Publishing and LGBT Erasure or My Issues with Robo-Boobs

I always knew someone would tell me to add a Sexy Lady Robot to my book.

When I first starting writing my novel, Echo of the Larkspur, I set out to write a story that was first and foremost about love. Love between a male human and an omnipotent, genderless robot that identified as male, to be precise. I wanted the story to focus on their slow and steady relationship and explore how love between these two very different beings could bloom. Yet the second I put my finishing touches on my story I knew deep down one day someone would complain that the robot didn’t have Robo-Boobs.

That day was Wednesday.

That morning, in an online writing group, I announced I’d received my 100th rejection letter and asked for suggestions on how to celebrate and/or ease the pain. I received offers from a few published authors (self and traditional) to look over my query and opening pages to see if there was anything I could do to improve my chances of getting picked up. And I want to say, most of them gave wonderful advice that I have taken to heart.

Except one.

I will not say their name nor anything that would identify them. I will say they are a traditionally published author. I know they meant well and were trying to be helpful, even if their advice was…well…

Right off the bat they explained that potential agents (and publishers) would be afraid to pick up my novel because it doesn’t appeal to a wide enough audience, since it is LGBT and sci-fi with heavy romance elements. They broke down how seemingly impossible my book would be to sell.

Gay? But gay romance means there’s going to be hardcore gay sex in it!

Science Fiction, that isn’t hard science fiction? That doesn’t sell!

A Mystery? Romance?! Those two don’t go together!

Romance with a Robot?!?! Only a crazy person would love a robot!

But the biggest problem of all, they helpfully explained, was people into LGBT only want to read about LGBT characters in settings where modern life experiences are relevant. In other words, if there was a gay main character, the plot needed to focus on gay issues, not a mystery or an adventure, or whatever.

“What shelf does this go on in a book shop? I can’t decide.” – Direct Quote

The next part I need to stress is this author had only read the opening five pages of my book. This did not stop them from sending me a long, long list of questions they were afraid my book wasn’t going to be able to answer about human/robot relationships:

Maybe it’s just me, but it really rubbed me the wrong way that they automatically assumed I not only don’t address any of those questions in my story, but that I never thought of them in the first place. But that was nothing compared to the kicker they ended their questions with:

“I also felt that the LGBTQ inclusion really seems to cloud things” – Another Direct Quote

And there it is.

Why does it have to be gay?

I see it every time a gay character of any type is in a piece of media. Every story, every game, every movie where there’s a LGBT character who does more than suffer and die. Every time the same questions and comments:

“Why does this character have to be gay?” “Why make her a lesbian?” “Can’t they just be open minded instead of bisexual?” “Do we really need a trans actor to play a trans character?” “Isn’t asexuality a disease?” “This is all just PC culture. Unique snowflakes doing it ‘cause it’s popular. It’s just a phase.”

To prove their point they explain in small simple words why my book is impossible to sell. And they did it in the most baffling way possible.

That’s right everyone. My story is a Marzipan Modern Art Owl.

You may think there’s no way this letter could get better than that. Well clearly you don’t remember how this article started.

Here it was. The moment I’ve been waiting for. Advice on how to fix my book and become the next New York Times Bestseller.

My favorite part was how they changed SAGE’s gender to make the story not-gay. They didn’t directly address it, just sorta slipped a complete gender change and gay erasure between their grand ideas, which seem to be part Blade Runner and part literally every science fiction story featuring a Sexy Robot Lady ever created. Do you think the Sexy Robot Lady learns what it means to be human thanks to the main character’s penis? I sure do!

The email ends with heartfelt advice that instead of writing what I want I should focus on what’s popular and write only that. After all, no agent or publisher will touch what I currently have. Best of wishes, good luck in your career, signed a traditionally published author. Leaving me with nothing but images of my main robot lead with huge boobs and my pile of previous rejection letters. So I did what had to be done. I laughed my ass off and posted about it on Twitter.

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect this thread to take off. But it has, and with it an outpouring of love and support from across the internet. I heard from sci-fi fans who spoke about how wonderfully diverse the genre can be. I received messages from LGBT individuals who were crying out for representation and cursing how common this attitude was. Authors both published and unpublished shared their stories of similar struggles on trying to get their own diverse works out there to the world. And there were also people who had no idea that getting a story like mine published could be so hard. I’ve read every single comment and treasure them all.

There’s still a long road ahead of me and not a single step will be easy. I will fight for a future where LGBT elements aren’t considered a risk in the publishing world. Even if I have to scream from the rooftops I will be heard. It’s going to suck but I’m not worried. Because now I know how many people support stories like mine. I’m not alone in this. None of us are.

I’m also starting a band called the Marzipan Modern Art Owls. Catch us next Open Mic Nite!

Title image by Hajime Sorayama.

Print Friendly