender representations are important for many sons . Sims Bishop notes in her work on children literature that books function as mirrors and Diverse representation , therefore , allows more young readers to see themselves in the books they read , thus reinforcing that their existence is legitimate and . A person whose gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth . transgender A person whose gender identity or gender expression differs from the sex assigned at birth . A person whose gender identity is not static , not solely male or female , and sometimes not completely either category . intersex A person born with one of several forms of anatomical sex characteristics . Someone who either has the experience of two genders , which can be binary or , or experiences both genders simultaneously or alternates between them . A person whose gender identity is not exclusively male or female . Some transgender people are . two spirit A person who has both a masculine and a feminine spirit or some other gender variant used by some Indigenous people to describe their sexual , gender , or spiritual identity .

416 Introduction to Studies worthy of deeper exploration in literature . As windows , literature for young readers allows a glimpse into the lives and worlds of others . This is the lens through which the remainder of this section is constructed , thereby emphasizing the necessity and impact of diverse representations of gender in young adult literature . A Time Line of Firsts Building on the momentum from the publication of Luna ( 2004 ) Ellen wrote ( 2007 ) first instance of a trans man in young adult follows Grady in his physical and mental transition while dealing with an family ( Two years later , Brian novel , Almost ( 2009 ) arrived on the scene and won a Stonewall Book Award from the American Library , the oldest and largest professional organization for librarians . novel began to gather more negative reviews from trans teens over the years following its publication , however , because of the many stereotypes the narrative relies on . In the same year , the novel ( 2009 ) by Adam was published and two more short stories came out in Michael Cart edited collection How the Twelve Stories of Identity ( 2009 ) Figure . Ellen ( 2007 ) Deborah .

Literature 417 Another occurred with the publication of Am by Cris Beam in 2010 ( is assigned female at birth and is looking for medical intervention to transition , but because he is not eighteen and his parents do know that he is trans , he can not legally access hormone treatment . But what makes this novel a is that is both and Puerto Rican , making this the instance of a nonwhite transgender teen in young adult A banner year for literature for trans and young adults , 2012 saw the publication of three novels with der characters and the instance of a secondary character . Happy Families by Davis explores the lives of a Black family as their father comes out as transgender , and Rachel Gold ( 2012 ) follows Emily as she is forced into reparative therapy to cure her Emily The of Cameron Post ( 2012 ) also focuses on conversion therapy , and although it focuses on a lesbian protagonist , includes a character named Last , published the Stonewall Book Music for Ugly Children ( 2012 ) In 2013 , Kristin Elizabeth Clark published , a novel in verse from the perspectives of three different characters , two of whom are transgender . Another book , Boys by David , features Figure . Am by Cris Beam . Deborah .

418 Introduction to Studies alternating chapters from the perspectives of different characters , one of whom is transgender , which revolve around an attempt by two boys to break the world record for longest Middle grade literature saw its transgender protagonist in 2014 with Ami Grayson . Additionally , For Am a Boy , by Kim Fu , includes the first Asian trans protagonist ( But what makes 2014 stand out , in addition to these texts , is that the first instance of an intersex character appeared in Bridget Double Exposure , in which struggles to understand and accept her body and her gender in a world of . This year also saw the publication of a pair of trans young adult memoirs by Katie Rain Hill and Andrews . Hill Normal and Andrews Some Assembly Required explore the lives of these teens both individually and during the time that they were dating each other . These books started a small wave of trans young adult memoir over the next five years . A further nonfiction title , Beyond Magenta , by Susan , features the stories of trans youth and the challenges they face every day living in the United Another transgender middle grade novel , George , came out in 2015 ( The book was written by Alex Gino , a author , and garnered a number of awards . In 2021 , the book was Melissa to show respect for the protagonists gender identity . Robin Muss KIM FU Figure . For Today Am a Boy by Kim Fu . Deborah .

Literature 419 GEORGE Figure . The original publication and cover of Melissa by Alex Gino . Deborah . It What We Left Behind ( 2015 ) about Toni , a character questioning their According to and Cart , within this novel every conceivable word in the transgender vocabulary is bandied about , and analyzed , making this novel not only enjoyable but also Two more intersex protagonists also showed up on the scene Alex as Well ( Alyssa , 2015 ) and None of the Above ( Gregorio , 2015 ) And to make 2015 even more exciting , Pat published Lizard Radio , featuring a Was Your Girl ( 2016 ) was the first young adult novel written by a transgender author , Meredith Russo . That same year , eff published Symptoms of Being Human ( 2016 ) a novel focusing on a teen who explores expectations of a binary world both in high school life and online through a series of blog posts . published a highly decorated novel called When the Moon Was Ours ( 2016 ) which features dual protagonists , one of whom is trans . Girl Mans Up ( 2016 ) a novel about a teen by Canadian author , was also published the same Books like Lizard Radio and When the Moon Was Ours showed the possibilities of combining trans narratives with genre , a trend that continued into 2017 with Dreadnought by April Daniels and Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller . An acclaimed book by

420 Introduction to Studies Slater , The 57 Bus ( 2017 ) chronicles the true story of a young trans girl whose skirt was set on in a prank and the young Black man who was painted as a monster in the wake of the crime . and Ram , by Sonia Patel , a novel set in Hawaii , explores not only gender but also the plight of young sex workers . Another middle grade novel , Felix , by Lisa Bunker , features a grandparent who goes by In 2018 , Adam Garnet adapted his film into a young adult novel called Fire Song , which features Canadian Indigenous queer youth and looks at gender roles and gender expectations within that context ( Mason brought out another nary character in I Wish You All the Best in 2019 , and what makes it even better is that is a author . Kings , Queens , and , by Tanya , features drag , gender questioning , and explorations of gender nonconformity with a diverse cast of primary and secondary Two 2020 novels bringing new gender identities into mainstream young adult fiction are , who writes about a in Felix Ever After , and in Somebody Me , Mia examines what it means to be Many more new and emerging identities no doubt will be featured in the coming years , and considering how long it took from the emergence of queer literature for teens in 1969 to the first trans young adult novel JET , JE Figure . Adam Garnet ones Fire Song . Deborah .

Literature 421 in 2004 , there has been a huge change in what is included under the umbrella of gender and sexual diversity in literature for teens . However , because there are still so few representations in the larger landscape , it is necessary to understand at least a few of the common and problematic that exist in the body of transgender and literature for young adults . And along with those , the ing majority of existing young adult and middle grade revolves around white suburban families under the umbrella of temporary realistic , making it difficult to even racial and class diversity among trans and representation . and Troubles Many trans young adult novels until very recently have been written by authors , and therefore a large majority of earlier young adult novels feature such as the narrative in which being transgender is described almost entirely as being born into the wrong body . Although some trans people may feel this way , many do not , and for audiences to see this trope time and again can force the idea of a universal trans experience . Other discussed here include the acceptance narrative , the hero journey , and the focus on physical transitioning in middle grade and young adult novels featuring trans and young people . Clarence Harlan notes in the Los Angeles Review of Books , A lot has changed for trans people in the last 15 years , yet the novels a relatively perspective . After reading only a handful of these books . I could usually predict what would happen He continues , In the end , though , they teach the kids ( and parents ) who read them what it means to be trans . When young adult novels and other forms of mainstream media continue to push the same over and over again , audiences construct a false understanding of trans lived experiences , including the idea that trans existence is defined by physical and psychological trauma . Brian novel makes for an almost perfect ( pardon the pun ) point to better understand other common . Almost Perfect is an novel , but its narrative arc and character descriptions follow what steadily became a trope thanks to Luna and . These early novels , and many since , follow a trope that Vee calls the acceptance narrative , in which the focus is on characters and their ways of coping with gender people in their lives . Even when the novels have trans , they are still often focused on the reactions of peers or family

422 Introduction to Studies members . claims that in the acceptance narrative trope , der characters often realize they have been horrible to trans people and should be nicer , but not until after many years of torment and In 2016 , expanded on the acceptance narrative , explaining a slightly more nuanced , but still problematic , trope in young adult ture the hero journey . This trope seems more hopeful at first the trans character tends to be the hero of their own story , and they often end up in a more hopeful place at the end . But within the main narrative arc , the trans character still endures hardship in the form of physical or logical trauma . With both of these typical narrative trajectories involving violence toward trans characters , the ultimate message for young readers is that it is impossible to exist as a transgender or person without inevitable trauma . As notes , Over and over again , our pain is used , and misrepresented . To make the very people who make this world so terrifying for us feel good about themselves . Even in memoir and other nonfiction , texts tend to focus on physical transition , medical intervention , and navigating trauma , which in turn raises the question Who are these books for ?

With fictional trans and trans teen memoir focusing mostly on the transgender body , readers are left with the idea that being trans is entirely about the physical self , not about other aspects of life and enjoyment . It seems that much of the existing literature is still written to educate readers rather than tell individual stories where trans characters can experience joy , purpose , and . Watch and Gino talk about how they write stories for young people in The Gender Question and Alex Gino on and Stories ( How does , after reading an excerpt , account for in Felix Ever ?

What does Gino add to this discussion ?

The excerpt reads from Felix Ever is about the importance of names for trans characters and people in general . What happens to Felix in the scene , and how do and Gino respond to it ?

What other young adult novels address this issue ?

How do and Gino describe gatekeepers ?

What forms does take ?

What makes queer content particularly vulnerable to censors according to these authors ?

Literature Because so many novels follow this path , the idea of a universal trans experience means that existing literature may seem on the surface , but underneath , the core of many trans young adult narratives is the same . Novels such as those by , Gino , and even those by trans youth themselves , like Katie Rain Hill and Andrews , attempt to break free from the universality of so much existing . By using personal trans and ing authors can mirror their experiences within the literature that they create , thus allowing for more accurate and nuanced representation of trans and lives . Things are certainly improving , but there is still a long way to go . COMICS and Cathy Corder Graphic told through sequential images with come in many forms comic strips , superhero comics , graphic novels , manga , and more . Whereas the format of a picture story goes back , our notion of comics is primarily a development . comics have an antecedent that is distinct from European the earliest comic strips were found on the sports pages in daily papers , between reports on baseball , boxing , and horse racing . Indeed , the first comic strip , Matt and ( two men with a close relationship ) debuted in 1907 as a strip that focused solely on Mutt , a racetrack gambler . This sports orientation set the tone for many later comics as a heterosexual genre , both in the characters and situations depicted and in the industry behind the comics . In the 19305 , however , comics could be quite playful about gender and sexual orientation . For example , the two main characters in George comic Kat , which ran from 1913 to 1944 , are Krazy Kat and Mouse . Krazy loves , and what makes this relationship special is that other characters in the strip refer to Krazy by both male and female pronouns . Krazy at times wonders whether they should marry a man or a woman . Comics could also be quite explicit , as seen in the Tijuana bibles , which were typically very cheap , publications that Hollywood stars and other popular , such as Archie from the comics , with situations that include and homosexual couples and threesomes and sometimes animals . The were extremely popular during the 19305 and paralleled the overt sexuality then common in films ( the innuendo of Mae West )

424 Introduction to Studies Comics Code Regulations imposed by the Comics Code Authority that prohibited morally objectionable material , such as graphic violence and sexual content , and restricted story lines . which in turn led to the imposition of the Hays Code ( an effort to censor movies . Fans and scholars alike recognize the Golden Age of comics as the years to 1956 , a period that saw the introduction of popular superheroes . World War II , in particular , inspired the rise of Superman , Batman , Wonder Woman , and many other superheroes . Also appearing in the and early were two other popular genres crime comics , such as Crime Stones , published in 1947 , and horror comics , such as Tales from the Crypt , which began in 1950 . These two genres were rife with extreme violence and development that did not sit well with the conservative social backlash of the . Censorship of American Comics Into this cultural atmosphere came , a psychiatrist who had expressed disapproval of comics for years , including in a 1948 view , Horror in the Nursery , and a symposium speech , The of Comic In 1954 , published his infamous book , Seduction of the Innocent The of Comic Books on Youth , which argued that comics , by depicting morally questionable acts and images , were a cause of juvenile delinquency . expressed concern regarding graphic violence , drug use , sexual imagery , and other topics . One of his major concerns , however , was what he considered to be implied homosexual content . He argued , among many other points on the subject , that Wonder Woman , an independent and physically and emotionally forceful woman , was implied to be lesbian and that Batman and Robin , two bachelor males living together and emotionally close to each other , were implied to be book led to hearings before the newly formed US . Senate Subcommittee on juvenile Delinquency in 1954 . By the summer after the Senate hearings , fifteen comics publishers had gone out of business , and multiple city councils had passed ordinances banning crime and horror comics . The surviving publishers , in desperation , formed an organization known as the Comics Code Authority to police their own publications . The Comics Code Authority wrote and enforced the Comics Code , which was based on the earlier Hays Code but had many far stricter regulations that prohibited anything considered remotely morally . The Comics Code covered graphic violence and sexual content but also had extensive mandates regarding acceptable story lines It required , for instance , that in every instance good shall triumph over evil .

Literature 425 It effectively banned entire genres . It disallowed references to physical and ties ( disabilities ) It forbade the portrayal of racial prejudice , which was used to disallow the inclusion of any nonwhite central characters in what had previously been an unusually racially diverse A primary focus of the Comics Code was sexual activity . Though the Hays Code had made generic statements about sex perversion , the Comics Code was more and verbose . It prohibited sexual ties , sadism , illicit sex relations , and on and on . It required that any romantic stories emphasize the sanctity of marriage phrasing that may sound familiar today . And among the most forceful prohibitions was a mirror of the Hays Code Sex perversion or any inference sic to same is strictly forbidden . 59 Superhero comics were nearly the only genre able to adapt to the dozens of comprehensive rules , and other genres fell to the wayside . A large portion of publishers had already gone out of business and many more were unable to sustain readership while following the Comics Code . This left most comics , especially superhero comics , to only two Comics , now known as Comics , and Atlas Comics , now known as Marvel Comics . The Comics Code led to and cemented the lasting image of superheroes as morally unassailable and superhero narratives as morally simplistic . And it removed nearly all diversity . Underground The Comics Code devastated the comics not entirely . The and witnessed the rise of underground comics , many of which started in college newspapers and the collegial culture of rebellion . One early example of underground , as they were called , is Zap , a series that Robert Crumb and other authors and artists introduced in 1968 . The comics scholar Hillary Chute has identified this underground industry as very much a boys ' club that produced narratives with a strong white , male heteronormative focus on taboo subjects and gender and racial Zap , for example , had the bisexual characters Captain and his Pervert Pirates , who were kinky drug addicts . Following are some highlights of underground that include characters

426 Introduction to Studies Matt series Life in Hell , which began in the late and ran until 2012 , featured Akbar and eff , who are gay rabbits . In 1976 , Garry introduced the gay character Andy to , which started in 1970 and is still running today Andy died of AIDS in 1990 . In response to the comics of this period , a group of women organized to publish , a comics anthology that ran from 1972 to 1992 . The issue included a story with a lesbian main character , Sandy Comes Howard Cruse was the editor of a similar comics anthology , Gay , which ran from 1980 to 1998 . Cruse also in 1986 , which is the first queer comic strip with a gay author . His graphic memoir , Stuck Rubber Baby , relates his coming of age as a gay boy growing up in the South and his participation in the civil rights The comic book series Strangers Paradise , by Terry Moore , ran successfully from 1993 to 2007 . At the heart of this , which often took a turn toward mystery and intrigue , was a romantic triangle between two women , one of whom identifies as lesbian , and the man who meets them . The comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison ran from 1983 to 2008 ( The strip follows a group of lesbians in real time through personal and political struggles , starting with the Ronald Reagan years and young love and continuing through graduate school , parenting , ing in and out of love , and the election of Donald Trump . My personal favorite , Hothead Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist , was initially in 1991 by Diane Massa ( figure ) Hothead rages against a sexist society by castrating men . The comic series ran until 1998 . Roberta Gregory comic book series Bits ran from 1991 to 2004 , and her comics starred Midge , or Bitchy Bitch , and Bitchy Butch , the angriest dyke in the world .

the essential DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR ALISON ?

mi , Figure . Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison ran from 1983 to 2008 . Deborah . Literature Figure . Various Paisan issues by Diane . Deborah . 427 428 Introduction to Studies One important landmark publication almost changed the comics industry . Art , which was published serially in Raw magazine from 1980 to 1991 , demonstrated that the genre could maintain a high artistic quality and deal with substantive issues . The alternative and independent comics that emerged from the underground in the and early built on this newly found status , and notable publications that depicted lesbian characters are Alison graphic memoir Fun Home ( 2006 ) and Shannon comic book series . The latter series started in 2014 and relates the adventures of five girls at Miss Thistle Crumpet Camp for Hardcore Lady Types , an camp with activities that encourage transgressive gender roles . Reintroducing Characters in Mainstream Comics Over decades , authors , artists , and publishers had gradually chipped away at the code , but characters were among the last major frontiers . Asexual characters can be counted on one hand transgender characters on two . Most characters have been introduced using various tactics to soften their impact , to make them less shocking and more . Acceptance of people and issues in society , as a whole , has been a major factor enabling progress . Inclusion has in toward the center from the first comics , then smaller publishers , then the publications of large publishers , and the center of the mainstream . Here follows a short time line of the inclusion of characters in superhero comics , showing those shifts . 1988 The first gay character , appeared in no . he was not technically out but was an intensely caricature . 1991 The reformed villain Pied Piper came out as gay in The Flash no . 53 . 1992 The first explicitly gay hero , came out in Alpha Flight no . 106 . The creator , ohn , had intended for him to be gay since his debut in 1979 but had been repeatedly overridden by editors . 1992 One of the first heroes , Element Lad , a relationship in Legion of Superheroes no . 31 , a soap comic . This character was later retroactively written out as having never happened .

Literature 429 1993 A bisexual transgender woman , Coagula , starting in Doom Patrol no . 70 under an Comics imprint . She was created by Rachel Pollack , a transgender writer . 1994 A transgender man , Masquerade , was outed in Blood Syndicate no . 10 under another Comics print . He was a shapeshifter who used his ability to present as male but had dialogue that made clear his identity as a transitioned man . 1999 Apollo and , written as parallels to man and Batman , became a couple in The no . under yet another Comics imprint . 2002 Apollo and became the married gay couple in superhero comics in The Authority no . 29 . 2005 Billy Kaplan and Teddy , a gay teenage couple , were introduced as main characters in Young Avengers no . though this was not initially explicit , and they would not explicitly kiss until 2012 . 2006 The major lesbian hero , debuted in New 52 , Volume , no . 2011 Comics and Archie Comics abandoned the Comics Code , the last major publishers to do so . 2012 A character , Sir , came out in Demon Knights no . 14 after a year of their gender ambiguity being used as a running gag . 2012 Shortly after New York legalized marriage , had the wedding in mainstream comics in no . 51 . 2014 Loki said he as both a man and a woman in Loki Agent of Asgard no . This makes him arguably the transgender character not only in comics but also in all of popular culture , but Very few people are aware that he is transgender . 2016 Apollo and became the gay couple to headline a comic with the miniseries Apollo and . 2016 , a character in Archie Comics , came out as asexual in jughead no .

430 Introduction to Studies 2016 Wonder Woman was stated to be bisexual by a writer , although the references to this in the comics themselves are subtle and easily missed or denied . 2017 Loki used the word to describe himself for the first time in Unbeatable Squirrel Girl no . 27 . and Themes characters in comics show many of the same as in other negative , some neutral , some maybe even positive . ever , some appear with particular frequency in comics , as opposed to other media . These are often employed to make the characters less visibly gay , thus less likely to be forbidden by the Comics Code ity ( in earlier years ) and easier on the , industry both earlier and later . A very abbreviated list of a few of them follows . Explicit Naming Several characters are stated to be by writers or editors , but the actual text contains only hints toward their identity . This allows the characters to technically be without the average reader being aware of it . This is particularly common with characters such as Deadpool and Wonder Woman . Shapeshifters Nearly all transgender characters in fiction are inhuman , and comics are no exception . Comics , though , are unusually fond of the shapeshifter , who shifts between genders and simultaneously physically between sexes . Thus at any given point , the reader is able to think of the character as and does have to deal with a character identity not matching their body . And neither do the people in charge . Examples include Loki , Mystique , and . Its Not Gay If It an Alternate Universe This trope , nearly unique to comics , depends on comics use of the multiverse . Characters are often portrayed as in alternate verses , allowing both companies and audiences to deny that any queerness exists in the primary versions of those . The trope is ridiculously common , applying to dozens of characters . Bombshells is particularly notable . Bombshells

Literature 431 is an alternate universe with its own series in which nearly the entire cast ( composed of alternate versions of preexisting characters ) is lesbian , bisexual , transgender , or some combination . A variant of the trope makes a character a different gender so that a pair can be together without being at all . Dark Fantastic Four no . shows an alternate universe in which Captain America and Iron Man are Iron Man is a woman . In other narratives , characters in alternate universes with the same roles and titles but different names are . But Not Too Gay This occurs across media , but because the Comics Code emphasizes visuals , it is particularly in comics . characters are compared with their straight counterparts . Queer couples are often gether for years without so much as an kiss , as straight couples in the same series are shown in blatantly explicit situations . Queer couples may even be restricted from having any physical contact at all . Explore to Watch Out For ( is Alison famous comic strip that ran from 1983 to 2008 . The online archive ( includes select comic strips , posted by , and responses and commentary by readers and fans . The Essential to Watch Out For includes over years of strips in one book ( Boston , MA Mariner Books , 2008 ) was famous for depicting lesbians responding to and engaging in current political events . The characters in the strip aged in real time , and their relationships evolved as well . What political and social issues does explore in her comic strip ?

Are these still relevant to our lives today ?

How does represent lesbian identity , culture , and community ?

Does her comic strip challenge some of the discussed earlier for comics ?

Describe how violates elements of the Comics Code , particularly in relation to racial prejudice and sexual activity .

432 Introduction to Studies LESBIAN AND GAY PULP FICTION Cathy Carder Many people dismiss pulp as cheap , trashy paperbacks that people read in lieu of literary classics . Yet because they could be produced and distributed so quickly and inexpensively , these stories were able to respond with immediacy to the great changes in society that followed World War II . Sandwiched between the reports on male and female sexual behavior ( 1948 and 1953 ) and landmark censorship trials and the 1969 Stonewall rebellion , the characters and narratives of lesbian and gay pulp fiction a more open attitude toward sexual identities and relationships but also the harsh reality during the McCarthy era of the lavender scare and the moral panics about homosexuality that were used to justify homosexuals from government positions . Pulp fiction that features characters as the primary protagonists was a genre roughly from 1945 to 1970 . These books were usually printed under a pseudonym , and scholars and have been uncovering the real authors , many of whom identify as gay or lesbian . Further , printing houses with owners or sponsors enabled the widespread dissemination of these popular stories . Much pulp fiction from the and was reprinted starting in the by , for example , Naiad Press , Press , and Argo Press . Historical Context for Pulp Fiction The antecedents for pulp fiction go back to the nineteenth century , when the rise of industrialization led to both more economical printing and more spare time for reading among the middle and working classes . The penny press was newspapers that included tion along with news , and because these were so cheaply printed , readers thought nothing of discarding them with the trash . This early popular literature was quite melodramatic and highly , but that quality evolved into the more sensational fiction that sex , sexual crime including rape and incest , crime more generally , family secrets , squalor , and differences between good and evil . One early type of this popular fiction , the city mystery , brought together characters from all classes , races , and genders through convoluted plots that focused on the decadence of the upper class and the vile nature of the lower . Other genres included westerns ( such as the Deadwood Dick series ) horror ( derived from the earlier Gothic genre ) and crime

Literature 433 by A . Entered at Post . New York . as second class . Mar . 15 . 1899 . No . 15 . Issued . June 21 , 185 ! I ' 091118 . 11 I ! in . Wheeler . and police stories . Although none of this literature can be as , it had important features that shaped the queer pulp of the twentieth century . One such feature was the garish covers that quickly the type of story they contained . Figure . An issue from the Deadwood Dick series . Public domain , Edward Collection , Rare Books and Special Collections , Northern Illinois University .

434 Introduction to Studies Another important characteristic , found particularly in the city , was the manner in which these narratives urban spaces where certain communities of people might congregate . Almost every city mystery features secret passages , hidden doors , and shadowed suggesting the dark underworld where social mores could be transgressed . It is no wonder that becomes such a catchword in queer pulp . One of the best contributions of lesbian and gay pulp was to help people see that they could be a part of their city and that there were spaces that would welcome them . Again , although there were no characters in early pulp , there were gay that highlight effete men who wear suffocating perfumes and too much hair oil and voracious women who threaten young virgins . Much popular of the nineteenth century provided the vocabulary and stereotypical characters for later reading audiences concerning individuals who fail to conform to proper social and sexual guidelines . Pulp Fiction in the Twentieth Century The and saw the continuing publication of popular stories in magazine format , and these magazines began to in sorts of stories crime , passion , adventure , romance , and science fiction . These stories continued to feature garish covers and sensational language ( Then , in 1939 , Simon and Publishers established a new division , Pocket Books , which was modeled after Penguin Books in England . With the introduction of a much cheaper form of paper duction based on wood pulp ( hence the genre name ) Pocket Books was able to sell these new paperbacks for cents . At , Pocket Books reprinted literary classics in this new format , which shared of the earlier magazines . Every author from Shakespeare to William could be pulped into a cheaper edition , and lurid cover art and text were part of the process . By the advent of World War II , pulp magazines were lar and they were also considered literature . With wartime paper shortages , magazines soon died out , but publishers made good use of digest and magazine presses to produce Armed vices Editions from 1943 to 1947 . These small and paperbacks were issued to members of the military and introduced new generations of readers to entertaining and distracting stories printed in a portable format . Postwar publishing houses responded to these new readers with an explosion of cheap paperbacks . Gold Medal Books , established

Literature 435 . SINCLAIR on in . GRAY . i ' Figure . An example of an early ' magazine . Will Hart . in 1950 , was the to publish original writing in this format , typically by seven inches , with a glued spine , garish cover art , and cheap , rough paper that quickly turned yellow and disintegrated . Lesbian Pulp Fiction In 1950 , Gold Medal Books printed the lesbian pulp novel Barracks by Torres . This novel is a largely autobiographical account of the time that the author spent in London at a military barracks for women serving in the Free French Forces . Torres herself narrates ,

436 Introduction to Studies relating the life for a group of French women , who differ in age and in experience and who couple and partner in various ways . One of the scenes of the story occurs when the women have stripped naked for their medical evaluation much focus is put on the individual female bodies , both naked and clothed . And one of the characters , of course , commits Appearing soon after Women Barracks were Vin Packer Spring Fire ( 1952 ) considered the first lesbian pulp by a lesbian author , and Patricia The Price of Salt ( 1952 ) written under the name Claire Morgan . The Price of Salt was unusual for its time , in that the two protagonists remain together at the end of the story at the end of Spring Fire , one woman is to a mental hospital because of her unfortunate Lesbian were not the appearance of lesbian women in literature . Earlier in the century , Hall wrote The Well ness ( 1928 ) with the inverted character Stephen Gordon . Barnes published Night Watch in 1936 with the help of a literary agent , and Gale Wilhelm published We Too Are in 1935 with Random House . Although these early works are now considered classics of lesbian , even Hall could be pulped and reissued in the ( Although the earlier lesbian pulp , such as Barracks and Spring Fire , ended tragically in suicide or insanity , a handful of lesbian authors contributed a great deal to the increasing level of acceptance among their readers , due to their complex and positive plot resolutions . Across the nation , lesbians read pulp and learned that they were not alone , and lesbian did much to help these readers establish their own communities . Ann , whom many consider the queen of lesbian , wrote books in the series ( Her characters range from the mannish to more femme characters , demonstrating how far could move from the stereotypical people who transgressed social and sexual Other productive writers included Valerie Taylor , author of The Girls in ( 1959 ) and Stranger on Lesbos ( 1960 ) who wrote , as Vin Packer , Spring Fire and , as Anne , We , Too , Must Love ( 1958 ) and March Hastings , who wrote Three Women ( 1958 ) These authors elevated lesbian pulp with stories and multifaceted characters . And there were hundreds more authors , many of whom remain anonymous , who are just now being and reprinted by such publishers as Naiad Press and Press , which have focused on lost lesbian

Literature 437 . i ' Figure . The Well Loneliness . Deborah . with ?

until she tame to 61 ! Ii knew what she wall the a ! the law that ill a ' Figure . A book by Ann . Deborah .

438 Introduction to Studies Lesbian , much like dime novels and city mysteries in the previous century , were easy to spot by their covers . And , like the earlier sensational fiction , these were disseminated through drug stores , train stations , and other public spaces . This accessibility dovetailed with the increase in communities , whether in women military or women working together in industry in greater numbers , and with the postwar relocation of many young women to large urban centers with gathering spots , such as gay bars . gave these women a language , a map , and a conduct code and contributed to the formation of some of the earliest lesbian civil rights groups , such as the Daughters of , organized in 1955 . Gay Pulp Fiction ust as with lesbian , there were gay literary works in the first half of the twentieth century . Books such as Other Voices , Other Rooms by Truman Capote ( 1948 ) and The City and the Pillar by Gore Vidal ( 1948 ) were notable in that they avoided the tragic plot in which the gay protagonist dies or kills himself or goes insane . However , an early gay pulp , written by Charles , The Fall of Valor ( 1946 ) is a tragic story that mirrors the unhappy life of the author ( also the author of The Lost ) Gay pulp fiction in the frequently partnered a boy story with a narrative of coming out . Two good examples of this story line are Gerald Never the Same Again ( 1956 ) and Russell The Tender Age ( 1952 ) both of which have protagonists who are dealing with the unsettled society of postwar The gay that emerged in the often took two different approaches . In one , the gay protagonist finds and within his new community the second approach takes a much more campy tone . Typical of the first type are the novels of Richard , which include Song of the Loan ( 1966 ) a gay pastoral with gay Native Americans , and its two sequels , Song of ( 1967 ) and Listen , the Loon Sings ( 1968 ) issued by Publishers , a gay printing house based in Chicago and then San The more campy were responding to the glut of spy movies and television shows of the . One of the most popular titles was The Man from ( 1966 ) by Don , a pseudonym for Victor . ten . starred Holmes , a highly accomplished agent for , an organization dedicated to the of gays ( Other campy took similar liberties with other popular genre fiction . Again , Publishers issued many of these books .

Literature 439 mu swam . AGAIN . Figure . The second and eighth of Don ten . Deborah . and Themes Lesbian and gay pulp fiction stories tend to use the same settings or schools , college fraternities or sororities , military organizations , department stores , art dios , and the like . Publishers demanded formulaic plots that could be turned out quickly in lesbian pulp , the formula tended to be that the female protagonist was either saved from homosexuality by the love of a good man or died . Marion Zimmer Bradley , author of several lesbian , completely quit writing in the genre , because publishers would not let her tell the story she wanted In gay pulp , standard story lines often a boy first sexual experience as either enlightening or devastating . Again , a common story line was boy meets boy boy dies .

440 Introduction to Studies Although the majority of pulp presented this punitive aspect to unconventional sexual relationships , a good portion actually have happy endings , in which main characters emerge with a positive attitude about their sexual identity . pulp offered a window into the gay and bian world . Readers might learn where gays lived ( typically Greenwich Village or perhaps New Orleans ) how they at gay bars and bathhouses , and other details . These stories were essentially a map to gay life , providing directions to positive urban spaces . In many , the narrative shows the protagonist being introduced to codes of dress and language ( lesbians have short hair and wear white shirts with black stovepipe pants ) They gave their readers a vocabulary , or code , with which to and identify themselves , much like an manual or foreign phrase book . How much sex is actually in these stories ?

Not that much . And the sex might be consensual and pleasurable , but it could also be , violent , and exploitative . mail often entered the plot . Watch Introduction to the Lesbian Pulp Fiction Collection at the Mount Saint cent University Library describes the library collection ( Did any of the facts about pulp fiction discussed in this section or the video surprise or intrigue you ?

Discuss what surprised or intrigued you and why . Explore the books listed under one of the collection themes . What evidence do you find that the books belong with this theme ?

How does this theme compare to the and themes discussed in this section ?

This section and the introduction to the collection both note that gay and lesbian pulp fiction in the both enforced heteronormative and homophobic societal norms and ed an opportunity for lesbians and gays to see themselves in fiction and learn about lesbian and gay culture . Read one of the books mentioned in this chapter , and describe how it might have been able to do both of these things .

Literature 441 Pulp Fiction after Stonewall The saw landmark trials that revoked censorship codes and the rise of the gay rights movement after the Stonewall rebellion . By the , pulp fiction began to evolve in several , romance , and mainstream gay and lesbian literature by such authors as Sarah Waters , Dorothy Allison , Alison , Alan , and Michael . There continues to be much new research into these books , authors , ers , and cover artists , and major library collections can now be found at Brown University ( perhaps the largest collection of pulp fiction anywhere ) and at Duke University . MEMOIR AND LIFE WRITING Olivia Wood Memoir , autobiography , and diary are three closely related genres that fall under the umbrella of life writing . All of them are nonfiction texts ( or as close to nonfiction as possible ) written by the author about the authors own life . Because of widespread and , stories of lives were not numerous or widely available in the stream until fairly recently . Furthermore , many people grow up without any role models in their lives , and history is rarely taught in schools . These circumstances make life writing especially important , because these stories serve as windows into parts of the history of the broader were previously secret or unknown , and they provide valuable representation for young people trying to figure out what their identity or identities mean to them . This section focuses on life writing by authors written in English in the twentieth and centuries . Exceptions to this categorization are noted . For the purposes of this section , memoir refers to a text about a particular period or aspect of the author life written in retrospect , refers to a text intended to provide an view of the author entire life , and a diary is a text or texts originally written not for publication but for the author private purposes , written contemporaneously with the events it describes . A Brief History of Life Writing Most life writing from the beginning of the twentieth century or earlier are diaries and letters , intended only for private reading . These

442 Introduction to Studies texts were later found and published after the authors deaths by family members or by scholars if the author was an important historical . Examples in this category include the diaries and letters of Virginia ( written , published after her death by her husband and her nephew ) and letters from King ames I ( written in the ) These texts are because they demonstrate the diverse presence of desire throughout presence that is often denied or In the century , although some fiction and containing characters and themes was accepted by mainstream publishers , publishers typically refused to publish any work in which the characters had a happy ending or that seemed to promote sexuality . Fiction was more common than , because even if the fiction drew on the author own experiences , writers could credibly avoid public scandal . also played a role . For example , when The of a Young Girl ( also known as The Diary of Anne ) was published in 1947 , her father did not include the passages in which Anne wrote about her feelings toward women . This omission Frank desire to protect his daughter privacy and reputation and to not distract from the main focus of Nazi oppression by including controversial Most memoirs written by people who lived in the , or 19705 were published much later in their lives , after the 1969 Stonewall rebellion and further decades of gay activism made these topics less risky and controversial in the mainstream and after the authors had more careers . Examples in this category include Esther Newton essays written in the and collected in Margaret Mead Made Me Guy ( 2000 ) and her memoir My Butch Career ( 2018 ) Lorde The Cancer journals ( 1980 ) and A New Spelling of My Name ( 1982 ) Douglas Crimp Pictures ( 2016 ) and Samuel Times Square Red , Times Square Blue ( 1999 ) In addition to life writing , these authors were also outspoken activists , and artists , but their books were mostly published by small feminist publishers or university presses willing to publish The brought the AIDS crisis , and the mass suffering of the community inspired many more memoirs and diaries , as people struggled to cope with their own illness and the illnesses of their friends and loved ones . For example , the playwright Larry Kramer is now most famous for The Normal Heart , a play about a man caring for his dying lover based on Kramer own experiences . Kramer also published a lection of called Reports from the Holocaust The Story of an AIDS Activist . 75

Literature Additionally , even though more writers were able to get their life writing openly published during this period , some of the works describing life still take the form of diaries published posthumously . For example , Susan Sontag , who wrote about issues , including AIDS , across her career , was publicly out as bisexual until 2000 and rarely spoke about it . Sontag son published her diaries in two volumes in 2008 and 2012 , in which she discusses her sexuality much more Alongside the legal and social gains made by the munity from the onward , memoirs have also become increasingly common , developing into a of their own complete with common structures and , discussed later . However , is still an issue within this broader umbrella . Gay memoirs are the most common and visible , with bisexual and trans memoirs being much harder to find . Within the category of trans memoir , most of the books are by trans women and trans men as of early 2020 , there appear to be fewer than memoirs published in English that represent or lives . As with most forms of media , the range of experiences in memoir also reproduces other social inequities , including racism , sexism , and classism . The modern age offers many more avenues for sharing life writing beyond traditional publishing , including blogs , You videos , and social media . Because anyone with internet access and a little bit of privacy can use these platforms , the field of life writing is much more diverse online . and Themes in Memoir Because most memoirs take a narrative form , they typically follow the same structural patterns of . Whether they follow the traditional pattern of rising action , climax , and falling action or use another narrative structure , almost all narrative requires some sort of to engage the reader . Some types of and narrative arcs common in memoirs are the following gender or sexual coming out living with AIDS gaining sexual experience physical and social transitioning

444 Introduction to Studies loneliness struggling with intersecting social identities Additionally , some memoirs written by authors may center on another aspect of the author life , so the may not center around sexuality or gender identity at all . Aside from the common and story arcs , many memoirs also share themes or grapple with common questions How to approach writing , knowing the stories will be seen as emblematic of the entire community ?

How to write honestly while not perpetuating stereotypes ?

How to write about loved ones who might not want to be written about ?

What the right balance between showing that the author is normal Versus embracing all the things that make the author different ?

Should memoirs also always be activism ?

Where is the line between an empowering and a dehumanizing ?

Another common theme that may surprise readers is that many memoirs spend a lot of time discussing the pieces of media that played Vital roles in constructing the authors identity or identities . This is because , much of the time , people grow up not knowing any ( or not many ) people like them or at least not people who are out . So they turn to books , movies , and other media to role models and out who and what they want to be . One popular example of this is Fun Home A Family , which is a memoir written as a comic book ( a known as graphic memoir ) by Alison . In the book , describes how , when she started college , she did know any lesbians in real life , so she read as many books by and about lesbians as she could . She discusses only one or two of these books directly , but the illustrations show more than a dozen lesbian books scattered throughout the panels . However , important stories are always Viewed positively by . In Dans A Memoir ( 2016 ) explains that she did know she was a trans woman for a long time , in part because all the representations of trans women she found in movies and books seemed very unlike her and all their stories focused

Literature 445 on hormones and surgery . At that stage , she did think she wanted those things she just knew she liked wearing dresses and makeup . In the book , spends a lot of time discussing her changing ships with words like gay , trans , transgender , transsexual , transvestite , and drag queen . If she had seen more positive and more diverse stories by and about trans women to read during her teens and twenties , she might have been saved a lot of confusion and The role of narratives in giving youth a sense of comfort , identity , and community makes memoir especially important , since memoirs are real stories of real people . Therefore , how these memoirs represent the queer experience is especially relevant . Criticisms of the Genre The integral role narratives play for youth is also the source of one of the major criticisms of the genre . What kinds of stories are being told or not told ?

What is romanticized ?

What experiences are being portrayed as integral to being ?

The answers shape how queer youth come to understand themselves and their place in the world . The criticism of memoirs specifically is that if memoirs are narratives and narratives must have , then most memoirs tell stories of queer , pain , trauma , or if they end happily . Maggie Nelson ( The , 2015 ) and Figure Maggie Nelson The . Deborah .

446 Introduction to Studies ( Sissy A ) Story , 2019 ) all consciously cuss their concern over this issue in their memoirs , but none of them find a conclusive answer . An overabundance of messaging that queerness equals suffering is harmful not only to youth , but also because it reinforces the fears of parents who dread having an child because they believe that means their child will never be As puts it , The classical trans narrative . trauma , and those of us who do fit the classical narrative end up either having our stories edited and until they fit , or end up having our voices silenced . And that fucked . Another issue in the of memoir is the tension between and and the need to please audiences . openly states in her memoir that she would have preferred to write a history of trans people in Britain or an overview of societal issues that trans people face , but publishers were only interested in her narratives of her own experiences . ponders their intended audience and purpose at length in their memoir , On the one hand , they want to provide some of the representation that they never had growing up . On the other hand , they hope parents of kids will read the book to stand their own kids better . They not here to teach you Transgender 101 , but they do also want to educate the public about the diversity and complexities of gender and identity , with their book as one lesson in a wide pool of In short , its impossible to write for any one intended audience or literary purpose without leaving important things out . Representation and become even more complicated when we consider people other than the author of a memoir . admits their parents are not always portrayed in a positive light in the book and talks openly about their discussions with each of them as they were writing . Is it ethical to portray someone in a way they not comfortable with , even if they give you permission ?

In Fun Home , Alison tells the story not only of her relationship with her own lesbianism but also of her late father relationship with his own sexuality . She reveals that her father repeatedly pursued teenage boys and had emotional problems that attributes to his sexual repression . Is she exploiting her father troubled life to write a compelling book ?

An even more difficult example of this issue in memoir is in The by Maggie Nelson . In the book , Nelson writes about her relationship with her partner , Harry , and her portrayal of their relationship and what it can reveal about der , sexuality , and parenthood is one of the main reasons for its critical acclaim . However , in the book she says Harry is a very private person , a epileptic with a pacemaker . married to a strobe light When he read the first draft of the book , he said he felt

Literature 447 Read Choose and read a review from the Lambda Literary review collection ( Where and how does the book you chose into the history and common themes of life writing as discussed in this section ?

Which of the common questions shared by life ing listed in the and Themes in Memoir section do you see represented in the book being reviewed ?

This section brings up some tensions and complications in representing one life and loved ones in a story to be building into a narrative can feed into a queerness equals suffering message how the publishers view of the market or audience could how a story is told or if it is told at all how the depiction of loved ones can often be out of their control . How would you approach some of these complications if you were going to write about your life ?

even , and he asked her , Why can you just write something that will bear adequate witness to me , to us , to our ness ?

82 Nelson says that after that conversation , they went through the draft together and discussed revisions that would make him feel more accurately represented , and he even wrote some passages for her to include in the book later on . However , the situation of one career depending on writing about her life , and the other partner feeling deeply hurt , creates a complex web of emotions , pressures , and that can help but shape both the relationship and the book . Despite the ethical dilemmas inherent in the genre , play an important role in queer activism , identity formation , and historical study . They provide an opportunity for people to share their stories with each other and with the world , for personal satisfaction and political action . The professional market for this genre continues to expand , although it still lacks in much needed diversity , and the internet provides billions more opportunities for people to read and share writing about their own queer lives . KEY QUESTIONS Are you familiar with any of the of literature explored in this section ?

How were you first introduced to literature ?

448 Introduction to Studies Should an author gender or sexual identity be a factor in identifying whether a literary text is ?

What criteria would you suggest using to identify literature ?

What do you think literature can have on a reader ?

Have you ever been personally affected by a literary work ?

What are common across literary ?

What are to a ?

RESEARCH RESOURCES Discuss Choose one or two resources listed in this chapter , and discuss them in relation to what you have learned about literature . Present Choose a key topic or genre discussed in this ter . Then locate one or two resources from the Quick Dip and Deep Dive sections and develop a presentation for the class . Explain the of the topic , and provide details that support your explanation . Create What genre , author , or theme from this chapter really moved you ?

Do more research on that genre , author , or theme based on the resources in this chapter . Then create your own artistic response . Consider writing a poem , drawing a picture , or editing a photograph in a way that demonstrates both what you have learned and how you feel about the issue . Debate With a partner or split into groups , choose a topic , idea , or controversy from this chapter . Have each partner or group present an opposing perspective on it . Use at least two of the resources in this chapter to support your argument . QUICK DIP ONLINE RESOURCES Cool Queer Kids , by Lee Wind A blog and website ( for teens , librarians , teachers , booksellers , and anyone interested in young adult books with characters and themes .

Literature 449 The , from Lambda Literary The Lambda Literary Awards honor children and young adult individual works and collections of fiction , picture books , and poetry . For the latest , see . Queer Books for Teens The website Queer Books for Teens ( offers lists of young adult with significant content published since 2000 . Queer Comics Database The Queer Comics Database ( was created in 2018 by Kwan and Le Button as a project for the University of Washington Information School program , with support from Geeks OUT . You can browse the database for comics by series or creator . It includes a glossary of terms and several guides , such as Search Tips , Introduction to Comics , How to Buy Comics from a Comic Shop , and For Retailers How to Carry Queer Stonewall Book Awards List from the American Library Association The Stonewall Book Awards , which collectively encompass the Barbara Literature Award , the Israel Fishman Nonfiction Award , and the Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children and Young Adult Literature Award , are presented annually to works of exceptional merit relating to the gay , lesbian , bisexual , and transgender experience . For the latest awards , Visit honored . DEEP DIVE PICTURE BOOKS Heather Has Two Mommies , by Newman A young girl realizes her family is different from many of her classmates families when she attends a for the first time ( Boston , MA Wonderland , 1989 )

450 Introduction to Studies esse Dream Shirt , by Bruce Mack esse is a boy who desires a skirt . His mother helps him make one . When the child goes to school in his new skirt he is celebrated by his teacher and peers ( Chapel Hill , Lollipop Power 1979 ) Oliver Button Is a Sissy , by A boy named Oliver is bullied for his effeminate behavior . When his ents enroll him in dance he gains and even acceptance from peers as a result of his talent ( New York Brace , 1979 ) I , 000 Dresses , by Marcus A transgender child named Bailey solicits family members help acquiring a dress . They are not accepting of Bailey desire for a dress , but she eventually meets an older girl and they make one together ( New York Seven Stories Press , 2008 ) Too Far Away to Touch , by Newman The story centers on a young girl relationship with her gay uncle who is dying from complications ( New York Clarion Books , 1995 ) When Megan Went Away , by Jane Severance A young girl must process her mother separation from her partner . This is one of the earliest depictions of lesbians in a picture book ( Chapel Hill , Lollipop Power , 1979 ) When We Love Someone We Sing to Them Cuando , by Ernesto Javier Martinez In this story of a relationship and the Mexican tradition of serenata , a young boy and his father write a song for the boy crush , another little boy ( San Francisco , CA Press , 2018 ) Literature for Children and Young Adults , by . Epstein and Elizabeth Chapman This edited collection brings together academics and activists from around the world to on representations in adolescent literature ( London Anthem Press , 2021 )

Literature 451 The Potential Children ' Picture Books , by Jennifer Miller This genealogy of children picture books available in the United States beginning in the late considers constraints on the production and distribution of picture books ( Jackson University Press of Mississippi , 2022 ) DEEP DIVE LESBIAN YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE Annie on My Mind , by Nancy Garden This story focuses on the romantic relationship of two girls . Themes of homophobia are explored through the teenagers and that of two teachers at one of the girls schools ( New York , 1982 ) Am , by Cris Beam A transgender teenager named seeks medical help to transition . was the nonwhite transgender teen to appear in young adult literature . The book demonstrates challenges to securing hormones and other cal interventions to help with transition ( New York Little , Brown , 2011 ) Luna , by Julie Anne Peters Reagan explores her feelings about learning that her older sibling is transgender . Their relationship is explored throughout ( New York Little , Brown , 2004 ) Ruby , by Rosa Guy Often as the lesbian young adult novel , this story is about Ruby Cathy and her family who move to Harlem from the West Indies . Ruby romantic relationship with a classmate , Daphne , centers the text ( New York Viking Press , 1976 ) symptoms of Being Human , by Jeff The novel is about a teen who on binary gender expectations through a series of blog posts ( New York and Bray , 2016 )

452 Introduction to Studies Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature Content since I 969 , by Christine Jenkins and Michael Cart The authors survey young adult literature from the to the ( and , 2018 ) DEEP DIVE COMICS Fun Home , by Alison This graphic memoir is a on the creator adolescence in rural Pennsylvania . relationship with her father is highlighted , and sexual identity is explored through both characters ( Boston , MA ton , 2007 ) Life in Hell , by Matt This weekly comic series , by the creator of The , featured rabbits who were a gay couple ( New York Pantheon Books , Stuck Rubber Baby , by Howard Cruse This graphic novel protagonist Polk explores gay community and culture in the US . South during the ( New York Paradox Press , 1995 ) The Comics son From the Outside In , by Janine This collection of original essays by scholars covers the span of career , placing her groundbreaking early work within the context of her more recent projects ( Jackson University Press of Mississippi , 2020 ) DEEP DIVE LESBIAN AND GAY PULP FICTION The Fall of Valor , by Charles Jackson This novel focuses on the failing marriage of John and Ethel , who take a summer vacation to during World War 11 . John

Literature 453 becomes enamored with a marine captain he meets while the couple vacation ( New York , 1946 ) Song of the Loon , by Richard This novel and its sequels center gay Native Americans who embrace their sexuality . The novel is campy and far lighter in tone than many ( San Diego , CA Classics , 1966 ) Women Barracks , by Torres This is based on the authors experience at a French military barracks for women . Five women of different ages form sexual relationships ( New York , 1950 ) Lesbian Pulp Sexually Intrepid World of Lesbian Paperback Novels , by Katherine Forrest This book surveys and analyzes lesbian pulp fiction ( San Francisco , CA Press , 2005 ) DEEP DIVE MEMOIR AND LIFE WRITING My Butch Career A Memoir , by Esther Newton Newton describes her childhood , romantic life , and career in this ling memoir ( Duke University Press , 2018 ) Times Square Red , Times Square Blue , by Samuel considers his sexual encounters in Times Square and provides insight into gay sexual cultures and the moralistic policing of sexuality in public spaces and cultures ( New York New York University Press , 1999 ) Trans A Memoir , by Juliet Jacques This memoir is a of transition at the age of thirty in 2012 ( London Verso , 2015 ) A New Spelling Name , by Lorde Lorde on her childhood , coming of age in Harlem , and her to feminist art and politics ( NY Crossing Press , 1982 )

454 Introduction to Studies GLOSSARY . Someone who either has the experience of two genders , which can be binary or , or experiences both genders or alternates between them . A person whose gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth . Comics Code . Regulations imposed by the Comics Code Authority that prohibited morally objectionable material , such as graphic Violence and sexual content , and restricted story lines . A person whose gender identity is not static , not solely male or female , and sometimes not completely either category . intersex . A person born with one of several forms of anatomical sex characteristics . A person whose gender identity is not exclusively male or female . Some transgender people are . transgender . A person whose gender identity or gender expression differs from the sex assigned at birth . Commonly used themes and literary devices . two spirit . A person who has both a masculine and a feminine spirit or some other gender Variant used by some Indigenous people to describe their sexual , gender , or spiritual identity . NOTES . accessed May , 2021 , Walt Whitman , Leaves of Grass , Hall , The Well of Loneliness ( Paris , 1928 ) James Baldwin , Giovanni ' Room ( New York Dial Press , 1956 ) Happy Endings Are All Alike ( San Francisco , CA Harper and Row , 1978 ) Seduction the Innocent The Comic Books on Today Youth ( New York , 1954 ) Miller , For the Little Queers Imagining Queerness in New Queer Children Literature , Homosexuality 66 , no . 12 ( Fall 2018 ) an , The Effects of Stereotyped , Role Models in Storybooks on the of Children in Grade Three , Sex Roles 35 , no . 11 ( December 1996 ) 715 , and see . Miller , Snapshots of Kid Lit , accessed May , 2021 , Caitlin Ryan and ill , Already on the Shelf Queer Readings of Children Literature , journal of Literacy Research

Literature 455 45 , no . Guns 2013 ) Kenneth and Michelle Ann Abate , Over the Rainbow Queer Children and Young Adult Literature ( Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press , 2011 ) Charlotte , William Doll ( New York Harper and Row , 1972 ) Oliver Button 15 a Sissy ( New York Simon and Books for Young Readers , 2017 ) Bruce Mack and Marian Buchanan , Dream Skirt ( Chapel Hill , Lollipop Power , 1984 ) Jane Severance and Ian ones , Lots of Mommies ( Chapel Hill , Power , 1983 ) ane Severance and Tea , When Megan Went Away ( Chapel Hill , Lollipop Power , 1979 ) For a list of Lollipop titles , see Lollipop Power , Records , Southern Historical Collection , Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library , accessed April 12 , 2019 , 10 . Newman , Heather Has No Mommies ( MA wick , 2016 ) 11 . Atkins and Tad Hills , A Name on the Quilt A Story ( New York Simon and Children Division , 2003 ) man and Catherine Stock , Too Far Away to Touch ( New York Clarion Books , 1995 ) 12 . Earl Alexander , Sheila , and Pam , My Dad Has HIV ( Fairview Press , 1996 ) 13 . Newman , Mommy , Mama , and Me ( Berkeley , CA Tricycle Press , 2008 ) Daddy , Papa , and Me ( Berkeley , CA Tricycle Press , 2008 ) 14 . Miles and Kendrick , Large Fears ( 2015 ) 15 . Kerry and Jesse Mike , Families ( Canada Inhabit Media , 2017 ) 16 . Flamingo Rampant ( website ) accessed April 19 , 2019 , 17 . and , A Princess of Great Daring ( Flamingo Rampant , 2017 ) 18 . Sarah , Uncle Bobby Wedding ( New York Sons , 2008 ) Newman and Mike Dutton , Donovan Big Day ( Berkeley , CA Tricycle Press , 2011 ) 19 . Austrian and Mike , Worm Loves Worm ( Los Angeles , CA and Bray , 2016 ) ase , Square Pair ( New York Pair Books , 2016 ) 20 . Thomas and Olivier , by Heart , trans . Claudia rick and Karin ( Brooklyn , NY Enchanted Lion Books , 2018 ) 21 . Cheryl , My Princess Boy ( New York Aladdin , 2010 ) 22 . Marcus and Rex Ray , Dresses ( New York Seven Stories Press , 2011 ) 23 . and Jazz Jennings , I Am ( New York Dial Books , 2014 ) 24 . Sustenance for Lesbian Moms , accessed April 19 , 2019 , 25 . American Library Association , Stonewall Book Awards History , Round Tables , September , 2009 , American Library Association , Stonewall Children and Young Adult Literature Award Named for Mike Morgan and Larry Romans , News and Press Center ,

456 Introduction to Studies January 17 , 2012 , children 80 larry Nicola , A Brief History of Lambda Literary , Lambda Literary , September , 2008 , Lambda Literary , Lambda Literary , 26 . American Library Association . Most Frequently Challenged Books , Advocacy , Legislation and Issues , March 26 , 2013 , 1990 80 Newman , Heather Has No Mommies Michael , Daddy Roommate ( Los Angeles , CA Books , 1990 ) 27 . Alison Flood , Stonewall Defends Vital Children Books after Spate of Ban Attempts , Guardian , January 18 , 2019 , Morris , Banned Books Week Profs Book Sparks Challenges , Sac City Express , October , 2017 , 28 . Rosa Guy , Ruby ( London , 1995 ) 29 . Jenkins and Cart , Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Content since 1969 ( New York and , 2018 ) xiv , emphasis in the original . 30 . Julie Anne Peters , Keeping You a Secret ( New York Little , Brown , 2003 ) 31 . Emily , The Miseducation of Cameron Post ( New York , 2012 ) 32 . Isabel Sterling , These Witches Don Burn ( New York Razorbill , 2019 ) 57 . 33 . Garden , Annie on My Mind ( New York , 1982 ) Peters , Keeping You a Secret . 34 . The Trouble with Normal Trans Youth and the Desire for Normalcy as in Young Adult Literature , ALAN Review 37 , no . 2010 ) 31 . 35 . Peters , Luna ( New York Little , Brown , 2004 ) 36 . Jenkins and Cart , Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature , 162 Francesca Lia Block , Dragons in Manhattan , Girl Goddess ( New York , 1996 ) 37 . Emma , The Welcome , in Love and Sex Ten Stories of , ed . Michael Cart ( New York Simon and , 2001 ) 38 . The first young adult novel with a gay character was published in 1969 , which means that it took over years to move beyond and even longer if one looks to Luna as the starting point for teen protagonists in young adult novels ( years ) 39 . Sims Bishop , Mirrors , Windows , and Sliding Glass Doors , Perspectives Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom , no . 1990 ) ix . 40 . Ellen , New York Simon and , 2007 ) Brian , Almost ( New York , 2009 ) Adam , MA Candlewick , 2009 ) Michael Cart , How Beautiful the nary Stories Identity ( New York I een , 2009 ) 41 . Cris Beam , Am ( New York Little , Brown , 2010 ) 42 . Davis , Happy Families ( New York , 2012 ) Rachel Gold , Being Emily ( Dallas , Bella Books , 2012 )

Literature 457 43 . The Miseducation of Cameron Post . Concerns have been raised by Native American scholars over the depiction of Adams Native heritage and history . Debbie Reese ( a Pueblo member ) has written extensively on this subject on her blog American Indians in Children Literature , 44 . Music for Ugly Children ( Dallas , Flux , 2012 ) 45 . Kristin Elizabeth Clark , New York , 2013 ) David , Boys Kissing ( New York , 2013 ) 46 . Ami , ally Grayson ( New York , 2014 ) Kim Fu , For Today Am a Boy ( Boston , MA , 2014 ) Bridget , Double Exposure ( New York Sky Pony , 2014 ) Katie Rain Hill , Rethinking Normal ( New York Simon and , 2014 ) Andrews , Some Assembly Required The Life of a Teen ( New York Simon and , 2014 ) Susan , Beyond Magenta Teens Speak Out ( MA Candlewick , 2014 ) 47 . Alex Gino , George ( New York Scholastic , 2015 ) Robin , What We Behind ( Harlequin Teen , 2015 ) 48 . Jenkins and Cart , Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature , 170 . 49 . Alyssa , Alex as Well ( New York Henry Holt , 2015 ) Gregorio , None of the Above ( New York and Bray , 2015 ) Pat , Lizard Radio ( MA Candlewick , 2015 ) 50 . Meredith Russo , I Was Your Girl ( New York Flatiron , 2016 ) eff , Symptoms Being Human ( New York and Bray , 2016 ) rie , When the Moon Was Ours ( New York Thomas Dunne Books , 2016 ) Girl Mans Up ( New York , 2016 ) 51 . April Daniels , Dreadnought ( New York Diversion , 2017 ) Linsey Miller , Mask of Shadows ( IL , 2017 ) Slater , The Bus A Story Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives ( New York , 2017 ) Sonia Patel , and Rasa ( Los Angeles , CA Cinco , 2017 ) Lisa Bunker , Felix ( New York Viking , 2017 ) 52 . Adam Garnet ones , Fire Song ( 2018 ) Mason , I Wish You All the Best ( New York Scholastic , 2019 ) Tanya , Kings , Queens , and ( New York Simon Pulse , 2019 ) 53 . Felix Ever After ( New York and Bray , 2020 ) Mia , Somebody Told Me ( Lab , 2020 ) 54 . Clarence Harlan , Saying Something Trans Characters in YA tion , Los Angeles Review Books , 16 , 2019 , emphasis added . 55 . Vee , The Acceptance Narrative in Trans YA , YA Pride , September 30 , 2015 , 56 . Vee , The Hero Journey in Trans YA , YA Pride , December , 2016 , 57 . interview and speech are in David , The Plague The Great Scare and How It Changed America ( New York , 2008 )

458 Introduction to Studies 58 . Comic Books and juvenile Delinquency sic Interim Report of the on the judiciary Pursuant to Res . 89 and Res . 190 , sess . Washington , Government Printing Office , 1956 ) 59 . Comic Books and Delinquency . 60 . Hillary Chute , Graphic Women Life Narrative and Contemporary Comics ( New York Columbia University Press , 2010 ) 17 . 61 . Howard Cruse , Stuck Rubber Baby ( New York Paradox Press , 1995 ) 62 . Torres , Women Barracks ( New York Gold Medal Book , 1950 ) 63 . Vin Packer , Spring Fire ( New York Gold Medal Book , 1952 ) Claire Morgan Patricia , The Price of Salt ( New York , 1952 ) 64 . Barnes , Night Wood ( New York Random House , 1935 ) Gale Wilhelm , We Too Are ( New York Random House , 1938 ) 65 . Ann , Odd Girl Out ( New York Gold Medal Book , 1957 ) The same company also published I Am a Woman , 1959 Women in the Shadows , 1959 to a Woman , 1960 and , 1962 . 66 . Valerie Taylor , The Girls in ( New York Gold Medal Book , 1959 ) and Stranger on Lesbos , 1960 , Deliver Us Evie ( New York , 1994 ) and as Anne , We , Too , Must Love ( New York Gold Medal Book , 1958 ) March Hastings , Three Women ( New York Beacon Press , 1958 ) 67 . Truman Capote , Other Voices , Other Rooms ( New York Random House , 1948 ) Gore Vidal , The City and the Pillar ( New York Dutton , 1948 ) Charles , The Fall of Valor ( New York , 1946 ) 68 . Gerald , Never the Same Again ( New York Sons , 1956 ) Russell , The Tender Age ( New York Macmillan , 1952 ) 69 . Richard , Song of the Loon ( San Diego , CA , 1966 ) Two sequels from the same publisher are Song of , 1967 and Listen , the Loon Sings , 1968 . 70 . Don Victor . The Man from ( San Diego , CA , 1966 ) see also , from the same publisher , The Watercress File , 1967 and Rally Round the Flag , 1967 . 71 . Lee Chapman Marion Zimmer Bradley , Am a Lesbian ( Grand Rapids , MI Monarch Books , 1962 ) 72 . and , The Letters of Vita West and Virginia ( San Francisco , CA , 2004 ) in Desire in Early Modern England , An of Literary Texts and ( Manchester , UK Manchester University Press , 2014 ) 73 . Frank , The Diary of a Young Girl , trans . ed . Frank and ( New York Bantam , 1997 ) 74 . Esther Newton , Margaret Mead Made Me Gay Personal Essays , Public Ideas ( Duke University Press , 2000 ) Esther Newton , My Butch Career A Memoir ( Duke University Press , 2018 ) Lorde , The Cancer ( San Francisco , CA Aunt Lute Books , 1980 ) Lorde , A New Spelling of My ( Berkeley , CA Crossing

Literature 459 Press , 1982 ) Douglas Crimp , Pictures ( Chicago University of Chicago Press , 2016 ) Samuel , Times Square Red , Times Square Blue ( New York New York University Press , 2001 ) 75 . Larry Kramer , The Normal Heart ( New York Samuel French , 1985 ) Larry Kramer , Reports from the Holocaust The Story of an AIDS Activist ( New York Saint Martin Press , 1994 ) 76 . Lemon , Why Sontag Did Want to Come Out Her Words , Out , January , 2005 , Susan Sontag , As Consciousness Is to Flesh and Notebooks , ed . New York Picador , 2012 ) 77 . Alison , Fun Home A Family ( New York , 2007 ) 78 . Juliet Jacques , Trans A Memoir ( New York Verso Books , 2016 ) 79 . Maggie Nelson , The ( Press , 2015 ) Jacob , Sissy A Story ( New York , 2019 ) 80 . 15 , 14 . 81 . 301 , 11 , 14 . 82 . Nelson , The , 46 , 47 .