I decided to revamp/re-create this thread for all of the LGBTQ+ related questions in writing, so we don’t have to keep making new threads.
You can ask questions here, give advice on writing, and for those who have been asked a lot of questions (irl or otherwise) give us the answers to FAQs!
(If you want to address a specific post make sure to tag the OP)
Have fun everyone!
It’s not weird, you can do what you want but just remember to do your research so you don’t accidentally offend anyone.
It can absolutely be done - straight writers can (and please do!) include LGBTQ+ characters in their stories. However, it’s important to know your limits there - trying to write a story about that identity and what the experience of growing up with that identity is like will almost always fall flat, because it’s not really something you can do authentically.
By contrast, if it’s a story about, I don’t know, sky pirates looking for treasure lead by a pirate captain and his boyfriend that’d be totally cool and cause no problems, because you just have a relationship to explore there, rather than what it’s like to be gay or bi or however these characters might identify. So you can include characters of a different gender identity or sexuality in your story, absolutely, but it’s better to not try to make the story about their identity.
Is there a term for a non-binary/genderqueer/ genderfluid/other genders that isn’t nessesarily male and female that’s exclusively attracted to a male or female?
I’m pretty sure skoliosexual means being attracted to only non-binary people (and maybe other people that isn’t nessesarily male and female too), so like the opposite of that.
Non-binary people who align in someway with womanhood can be lesbians, so if they were exclusively attracted to women/woman aligned nonbinary people that’s an option. A lot of the nonbinary people I know just call themselves gay or queer though. I know trixic is also a word that’s been proposed for nonbinary people attracted to women but I don’t know anyone who actually uses it.
One of my characters is questioning, and questioning my sexuality myself I can write for her, but I’m going to definitely have issues with the straight female characters. Why do people find guys so attractive LOL?
I don’t know if there is a specific term but most nb people I know just refer to themselves are queer. A lot of nb people who identify with femininity and are exclusively attracted to women refer to themselves as lesbians.
I would just ask your straight female friends what they find attractive in men! I’ve asked this of my straight female friends (and gay male friends) what they find attractive in men a few times in terms of writing and I normally get pretty understandable answers.
Oh wow that’s really smart. 