That was really interesting to read, thank you. Not least because I automatically protested "America is the dominant culture" as a knee-jerk reaction, even though, on forcing myself to think rationally about it, I have to admit that it is.
the only point of having a character of another race is so you can talk about that race. Why bother otherwise?
That's exactly how I feel the world sees having gay and lesbian characters in books. I don't want to read books, particularly, that are about the Issues of Being Gay. I want to read books that have lesbian or gay characters doing all the things straight characters do - falling in love, fighting, living together, living apart, perhaps being totally not involved with anyone but noticing their own gender when they're out and about... but for most people, it seems, there's no "point" in putting in a gay character unless it's to talk about being gay. >_
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2006-06-02 08:47 am (UTC)the only point of having a character of another race is so you can talk about that race. Why bother otherwise?
That's exactly how I feel the world sees having gay and lesbian characters in books. I don't want to read books, particularly, that are about the Issues of Being Gay. I want to read books that have lesbian or gay characters doing all the things straight characters do - falling in love, fighting, living together, living apart, perhaps being totally not involved with anyone but noticing their own gender when they're out and about... but for most people, it seems, there's no "point" in putting in a gay character unless it's to talk about being gay. >_