Discussion: Straight people writing about LGBT in their stories

these are just my opinions lol (coming from a bisexual person)

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Personally, I don’t see why it should offend me. They’ve taken time and effort to represent people like me (I’m bi)! That’s a great thing, to me. Plus, I don’t see what could be so offensive about someone writing a gay, bi or trans character as long as they’re not falling into stereotypes or making their sexuality/gender identity into a thing to laugh about and hate on.

But then again, that’s not exclusive to straight, cis people (because trans people can be any sexuality so there are straight people in the LGBTQ community). I know a lot of people in the LGBTQ community who hate on other letters in the acronym and introduce that in their writing. For example, a lot of gay people think that being bi isn’t real. They say it’s “greedy” or “attention-seeking” and make the way they think clear in their writing.

That’s offensive. I don’t see why someone straight or cis writing about LGBTQ in their story would be offensive. We want representation, right?

I agree with it. In fact, I encourage it! I mean, they’re attempting to humanise and represent a community that has been dehumanised and underrepresented in the past. There are more straight and cis people than LGBTQ people in the world, so if we want representation, we’re going to have to work with them, not try to make everything they do seem offensive. All that’s going to do is divide us – and they have the numbers, so why would we want to antagonise straight people by gatekeeping representation? Why would we want to gatekeep in the first place? It makes no sense to me.

(I think I’ve made my thoughts about a few other questions known through my replies here, so I’ll skip ahead)

I strongly, strongly disagree. As I said, we shouldn’t be gatekeeping. We want representation and straight, cis people are the biggest demographic. Why wouldn’t we want to appeal to them? And also, if they can humanise gay people in their story, why would that ever be a bad thing?

I say good on them! I’ll help them if they want it! And I’ll give their story a read if it sounds like a good story and the MC or another character important is unapologetically LGBTQ. We need the representation.

I believe – in fact, I know that anyone can represent any community well. They just need to put in the care, effort and thought. It’s nothing about being part of the community or not. In fact, I think it might be more of an achievement for a straight, cis person to capture the life of an LGBTQ person well. I mean, we know what it’s like to be us. But if a straight, cis person can put themselves in our shoes and have the empathy to write a brilliant character? They deserve praise.

But do they always represent the LGBTQ community well? No! Even the LGBTQ community doesn’t always represent the LGBTQ community well. It’s down to the individual story. Some authors do it well in one story and badly in another.

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Does it offend you?

No, I think it’s a good thing! We need to make things like this more open to discussion, and I think Episode can really help with that. And it is interesting how other persons think about those topics.

Do you disagree with it?

No.

Do you agree with it?

Yes, I do.

Are you undecided?

No.

What are your thoughts about it?

See ‘Does it offend you?’

Do you agree that straight people shouldn’t write about LGBT in their stories?

No.

How do you feel about straight people adding LGBT in their stories?

See ‘Does it offend you?’

Do you believe they represent them well?

That’s different with every story. The one is less good at it than the other.

Oh and by the way, I’m bi (or lesbian I don’t know yet). Only an old friend, my sister, my mother and my dad know.

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I think it all boils down to whether or not the representation is well-executed and natural and, above all, respectful. LGBTQ people aren’t some exotic species that should be looked upon as “other” - we’re people just like everyone else. I guess I hate it when straight authors play upon those time-old stereotypes - the gay best friend, the angsty gay love story, the predatory lesbian, the aro-ace that’s ridiculed and mocked for being averse to love and/or sex. Usually, you can tell when LGBTQ people are written by a straight person :thinking: Then again, usually not :sweat_smile:

I once read somewhere (maybe it was Tumblr) that straight people CAN totally write about LGBTQ people, but maybe don’t try to write some deep, coming-of-age, introspective thing that tries to imitate the LGBTQ experience when the author’s never experienced it for themselves.

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I totally agree.

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  • Does it offend you? No, if it does express the lgbt community in an indiscriminate way
  • Do you disagree with it?no
  • Do you agree with it?yes, only if stereotypes are absent
  • Are you undecided?no
  • What are your thoughts about it?
  • Do you agree that straight people shouldn’t write about LGBT in their stories?no
  • How do you feel about straight people adding LGBT in their stories?
  • Do you believe they represent them well?sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t
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I would hope not since I’m straight and I have LGBTQ characters in my stories.

I think as long as they’re represented properly and not as a dry stereotype, it’s cool. Though, like the characters in my story, I prefer authors not mention their character’s sexual orientation unless its critical to the story.

I’m undecided about a lot of things in my life, thank you for asking.

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This!!!

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I don’t agree or disagree with it. Write what you want and whatever is natural for your characters. I feel like the best characters are written out and then they become their sexuality one day, just like in real life. Writers shouldn’t write a character with their sexuality in mind or at least SET in stone. They may make LIs for a character, and it can fit well together, but sometimes it doesn’t. We’ve all seen the forced ships in shows where we’re just like…I know we’re supposed to ship this, but it just doesn’t feel right… You have to let the characters you create speak to you, the writer and THEY WILL TELL YOU if you LISTEN what is wrong with what you’re writing right now.

My character Zephaniah was originally no sexuality. This isn’t something I think of when I create a character. Then he was put in a situation with a character. They became shippable. Then…something happened by accident. Something tended to make so much more sense and it fit and there was chemistry and the characters were telling me this was meant to be, and Zephaniah became bisexual. Bam. It just happens, BUT you have to let this kinda thing happen naturally, and not FORCE it. Even if you wanted this character and this character to get together and something to happen, if your characters are telling you, this is not right, this is not natural, this is not who the character is…ya know…writers don’t always just write the character and the character isn’t a mindless puppet for us. We have to work with the characters. This may just be me, being insane, but it is what I truly believe ^^’

Sexuality develops. It isn’t like…predetermined genetic or biological or whatever. Know what I’m saying?

So it is not offensive for straight people to write gay people…I find that idea ridiculous, personally.

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I have a question I actually want to add:

Is it necessary for authors to write about people in the LGBT community?
or
Should authors write about the LGBT community?

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Yes to the first, No to the second. (If, by the second one, you mean the writer should try to write the LGBT experience i.e. the story is the MC’s coming-out story because straight authors could NEVER get it right, imo :thinking:)

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I know I made it a bit confusing, sorry. What I meant was should every writer incorporate the LGBT community in it?

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A tiny bit of representation doesn’t hurt :blush:

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  • No
  • No I don’t disagree
  • Im not undecided
  • I think it’s great that straight people write about lgbt so they can feel accepted.
  • No i don’t agree. I think people should do no one can be left alone.
  • I think straight people are doing great writing these stories. So lgbt people can feel accepted.
  • Yhea I think they represent them well
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Thanks for your answer. I’ve been stuck on this because I don’t want to misrepresent and have stereotypes in my stories of the LGBT community. But I still want to include everyone, no matter their religion, sexuality, race, etc.

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Does it offend you?
No it doesn’t offend me unless They put too many stereotypes and write it incorrectly. I’m apart of the community btw.
Do you disagree with it?
No. I think it’s Good LGBTQ+ people are represented even by cishet people. As long as you represent it correctly I’m gladly you are putting representation in your story.
Do you agree with it?
Yes. As I mentioned in the Above question I think it’s Good More and More LGBTQ+ people are being represented by Both LGBTQ+ people and cishet people.
Do you agree that straight people shouldn’t write about LGBT in their stories?
No I do not. The representation would be Much less if They didn’t write about LGBTQ+ people. And you should be able to write about other sexualities, genders etc even if you are straight. I’m glad that cishet people think that we should be represented as long as They do it respectfully.
Do you believe they represent them well?
Not always, When it comes to gay guys They sometimes stereotype them too Mich and they’re just there so They can feel They are being inclusive. A lot of Times they’re just the MC’s gay best friend whose just there to be a stereotypical gay.
(Sorry if there’s A lot off spelling errors/grammar errors, I was writing fast)

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When it comes to writing How LGBTQ+ person feels When They come out I don’t Think cishet people always do such a good job. I mean it’s hard knowing How it feels for someone When They come out or How They feel When They haven’t come out yet. A lot of people Also doesn’t know How it feels to have dysphoria (I’m not trans btw But I have read a lot about dysphoria so Ik What it is etc But I don’t Know How it feels since I don’g Have dysphoria), I Also know a lot of people confuse dysphoria and dysmorhia (sorry if I spellt it wrong) so I don’t Necessarily think you have to go in debt about How it feels.

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I agree. I don’t know at all how it feels for any of those things, that’s why I’ve always wanted to stick to writing what I know, what I’ve researched and my passions. Which is why I would definitely find it difficult to properly write about a LGBT character. But I want to be more inclusive, yet there are all those factors you mentioned that make it hard to do so.

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  • Does it offend you?
    No, I’m not offended when straight people write about LGBTQA+, it is nice to give some diversity and show people that we exist when it’s done right. However, if it’s done like there’s the stereotype then It makes me roll my eyes. Yes, I am apart of the LGBTQA+ community for reference.

  • Do you disagree with it?
    No at all! It’ perfectly fine for someone who is straight to write about LGBQTA+ characters as long as it is done in a respectful way.

For the other questions, I kinda answered them above lol

  • Do you believe they represent them well?
    No, I do not believe they represent them well. As much as I appreciate when people add in these things, I do not believe that a straight cisgender person can entirely understand the struggles a gay person may go through, or even a transgender person (At one point I identified as a transmale and what I went through during that time period was far worse than any story written by a cisgender person could understand - for reference I identify as genderfluid, I am not cisgender)

Once there was a time I watched some stories about a transgender person and their transition. The story was written by a cisgender female, and while I appreciate the person being depicted in a nice light and I appreciate the attempt at showing the struggles those people may go through, it was not really accurate. For a lot of people that identify as another gender or another sexuality, this changes your life significantly. It can affect your family life (like it did mine) it can affect your chances at finding a job, and even friendship. Not to mention a lot of us attempt suicide at one point or another, for various reasons obviously, so I cannot speak for everyone.

Sorry about that long post, hope this helped :smiling_face_with_three_hearts::heart::star2:

(By the way, no I am not making fun of anyone when I say “cisgender” it just means that your gender aligns with the sex you were born with)

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You don’t Have to make the sexualities/gender a big part of their life. For example if you have a lesbian character you can just kinda show that they’re interested in Girls and that’s It, or make them have a girlfriend. You don’t Have to explain How They came out or How They felt When They came out or anything like that. They’re just like Any character except They ain’t Cishet.

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