Publishing Diversity in Chile – Part 1
by Daniela Cortés del Castillo
I thought about writing this guest post about my experiences as a young reader and how, as a teenager, there were no kidslikeme in the books I read, and how fantastic and helpful for my sense of self it would have been if there were. Now, all of these things are true, but it’s a topic that has been covered many times before (on this blog and elsewhere) by people who are much more eloquent than I.
Therefore, I’d like to focus this post on something that, albeit a tad less interesting, might be a slightly more useful contribution from my camp. Namely, my role as a publisher and editor who is actively trying to promote diversity in YA books, and the challenges I’ve faced along the way.
Publishers are the gatekeepers of the literary world*. We decide what we publish, when we publish, and how actively we promote that which was published. Generally speaking, if a publisher does not like your book, it probably won’t be read by too many people. As a consequence, many fantastic LGBTQIA novels never see the inside of a bookstore.
A few of years ago, in a surge of arrogance and naivety, I decided that I would become one of these gatekeepers, opening the doors for diverse YA in Chile (and Latin America in general). Thus, Loba Ediciones was born.
From the get-go, we presented ourselves as a publishing company with a “strong focus on feminism and diversity”, a phrase that I’ve used so much over the past few months, I probably whisper it in my sleep. But what does that even mean? And how can it actually be achieved? Below are a few of the challenges I’ve faced since Loba Ediciones was launched.
The problem with diversity
When I first sent my friends and family a demo of our website, their first reaction was… concern. They worried that I would be turning off the general public by using such strong language as “feminism” and “gay”. They worried that I might miss out on publishing good novels just because they featured white, male, middle-class, heterosexual and cisgender protagonists. (Find my answer to this further below). They worried that by branding my company in this way I was restricting my editorial list for years to come. In short, they worried that I wouldn’t sell any books.
I did too.
Chile is a very conservative country and, even though there has been some advance in the past few years (with the legalization, for example, of civil unions between same-sex couples), we have a long way to go in terms of LGBTQIA acceptance. (As an example, take a look at this post by Chilean writer Pablo Simonetti).
This conservatism, however, isn’t easily discernible for anyone looking at our bestseller lists. At one point this year three out of the five bestsellers featured LGBTQIA relationships: No te ama by Camila Guitierrez, Gay Gigante by Gabriel Ebensperger and No ficción by Alberto Fuguet. Sounds fantastic, right? I hit jackpot with this gay YA thing. Let the money roll in!
Actually, no. First of all, the plans for Loba Ediciones were in the works long before the success of these books. Second of all, while these books have gay or bisexual protagonists, they are of a very particular kind. To wit, they are well-educated and (very) rich. This is a big deal because over the past year or so there has been a rift in the Chilean LGBTQIA movement. On the one hand, there is the rich, educated LGBT community represented mainly by Fundación Iguales, an ONG created by Pablo Simonetti. Iguales and its partner, Movilh, have done much for LGBT rights, and were the main force behind the legalization of same-sex civil unions. However, much of the LGBTQIA community, those that come from less advantaged backgrounds, feel that Iguales does not represent them because “being poor and fletx (f*gs) is not the same as being rich and gay”. For these groups, same-sex marriage is the last priority and pales in the face of the violence (from beatings to murder) they must face daily. This part of the LGBTQIA community is inexistent in the mainstream literary world, both as authors and as protagonists. Instead, they’ve found a place in zines such as Tetas Tristes Comics. As a publisher, I want to open up a space for all kinds of LGBTQIA people, not only the rich and white, even if that means our books will probably never be part of the bestseller lists.
On the other hand, the “gay” books on the bestseller lists are all aimed at adult readers. Trying to publish a “gay YA” book in Chile is a whole different story. Mainly, because of the ridiculous amount of fear and censorship that exists around books aimed at teenagers. (Strangely enough, children’s books such as Nicolás tiene dos papas seem to get away with a lot more). Most of the MG and YA books published in Chile are translations of international bestsellers. (Mostly American, but also a few British and Spanish). That leaves local YA authors fighting for a few precious spots. Publishers face the challenge of trying to sell books in a tiny market (Chileans are not great book buyers), which becomes even smaller when dealing only with teenagers. Thus, they tend to pick local authors that cater to their biggest buyers: schools.
Now, as I’ve said before, Chile is a very conservative society, burdened down with a history of dictatorship that we are still trying to shake off. Education is quite militarized and, even though many teachers and librarians are keen on showing new material to their students, boards tend to be comical in their conventionalism. The smallest whiff of liberalism (a divorced mother trying to get her child into a catholic school, for example) and they lose their heads. Publishing companies have tended to follow this trend, at least when it comes to Chilean authors. The stories I’ve heard from some of my writers are quite unbelievable. (I once heard of an author who was asked to change the ending of her book—aimed at 16-year-olds—because the villain committed suicide by eating a poisonous apple and kids should not be exposed to such things… Never mind that no detail of the actual death was given!) So books that “normalize” LGBTQIA characters? Not a chance!
The funny thing is, whenever I’m invited to speak at a school and I bring up the subject of gender and sexual diversity, both the students and teachers pronounce their enthusiasm in relation to the work we are doing with our catalogue. Students are eager to see more diversity in the books they read, and several young Chilean booktubers have taken diversity in YA as one of their priorities. In the end, it seems the problem lies not so much in what scandalizes society, but rather in what publishers and school boards fear will scandalize society. Lucky for me, I’m the only one investing in the books I publish and therefore I have the freedom to publish whatever I want. (At the risk of losing my savings, of course!)
The problem with “diversity”
Saying that Loba Ediciones publishes books with a “strong focus on feminism and diversity” sounds fantastic. However, truth be told, it’s a definition that tends to churns my intestines, as if I’ve eaten bad fish for lunch and my body is just becoming aware of it. To me, diversity is not a good word. Rather, it’s a useful word that tends to oversimplify a whole outlook on politics, culture and life. For the sake of space, I won’t go into all the reasons that make me uncomfortable with the word “diversity”. (I’d rather recommend these two great articles published by Salon and The New York Times). The bottom line is that I worry that “diversity” may become a mere marketing ploy for Loba Ediciones. I worry that I may lose sight of what it really means, or why it is important. I’ve heard the phrase “diversity sells” over and over and I’ve seen how cultural artifacts (books, movies and tv shows) that could have otherwise been wonderful have been ruined by a superficial understanding of “diversity”. There are three main risks, I think:
- Tokenism: This is very common in YA literature. We have the gay best friend, the blind best friend, the black best friend. The function of this character is usually twofold: to provide comic relief and to provide “diversity”. These characters are not allowed greater depth than their “characteristic” (for example, being gay). They do not impact the outcome of the plot, and they are definitely not the heroes of the story. They are merely… diverse.
- Stereotyping: This (thank the gods) seems to be going out of fashion, but it still happens. And I’m not talking just about obvious everyone-can-see stereotyping (the black guy who likes hip hop and doesn’t do well in school), I’m talking about the hidden stereotypes, those that are much more harmful because of their subtlety. As a publisher, I need to read every manuscript with the eye of a reader, an editor, a critic and an academic. However superficial the story may seem, it’s my job to understand it within a cultural context, to compare it to other novels, to read it in the light of critical and theoretical texts. Only then will I be able to perceive the prejudices that every author carries. I’ll never get all of them. My own prejudices will blind me to some of the things hidden in the text, but it is my responsibility to try.
- Preaching: There are many well-intentioned books that (in my opinion) get ruined by a pedagogical function that ends up shoving diversity down readers’ throats. This, in and of itself, may not seem so bad. However, it tends to turn off readers (particularly because novels written with a pedagogical intention are not usually of the best quality). In addition, many of these books are not about the experiences of, for example, the trans teenager, but rather about the cisgender teenager who learns to accept the trans teenager. (There is very great article about this here). Thus, while the book may succeed on some level at generating acceptance, it does so at the expense of a double discrimination for whomever readers are supposed to be learning about. They get discriminated in life, and then again in fiction, and the fictionalized version is not even from their point of view!
Finding material
Above I spoke about publishers being the gatekeepers of the literary world. We are, but I also like to think of us as the curators of the literary world. Our job is to build collections, to find what fits with our vision (or, in some cases, the vision of some multinational giant) and what doesn’t. To see where two novels by two different authors fit perfectly together and where they don’t. To see when a novel is just too similar to something else that has already been done.
Curating for diversity presents an additional challenge: what happens if the material is just not there? Our call for submissions is very clear on the fact that we welcome protagonists of all kinds. However, the unsolicited manuscripts we usually get are mostly about rich, white, heterosexual kids with names like Emily and John who live in America. You see, Latin Americans have been told for so long that the only YA stories worth telling happen to Americans or Europeans, that they’ve ended up forgetting that Chileans too can be in novels. (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks about that here). This also means that there are no LGBTQIA protagonists, because no one in Chile is used to reading them in YA books. Sure, we may find a token secondary character akin to those in American books, but no heroes.
So it became my job to go out and find heroes. I did this using three strategies. First of all, I started negotiating translation rights for novels that we liked. Then, we approached Chilean writers we admired to propose stories we thought they could own and write well. Finally, we took good manuscripts and suggested changes (for example, a characters’ sexual orientation) that would make the story less canon. This is the trickiest strategy of all, and it entails a lot of work from the writer—sometimes even re-writing the whole novel!
And to answer my friend’s question: will I reject a good novel just because it features white, male, middle-class, heterosexual and cisgender protagonists? No, I won’t reject it. I’m not stupid. If it’s a fantastic story I’ll publish it (just as I would reject a bad novel no matter how wonderful it is in terms of diversity). However, I’ll ask the author why. Why did you pick only white, rich, straight characters? Is this your reality? Did you consider writing someone else? It won’t necessarily change their mind about the novel, but it might make them think a bit before they write the next one.
*Self-publishing aside, of course.
Editor’s Note: Part 2, Editing Diversity in Chile, will be up tomorrow!
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Daniela Cortés del Castillo is a Bolivian journalist, writer and editor. She is the founder of Loba Ediciones, an MG and YA publishing company in Chile. She holds a master’s degree in creative writing, publishing and editing from the University of Melbourne. She enjoys reading, lindy hopping, and ranting about identity politics.
At the Crossroads of Identity: Intersectionality in Queer YA
by Tristina Wright
The other day a friend sent me the link to a book review. It was short—maybe a few sentences—but one phrase in particular stood out to me:
“…too diverse for me.”
The phrase was in reference to the main character’s gender identity, skin color, and sexual orientation. Merely three points of identity. Count them on one hand. Three really isn’t much when you think about it. Three pieces of candy. Three slices of pizza. Three books to read.
However, they were three-too-many different from the socially-constructed baseline of white, cisgender, heterosexual, abled, Christian (or similar morality structure) and more often than not, male.
Too much diversity.
It appears in reviews countless times—this idea that there’s a default setting, and anything that clicks away from that setting is a step away from “normal” and, therefore, Other. At some point the author crossed the line from Acceptable Other to Way Too Much Other.
And yet, many exist at intersections of identity. For myself: bisexual, disabled, mentally ill. If I put me in a book, would she be labeled as “too diverse” or would she be accepted because she’s also cisgender and white?
Queer YA already starts a click or three off the default because it covers gender identity, romantic orientation, and sexual orientation. When authors layer in race, disability, and religion, they end up with a spectrum of characters who represent the world as it actually exists. So why the pushback?
Because we’re still defaulting in other ways.
Even with Queer YA growing in all genres across the category, MCs are largely still white and abled and cis. Great books exist, yes, which speak to a number of issues from coming out to navigating first loves and first times, but many of these characters speak to white, abled readers.
Is it because we’re all so used to “too much diversity” as a complaint? The supposed understanding of The Default that making them queer is already pushing the boundary enough? Do we unconsciously, as readers and authors, fall into the same trap we espouse against on social media? Is it privilege in action?
I think it’s all of them, to be honest.
Write what you know.
We’ve heard that bit of advice over and over again. But what happens when the majority of authors writing what they know are all white and abled and cis? You get a very monochromatic view of literature—even the queer lit. There’s almost this understood “safe zone” when it comes to what queer books and which queer authors get the marketing pushes and the invites to panels and hit the lists and win the awards.
White, gay males. Tragic lesbians.
This is where Intersectionality becomes vitally important. And not just in books—but in authors, agents, acquiring editors, marketing personnel, publicity managers, copy editors, and interns. At publishers from the top down, more people need to be standing at crossroads instead of on the same one lonely stretch of highway we’ve walked for hundreds of years.
It’s because of the monochrome that phrases like “too much diversity” continue to appear. Things like “I couldn’t relate to the character” are seen as negatives instead of learning opportunities. The lonely kid who finally finds themselves in a story would go online and see scores of reviews complaining that the book is “too diverse” and “unrealistic” which translates to that lonely kid believing they’re only trying to get attention or, even worse, they don’t matter.
Queer YA has come a long way, yes, but it still has a very long way to go. “Too much diversity” needs to go away entirely. Normal needs to be a Black, bisexual girl who walks with a cane saving her city from aliens. A deaf Korean trans boy defeating the monsters. Biracial queers with disabilities as the heroes. A Latinx blind nonbinary MC cracking the puzzle and saving the planet from destruction. Giant blockbusters with non-white, non-abled, queer leads. The bestsellers list so dominated by these books that it’s normal to see them.
Every kid to having so many books to pick from in which they find themselves in no matter who they are or where they come from or who they love. The dial of “normal” and “default” disappearing entirely.
Is it even possible?
Maybe I’m foolishly optimistic in thinking yes…eventually one day. One can hope.
And listen.
While queer YA needs more and more and more intersectionality, there are already many wonderful books on the shelves which need love and boosting and money. Publishers speak in numbers and dollar signs. Here are but a few of the available and upcoming titles in intersectional queer YA:
- ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE by Benjamin Alire Saenz
- JERKBAIT by Mia Siegert
- NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED by Hannah Moskowitz
- HUNTRESS by Malinda Lo
- LABYRINTH LOST by Zoraida Cordova
- OTHERBOUND by Corinne Duyvis
- EVERYTHING LEADS TO YOU by Nina LaCour
- LIES WE TELL OURSELVES by Robin Talley
- THE ABYSS SURROUNDS US by Emily Skrutskie
- SHALLOW GRAVES by Kali Wallace
- WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore
- A DARKLY BEATING HEART by Lindsay Smith
- THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END and MORE HAPPY THAN NOT by Adam Silvera
- IT’S NOT LIKE IT’S A SECRET by Misa Siguira
- 27 HOURS by Tristina Wright
- UNDER THE LIGHTS by Dahlia Adler
- SOUND by Alexandra Duncan
- ASSASSINS: DISCORD and ISLAND OF EXILES by Erica Cameron
- THE GALLERY OF UNFINISHED GIRLS by Lauren Karcz
- S. I MISS YOU by Jen Petro-Roy
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Tristina Wright is a blue-haired bisexual with anxiety and opinions. She’s also possibly a mermaid, but no one can get confirmation. She fell in love with science fiction and fantasy at a young age and frequently got caught writing in class instead of paying attention. She writes stories about people who are heroes and monsters and sometimes both. She enjoys worlds with monsters and kissing. One spring day, Tristina married a nerd who can build her new computers and make the sun shine with his smile. Most days, she can be found drinking coffee from her favorite chipped mug and making up more stories for her wombfruit, who keep life exciting and unpredictable. Her debut novel 27 HOURS will be available Fall 2017 from Entangled Teen.
Still trying to figure out the mermaid thing.
Latinx Gay YA
by Dr. Sonia Alejandra Rodriguez
There remains a great need for Latinx Gay young adult literature. The list below is a compilation of texts that center and complicate these experiences. I’ve decided to make this list a space dedicated to stories written by self-identifying Latinx authors who have created gay Latinx protagonists. There are certainly other books with gay Latinx minor characters and books with gay Latinx characters written by non-Latinx. Many of the protagonists in the novels listed below express a feeling of isolation when they come out or at simply existing as a gay Latinx person. This isolation stems from a lack of familiarity with gay Latinx history and cultural productions, from an assumption that they are the only gay Latinx in their family, community, or school, and from the misconception that gay identity and Latinx identity cannot be one in the same. These are very real concerns that LGBTQI Latinx youth reading these novels might have and while it is important that they see themselves represented in fictional characters they must also see themselves reflected in the people that write these stories.
Many of the novels below deal with coming out as gay and the violence that one might experience because of it. Many of the protagonists are marginalized by their family and friends and many must literally fight for their lives. For example, in Charles Rice-Gonzalez’s Chulito Chulito, a 16 year-old gang member, is physically accosted by the gang leader after learning that Chulito is gay. Altercations with the quintessential hypermasculine character also occur in The Mariposa Club, Rainbow High, Aristotle and Dante, and More Happy Than Not. The depictions of violence in these novels signal that as a community we need to work harder to create safe spaces for queer Latinx youth to come out. Creating safe spaces includes challenging rigid gender roles, challenging trans and homophobia, and challenging white supremacy.
A common critique of gay YA novels is often their focus on coming out narratives. Clearly, gay youth are more than their coming out experiences and there is certainly a need to see gay characters live lives that represent that. However, these stories continue to be extremely valuable for Latinx communities. Consider for a minute that there aren’t many YA novels written by Latinx authors that center Latina lesbian and queer experiences. While the coming out narrative may feel overdone in stories that center dominant and white experiences, this is not the case for many underrepresented communities. Mayra Lazara Dole’s Young Adult novel Down to the Bone and Gabby Rivera’s more recent New Adult novel Juliet Takes a Breath are the only novels written by Latinx authors that center Latinx gay experiences that I know about. E.E. Charlton-Trujillo’s award winning Fat Angie is written by a Latinx author, Charlton-Trujillo identifies as a “Wexican” or the whitest Mexican-American, but there aren’t any cultural signifiers that indicate that Angie is a Latinx character. It is also dangerous to assume that Angie is a white Latinx just because that’s how the author identifies. In any case, we need more novels that center Latinx lesbian and queer experiences.
There is also a lack of trans Latinx characters. Rigoberto Gonzalez’s The Mariposa Club introduces readers to Trinidad Ramos, a trans Latina. There’s also a minor trans character in Chulito, Puti. Trinidad and Puti experience the most violence in these novels. Trini is beat up by the school jocks and needs to transfer schools, her father burns her with cigarettes, and is ostracized by many of her schoolmates. From the little we get to know about Puti it is clear that she also experienced some violence and that her family does not respect her. However, in the face of adversity Trini, and even Puti, remains resilient.
The turbulent and painful moments in these novels are countered with yet more powerful and beautiful scenes. The parent figures in Aristotle and Dante, More Happy Than Not, and The Mariposa Club are supportive of their gay Latinx child. The tension that might exists between the gay protagonist and their parent often times has more to do with other issues not necessarily tied to the characters’ gay identity. For example, in Aristotle and Dante Aristotle has a strained relationship with his father because of Mr. Mendoza’s past war experiences and because of Ari’s older brother’s imprisonment. Despite these complications, it is Mr. Mendoza that helps him realize he is in love with Dante. In More Happy Than Not, Aaron’s mom knows he’s gay and gives him the space to figure it out and come out on his own terms. Their relationship is complicated by the father’s suicide and the memory-erasing procedures offered by the Leteo Institute. Mauricio’s dad in The Mariposa Club is also very nurturing. He provides support not just for Maui but for all the fierce mariposas. Mauricio’s dad has a difficult time connecting to his son because he doubts his own parent skills, especially since his wife passed away.
Furthermore, the romantic relationships in these novels are tender and complex. At the beginning of Rainbow Boys Jason is dating the head cheerleader but later develops a crush for Kyle, who is being crushed on by Nelson. Aristotle and Dante’s relationship is sweet, quirky, and everything you want love to be. Heartbreak is way too real in these novels as well. Aaron from More Happy than Not and Juliet from Juliet Takes a Breath get their hearts broken and these scenes will bring readers to angry-filled, hot tears.
The books listed here are only the beginning. I can’t say I’ve read every gay YA book in search of Latinx characters. Hopefully this list will serve as a catalyst to find gay Latinx characters and Latinx authors in the literature we read.
Tommy Stands Alone (Piñata Press, 1995) by Gloria Velásquez
Publisher description: The third novel in the Roosevelt High School Series focuses on the difficult issue of a young man’s struggle with his sexual orientation — a conflict made more difficult by his family’s traditional Hispanic expectations.
Rainbow Boys (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003) by Alex Sanchez
Publisher description: Jason Carrillo is a jock with a steady girlfriend, but he can’t stop dreaming about sex…with other guys. Kyle Meeks doesn’t look gay, but he is. And he hopes he never has to tell anyone — especially his parents. Nelson Glassman is “out” to the entire world, but he can’t tell the boy he loves that he wants to be more than just friends. Three teenage boys, coming of age and out of the closet. In a revealing debut novel that percolates with passion and wit, Alex Sanchez follows these very different high-school seniors as their struggles with sexuality and intolerance draw them into a triangle of love, betrayal, and ultimately, friendship.
Rainbow High (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003) By Alex Sanchez
Publisher description: Jason Carrillo, the best-looking athlete in school, has had his eyes on the prize form day one: a scholarship for college. But then his eyes turn to love-and Kyle.
Kyle Meeks, swim team star and all-around good guy, is finally in the relationship he’s wanted. Being in love feels so good, in fact, that he can’t imagine giving it up to go to Princeton. Something he’s worked for his entire life.
Nelson Glassman, outgoing and defiant, might be HIV-positive. Jeremy, the boy he loves, is HIV positive. Although Nelson fears testing positive, if he is infected Jeremy might stop protecting him and pushing him away. They can be together.
High school’s almost over. Graduation is ahead. Life’s a bowl of cherries, right? Right….
Rainbow Road (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005) by Alex Sanchez
Publisher description: It’s the end of the road…
Jason Carrillo came out to his basketball team and lost his university scholarship. Now that he’s graduated, he’s been asked to speak at the opening of a gay and lesbian high school across the country-but what is he going to say?
Kyle Meeks is getting ready to go to Princeton in the fall. When his boyfriend, Jason, mentions the speaking invitation, he jumps at the chance to go with him-but can their romance survive two weeks crammed together in a car?
Nelson Glassman is happy that his best friend, Kyle, has found love with Jason. Now he wants to find a soul mate of his own and is going to start looking during the road trip-but will being “third wheel” ruin his friendship with Kyle and Jason?
The God Box (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2007) by Alex Sanchez
Publisher description: How could I choose betwen my sexuality and my spirituality, two of the most important parts that made me whole? High school senior Paul has dated Angie since middle school, and they’re good together. They have a lot of the same interests, like singing in their church choir and being active in Bible club. But when Manuel transfers to their school, Paul has to rethink his life. Manuel is the first openly gay teen anyone in their small town has ever met, and yet he says he’s also a committed Christian. Talking to Manuel makes Paul reconsider thoughts he has kept hidden, and listening to Manuel’s interpretation of Biblical passages on homosexuality causes Paul to reevaluate everything he believed. Manuel’s outspokenness triggers dramatic consequences at school, culminating in a terrifying situation that leads Paul to take a stand.
Down to the Bone (Harper Teen, 2008) by Mayra Lazara Dole
Publisher description: When Shai receives test messages from Marlena, the love of her life, and reads them during class, her dramatic mother finds out what her A-student daughter’s been doing behind her back and kicks her to the curb.
Soon Shai becomes involved with an unusual group of friends in exotic Miami. Can a discarded free-thinker turn the corner into a wild as wild, hilarious, and painful as her first love-and create a new kind of family?
The Mariposa Club (Alyson Books, 2009) by Rigoberto González
Publisher Description: As they embark on their final year of high school, the Fierce Foursome-Maui, Trini, Isaac, and Liberace-decide to do something big, something that will memorialize their friendships for when they all go their separate ways and begin their new “adult” lives. Already accustomed to the hardships that come with being openly gay in high school (not to mention in their homes), the boys can’t begin to imagine what they will be faced with when they set out to create Caliente Valley High School’s first GLBTQ club. But once the Mariposa Club is formed, they will not only have a place where they belong and that is all their own, but it will be a place for future students who feel as displaced as they do.
Mariposa Gown (Tincture, 2012) by Rigoberto González
Publisher description: In the sequel to The Mariposa Club, devoted Maui, fabulous Trini, and Goth-boy Liberace discover that the miedo and drama of life as a senior in high school is never-ending. The cure: friendship. But the bonds between the trio are tested; Sebastian, the handsome son of a wealthy developer crushes on Maui’s eye-and the attraction is mutual but oh-so-complicated; Trini must go back to living with her parents, which means dressing as a girl is no longer allowed; and Lib has to decide his future after graduation, one that could take him far away from Caliente Valley High and friends he’s known for years. But before caps and gowns can be donned a different, crucial event is fast coming. Prom. And this new Fierce Foursome wants to make a statement about acceptance and diversity. Which means one of our activists will be wearing a gown at prom. Chic Manifique! Maybe. Hopefully, he’ll still have a strong arm-and friends-to lean on when wearing matching heels.”
Chulito (Alyson Books, 2010) by Charles Rice-González
Publisher description: Set against a vibrant South Bronx neighborhood and the queer youth culture of Manhattan’s piers, Chulito is a coming-out, coming-of-age love story of a sexy, tough, hip hop–loving, young Latino man and the colorful characters in his vibrant neighborhood. Chulito, which means “cutie,” is one of the boys, and everyone in his neighborhood has seen him grow up—the owner of the local bodega, the Lees from the Chinese restaurant, his buddies from the corner, and all of his neighbors and friends, including Carlos, who was Chulito’s best friend until they hit puberty and people started calling Carlos a pato . . . a faggot. Chulito rejects Carlos, buries his feelings for him, and becomes best friends with Kamikaze, a local drug dealer. When Carlos comes home from his first year away at college and they share a secret kiss, Chulito’s worlds collide as his ideas of being a man, being macho, and being in love are challenged. Vivid, sexy, funny, heartbreaking, and fearless, this brilliant work is destined to become a queer classic.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secret of the Universe (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012) by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Publisher description: Dante can swim. Ari can’t. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari’s features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself. But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in the way, and only by believing in each other—and the power of their friendship—can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side.
Tommy Stands Tall (Arte Publico Press, 2013) by Gloria Velásquez
Publisher description: Tommy is excited to finally be a senior at Roosevelt High School. There was a time when he thought he’d never graduate, especially after he tried to kill himself to avoid dealing with his sexual orientation. But when Albert, a new student at Roosevelt High, is beaten so badly he winds up in the emergency room, Tommy can’t help but wonder if he was attacked because he’s gay. Soon, rumors about Albert are reverberating down the school’s hallways, and Tommy fears Albert might seek the same solution he himself did two years before
In spite of being busy with school, his job at the local theater and tutoring a young immigrant boy, Tommy finds other students both gay and straight interested in starting a club to raise awareness and seek equality for gay students. But will it really make a difference? Will they be able to modify the school’s anti-discrimination code? And will the group be able to help Albert?
Mariposa U (Smashwords Edition, 2015) by Rigoberto González
Publisher description: The third installment in Rigoberto González’s beloved series of young adult novels featuring a diverse band of southern California Latino friends finds thoughtful Maui Gutiérrez as a freshman at university and struggling to navigate life away from the support of his loving, old friends and family. University life can be lonely. He has no idea that his education is going to include a course in relationships-there have been dates with boys before, but Maui finds himself falling for Diego And where there is new love there is drama and heartbreak, something that the Fierce Foursome of his high school days would have warned Maui about.
More Happy Than Not (Soho Teen, 2015) by Adam Silvera
Publisher description: In the months after his father’s suicide, it’s been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again–but he’s still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he’s slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.
When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron’s crew notices, and they’re not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is. Why does happiness have to be so hard?
Juliet Takes A Breath (Riverdale Avenue Books, 2016) by Gabby Rivera
Publisher description: Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But Juliet had a plan, sort of, one that’s going to help her figure out this whole “Puerto Rican lesbian” thing. She’s interning with the author of her favorite book: Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women’s bodies, and other gay-sounding things. Will Juliet be able to figure out her life over the course of one magical summer? Is that even possible? Or is she running away from all the problems that seem too big to handle? With more questions than answers, Juliet takes on Portland, Harlowe, and most importantly, herself.
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Dr. Sonia Alejandra Rodriguez’s research focuses on the various roles that healing plays in Latinx children’s and young adult literature. She currently teaches composition and literature at a community college in Chicago. She also teaches poetry to 6th graders and drama to 2nd graders as a teaching artist through a local arts organization. She is working on her first middle grade novel. Follow Sonia on Instagram @latinxkidlit and on twitter @mariposachula8
New Releases: June 2016
June 1st – Style by Chelsea M. Cameron (L)
Kyle Blake likes plans. So far, they’re pretty simple: Finish her senior year of high school, head off to a good college, find a cute boyfriend, graduate, get a good job, get married, the whole heterosexual shebang. Nothing is going to stand in the way of that plan. Not even Stella Lewis.
Stella Lewis also has a plan: Finish her senior year as cheer captain, go to college, finally let herself flirt with (and maybe even date) a girl for the first time and go from there.
Fate has other plans for Kyle and Stella when they’re paired up in their AP English class and something between them ignites. It’s confusing and overwhelming and neither of them know what to do about it. One thing they do know is that their connection can’t be ignored. The timing just isn’t right.
But is there ever a good time for falling in love?
June 1st – Cinnamon and Cigarettes by Samantha Kate (B) (New Adult)
Sara Clarke, recent college grad, is sweet, demure, and cautious in all things, but especially romance—until she meets Moira Estrada, a bold amateur pilot and patron at the library where Sara works. Their intimacy blooms rapidly as they share everything from a sudden medical emergency to Christmas with the Estrada family. With her dashing new girlfriend by her side, Sara learns to overcome some of her greatest fears, whether they be acknowledging her own bisexuality, flying across the sky in a Cessna, or falling in love for the first time.
But Sara’s fear of confrontation is harder to conquer. When asked about her relationship, she finds herself lying to her family, pretending to date a man so she can avoid conflict with her straight-laced and image-conscious parents. But her attempts to please everyone cannot last forever and could result in far worse than her parents’ disapproval: she might lose the respect of her new friends at the library, or become estranged from her sister—or, worst of all, Sara might lose the only person she’s ever truly loved.
June 2nd – Where No One Knows by Jo Ramsey (T)
Kellan McKee is different, but not for the reasons everyone thinks. He’s open about being transgender and grateful to have his mother’s support, even if his stepfather disapproves. When Kellan is attacked by one of his stepfather’s friends, he’s more than capable of defending himself. But doing so comes with a price: Kellan is forced to reveal what really sets him apart—his psychic abilities.
Now Kellan must escape his stepfather’s vengeance with only the money his mother can provide. In Denver he meets Shad, a person with powers similar to his own who is willing to help him. The two agree to travel together, and Shad reveals there’s a group in Boston where Kellan can find a safe haven and learn more about his gift—and how to control it.
Kellan’s respite might be short-lived, however, if his stepfather manages to find him. And not everyone in Boston welcomes him with open arms. Kellan might not be as safe as he’d hoped. (2nd Edition.)
June 2nd – The Bridge by Rachel Lou (G)
Seventeen-year-old Everett Hallman may have been born a witch, but he possesses only low levels of spell-casting energy. He lives with his grandfather in the town of Ashville, near woods with high paranormal activity, and helps guide lost spirits to their respective afterlives. When strange urges lead Everett away from the woods and to a nearby martial arts school, he discovers the residue of paranormal creatures so powerful, he can’t help investigating further.
After he discovers he is a Bridge Master, a witch who can cross over to various spirit worlds, complications arise. The powerful witch who is supposed to mentor him goes missing, something is off about the handsome martial artist he befriends, and his energy keeps dipping to dangerous levels. The more he probes, the clearer it becomes that he cannot walk away.
June 7th – You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan (L, G)
Who knows you well? Your best friend? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? A stranger you meet on a crazy night? No one, really?
Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.
That is until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.
When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other — and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.
Told in alternating points of view by Nina LaCour, the award-winning author of Hold Still and The Disenchantments, and David Levithan, the best-selling author of Every Day and co-author of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (with Rachel Cohn) and Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with John Green), You Know Me Well is a deeply honest story about navigating the joys and heartaches of first love, one truth at a time.
June 7th – Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings (T) (non-fiction)
Teen activist and trailblazer Jazz Jennings named one of The 25 Most Influential Teens of the year by “Time” shares her very public transgender journey, as she inspires people to accept the differences in others while they embrace their own truths.
Jazz Jennings is one of the youngest and most prominent voices in the national discussion about gender identity. At the age of five, Jazz transitioned to life as a girl, with the support of her parents. A year later, her parents allowed her to share her incredible journey in her first Barbara Walters interview, aired at a time when the public was much less knowledgeable or accepting of the transgender community. This groundbreaking interview was followed over the years by other high-profile interviews, a documentary, the launch of her YouTube channel, a picture book, and her own reality TV series “I Am Jazz” making her one of the most recognizable activists for transgender teens, children, and adults.
In her remarkable memoir, Jazz reflects on these very public experiences and how they have helped shape the mainstream attitude toward the transgender community. But it hasn’t all been easy. Jazz has faced many challenges, bullying, discrimination, and rejection, yet she perseveres as she educates others about her life as a transgender teen. Through it all, her family has been beside her on this journey, standing together against those who don’t understand the true meaning of tolerance and unconditional love. Now Jazz must learn to navigate the physical, social, and emotional upheavals of adolescence particularly high school complicated by the unique challenges of being a transgender teen.
Making the journey from girl to woman is never easy especially when you began your life in a boy’s body.
June 7th – Tumbling by Caela Carter (L)
Work harder than anyone.
Be the most talented.
Sacrifice everything.
And if you’re lucky, maybe you will go to the Olympics.Grace lives and breathes gymnastics—but no matter how hard she pushes herself, she can never be perfect enough.
Leigh, Grace’s best friend, has it all: a gymnastics career, a normal high-school life… and a secret that could ruin everything.
Camille wants to please her mom, wants to please her boyfriend, and most of all, wants to walk away.
Wilhelmina was denied her Olympic dream four years ago, and she won’t let anything stop her again. No matter what.
Monica is terrified. Nobody believes in her—and why should they?
By the end of the two days of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, some of these girls will be stars. Some will be going home with nothing. And all will have their lives changed forever.
June 7th – True Letters from a Fictional Life by Kenneth Logan (G)
If you asked anyone in his small Vermont town, they’d tell you the facts: James Liddell, star athlete, decent student and sort-of boyfriend to cute, peppy Theresa, is a happy, funny, carefree guy.
But whenever James sits down at his desk to write, he tells a different story. As he fills his drawers with letters to the people in his world–letters he never intends to send–he spills the truth: he’s trying hard, but he just isn’t into Theresa. It’s a boy who lingers in his thoughts.
He feels trapped by his parents, his teammates, and the lies they’ve helped him tell, and he has no idea how to escape. Is he destined to live a life of fiction?
June 14th – Look Both Ways by Alison Cherry (B)
The story of a girl hoping she’s found a place to belong… only to learn that neither talent nor love is as straightforward as she thinks.
A summer away from the city is the beginning of everything for Brooklyn Shepard. Her theater apprenticeship at Allerdale is a chance to prove that she can carve out a niche all her own, surrounded by people who don’t know anything about her or her family of superstar performers.
Brooklyn immediately hits it off with her roommate, Zoe, and soon their friendship turns into something more. Brooklyn wants to see herself as someone who’s open to everything and everyone, but as her feelings for Zoe intensify, so do her doubts. She’s happier than she’s ever been—but is it because of her new relationship? Or is it because she’s finally discovering who she wants to be?
June 14th – Out On Good Behavior by Dahlia Adler (P) (New Adult)
Frankie Bellisario knows she can get anyone she sets her sights on, but just because she can doesn’t mean she should—not when the person she’s eyeing is Samara Kazarian, the daughter of a southern Republican mayor. No matter how badly Frankie wants to test her powers of persuasion, even she recognizes some lines aren’t meant to be crossed.
But when Frankie learns she’s been on Samara’s mind too, the idea of hooking up with her grows too strong to resist. Only Sam’s not looking for a hookup; she wants—needs—the real thing, and she’s afraid she’ll never find it as long as Frankie’s in her head.
Forced to choose between her first relationship and losing the girl who’s been clawing her way under her skin, Frankie opts to try monogamy…under her own condition: 30 days of keeping things on the down low and remaining abstinent. If she fails as hard at girlfriending as she’s afraid she might, she doesn’t want to throw Samara’s life into upheaval for nothing. But when neither the month nor Frankie’s heart go according to plan, she may be the one stuck fighting for the happily ever after she never knew she wanted.
June 16th – Points of Departure by Emily O’ Beirne (f/f)
In this young adult novel, to be released June 2016, best friends Kit and Liza have been looking forward to this trip forever.
Five girls, five tickets overseas. It’s exactly what they all need after the final slog of high school. But when Kit’s suddenly forced to drop out, Liza’s left with three girls she barely knows.
There’s Mai, committed only to partying. There’s Tam, who already has her doubts about leaving her sick father behind. And there’s Olivia, so miserable about screwing up exams she’s not even sure she wants to get out of bed, let alone on a plane. Meanwhile Kit’s stuck working double shifts to pay off a debt, wondering if she’ll ever get it together.
All Liza wants from this trip is to discover a new version of herself. She just hadn’t planned on doing it without Kit by her side.
And they’re all learning that travel isn’t just about the places you go, but who you’re with at the time.
June 16th – The Well of Tears (Book #2) by R.G. Thomas (G)
Thaddeus Cane is on the journey of his life. Having just discovered he is the son of a wizard and witch, he sets off on a quest to find his mother, who was cursed when Thaddeus was just a baby. He is accompanied by his father, Nathan; his new love, Teofil Rhododendron, the garden gnome who lives next door; and Teofil’s mother, brother, and sister. Though the world they travel through is familiar to him, they encounter a number of magical beings, some friendly and others quite deadly. When Nathan is gravely wounded, Thaddeus must choose between finding his mother and saving his father’s life.
June 17th – A Love That Disturbs by Medeia Sharif (f/f)
Maysa Mazari is alarmed by her mother’s talk about arranged marriage. Meanwhile, as a hijab-wearing Pakistani-American, she wants to find love on her own. Her judgmental Muslim clique has protected her from racist taunts, although the leader, Aamal, is turning on her as Maysa strays from the group because of her attraction to Haydee.
Haydee Gomez is a former gang member and juvenile detention student. Now living with a clean-cut aunt, she wants to turn her life around, even though one person will never let her forget her roots—Rafe, her abusive pimp. Haydee attempts to pull away from a life of prostitution when she develops feelings for Maysa, although Rafe isn’t willing to give her up too easily.
Finding themselves in danger from Maysa’s friends and Haydee’s pimp, it’s apparent their love disturbs everyone around them as they fight to stay together.
June 28th – And I Darken by Kiersten White (L)
NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.
And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.
Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.
But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.
June 28th – Run by Kody Keplinger (B)
Bo Dickinson is a girl with a wild reputation, a deadbeat dad, and a mama who’s not exactly sober most of the time. Everyone in town knows the Dickinsons are a bad lot, but Bo doesn’t care what anyone thinks.
Agnes Atwood has never gone on a date, never even stayed out past ten, and never broken any of her parents’ overbearing rules. Rules that are meant to protect their legally blind daughter — protect her from what, Agnes isn’t quite sure.
Despite everything, Bo and Agnes become best friends. And it’s the sort of friendship that runs truer and deeper than anything else.
So when Bo shows up in the middle of the night, with police sirens wailing in the distance, desperate to get out of town, Agnes doesn’t hesitate to take off with her. But running away and not getting caught will require stealing a car, tracking down Bo’s dad, staying ahead of the authorities, and — worst of all — confronting some ugly secrets.
June 28th – Winning by Lara Deloza (L)
House of Cards meets Election in this wickedly entertaining story about an uber-ambitious high school junior.
Whoever said being nice would get you to the top?
Certainly not Alexandra Miles. She isn’t nice, but she’s more than skilled at playing the part. She floats through the halls of Spencer High, effortlessly orchestrating the actions of everyone around her, making people bend to her whim without even noticing they’re doing it. She is the queen of Spencer High—and it’s time to make it official.
Alexandra has a goal, you see—Homecoming Queen. Her ambitions are far grander than her small town will allow, but homecoming is just the first step to achieving total domination. So when peppy, popular Erin Hewett moves to town and seems to have a real shot at the crown, Alexandra has to take action.
With the help of her trusted friend Sam, she devises her most devious plot yet. She’ll introduce an unexpected third competitor in the mix, one whose meteoric rise—and devastating fall—will destroy Erin’s chances once and for all. Alexandra can run a scheme like this in her sleep. What could possibly go wrong?
June 30th – Castor by Shaun Young (G)
James Fisher’s memories of Earth are distant, replaced by the harsh realities of life on the planet Castor. As a “Half-Adapt,” James is one of many who were biologically engineered to survive conditions on Castor—and to labor for the benefit of the ruling class. Indentured to servitude, James has no way to defy or escape the severe caste system… until he meets Vidal Centa, his master’s nephew. The draw they feel toward each other is instant, powerful, and maybe even enough to move beyond the unyielding regulations of their society.
But not everyone blindly accepts the absolute power of the oligarchy. The Independence Society fights for freedom and equality, and since James shares in their ideals, he joins their ranks. Soon he’s faced with an impossible decision: continue the fight against the oppressors or choose the love of the young man who embodies everything the Society loathes. With a looming conflict threatening to tear the planet apart, James fears he cannot continue to fight if he wants to keep his relationship with Vidal.
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You can send us comments, suggestions or titles we might have missed at: nadia@gayya.org or tweet us@thegayYA with the info!
On Creating the “Perfect” Booklist for a GLBTIQ Course
by Robin Kurz
This summer, after two institutions and four years, I finally have the opportunity to design and teach a GLBTIQ course for library science students. Since it’s a “resources and services” course, I’m able to incorporate books rather heavily into the syllabus. I have taught a variety of these sorts of courses (from YA to multicultural) and use class-wide reads as a way to introduce students to relevant themes, genres, communities, etc. Basically, the entire class reads the same title and we then discuss it based on the questions and prompts I provide and inclusive of other course readings.
As I have been waiting years to teach a course like this, I had no shortage of titles I would have loved to have students read (including some classic titles I consider my “mirror” books and newer titles that I wish had been around when I was questioning my own sexual identity as a teenager).
Here are some of the factors I considered when making the list:
- The course is only worth 2 hours of credit, which meant I couldn’t overwhelm students by having them read all the books. I admit that I have this tendency!
- This is a summer course, so I have only 12 weeks to squeeze in everything instead of the usual 16 weeks of a full term. This led me to have to condense some segments of the Queer population that I would have otherwise given more time to in a regular-length semester. In the end, I decided on titles with intersex, transgender, gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters, with a sixth title focused on GLBTIQ families, as that was related to one of the course learning outcomes.
- I would have students across a number of states in a variety of urban, suburban, and rural locations, and I always encourage students to find class-wide readings at local libraries. Since this can already be a challenge for my rural students when the titles I assign aren’t likely to be challenged, I knew it would be particularly difficult for this course. In the end, I tried to select titles that were from larger presses and more established writers in hopes that accessibility would be less of a factor. At that same time, it was important for me to include as many Queer writers as possible and to make the list racially and ethnically diverse.
- This is what I refer to as a “birth-to-death” course, covering children, teens, and adults; therefore, if I was going to make the readings more YA-focused, I was going to need a very good reason for doing so. The reason is that we could get through more titles if the majority were written for teens. If I’d chosen adult books, we would have had a much shorter (thus less representative) list.
- An early anonymous poll found that 94.1% of students responded “I (at least mostly) identify with the gender I was assigned at birth and do not consider myself gender fluid, gender variant, genderqueer, and/or transgender,” while 5.9% responded “I do not identify with the gender I was assigned at birth and consider myself gender fluid, gender variant, genderqueer, and/or transgender.” Given that the vast majority of the class identifies as cisgender, I wanted to make sure that everyone left the class with a much better understanding of gender identity, gender fluidity, and transgender communities. This shaped my decision to include George and to have the family title focused on gender identity.
- Results from the same poll indicated that almost half of the class identified a GLBTIQ, as seen in the pie chart below. Having a mix of students with a variety of levels of knowledge about GLBTIQ communities made it a challenge to determine readings that would seminal enough for straight-identifying students while still not titles that half of the class had already likely read.
In the end, I knew there could be no perfect list (there never is). Two seconds after I send the reading list for any given course to students I think of a title (or three) I should have used instead. I have given myself an out for this with one of the other course assignments: the long-form book review. In this assignment, students choose a title from a preselected list to read and review on the course wiki. I’m still working on this list but will post it on my blog when I have it ready. It will include many of the other YA titles (both fiction and nonfiction) I considered for the final list below.
None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio
George by Alex Gino
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier
Adaptation by Malinda Lo
Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son by Lori Duron
If you’re interested in learning more about this course, you can find the syllabus here and feel free to check out my blog in June for the fuller list of titles.
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Robin Kurz, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the School of Library and Information Management at Emporia State University. Prior to her doctoral studies, Robin worked in youth services in public libraries. Her research focuses on diversity and inclusion in library education, collections, and services, particularly for youth and their families. Learn more on her blog, http://www.