: Re: How to write a homosexual character, whose homosexuality isn't the point of the story? I'm writing a modern fantasy novel, with a female protagonist whose principal romantic interest is another

@Murphy332

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When I read the title of this, my brain converted it to (in lieu of a reply)

How to write a female character whose gender isn't the point of the story

Imagine writing a story based in this world, where you spend a considerable amount of time explaining the reasons your character is female. (hmm there seems like there might be a parody in that idea!)

The point being that people are perfectly comfortable and accepting that there are males and females in the world as they are accepting that there are a number of sexual orientations.

If Beth says she's got a date with Meredith then that is all you need to do to tell the reader that the character is homosexual. If it isn't the point of the story, then don't make it the point of the story, state the facts and move along.

ETA (something that has rattled around in my head since I wrote this bit)

What you choose to raise issues with in a story says a lot about the universe that you are creating, equally to what you choose to ignore.

If you create a universe where walking around naked is the norm, then within that universe there would be very little said about that fact. If someone in that universe has issues with the idea, or even simply starts to explain why they do it. Then that would reflect on how the universe as a whole has an underlying issue with it and it becomes a discussion point in the story.

Give the reader some information in your story, and then decide if it is going to be either a fact or a discussion point.

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