Heteronormativity

[citrinesunset]

A few days ago, I re-watched an episode of Doctor Who from RTD's time. It reminded me, again, of how much I liked RTD's inclusion of gay and lesbian background characters, and how much I took it for granted at the time.

I don't like everything about RTD's characterization, or even all his depictions of queer characters. But I did like how he made the world of Doctor Who a place where some people were gay. I liked it even better for the fact that Doctor Who is traditionally a family show that's been liked by a lot of children.

I don't think fiction is the best means for young people to get an idea of how the world works. I don't expect fiction to always present an ideal. But it does influence us. It does help teach us what the world is like. And it does reflect the society that creates it.

I'm fortunate. I grew up in a fairly accepting household. I'm also fortunate to have learned young that it's possible to be queer, and to have learned that without any judgment attached.

Even so, I've grown up in a very heteronormative world. When I was a kid, I didn't have any openly gay friends or family members. Everyone seems to take for granted that I'm straight. That is, since I'm read as female, I'll get comments from acquaintances about "when I have a husband." I've been asked if I have a boyfriend. No one has ever added "...or a girlfriend?"

Growing up, I saw countless representations of heterosexuality on TV and in movies. I can't remember the first time I saw straight romance and sexuality depicted on screen. I can remember the first time I saw an openly gay character in film (it was Philadelphia, which I saw on cable when I was around 11).

One of harder things for me, when I came out to myself, was that I'd never had any model or example for being queer, real or fictional.

But I wonder if, to some extent, it's more natural to create queer characters if you're queer yourself. Otherwise, maybe it's not something you consider. Maybe it doesn't occur to you to have some of your background characters be gay.

I don't buy that totally, though, because there are straight people who write queer characters or who are aware of representation (or the lack of it). And it seems like such a simple thing to me, in today's world, to have a character be gay.

Comments

[canaa]

Ah, heteronormativity. God, it rankles me. I play World of Warcraft, and the latest expansion added a new playable race, goblins. When I started a goblin, I found out that if you play a male goblin, your character's storyline in the starting area gives him a girlfriend, and if you play a female goblin, it gives her a boyfriend. It's the first time the game has ever forced a sexuality on player characters, and I was very displeased to see it.

Positive thing, though, I did once have a customer I was helping ask me if I had a boyfriend . . . and then he added ". . . or a girlfriend! You never know these days." I was utterly floored that he asked that, because like you said, no one does. People just assume a person is straight unless they look stereotypically gay/lesbian. And then they assume the other way even if it's not the case, which is likewise obnoxious.

Philadelphia was also the first film I saw with an openly homosexual character. I don't remember exactly how old I was - somewhere around 14 maybe? -, but I remember being fascinated by it. I was not raised in an open and accepting household. Homosexuality was a foreign concept to me until my early teenage years. Watching the dancing scene in particular was strange to me, but it was also incredibly beautiful. It took me a long while to figure out why it touched me so much.

Just today I was rewatching some music videos by one of my favourite bands, Moist, and noticed that they incorporated homosexuality into a few of their videos. Just part of the general video, not a focus or a theme, but just there in the background. It made me smile to see it. Because that's how it should be. We exist, we're here. We belong.

[verasteine.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on RTD (I actively miss it in Moffat's heterocentricity fest -- and don't get me started on this year's Christmas special. Ahem.)

Re. writing queer background/foreground characters... I would think that if you're queer, you'd naturally insert more characters who are like you. I wrote a lot about women, for instance, and inserted many women into my narratives. And my background characters, like my social life, were all straight, until I got to about 17/18 and learned more directly (I was aware of homosexuality in the world and specifically in my world before then) to put queer characters and characters of colour into my fiction. But that was a decision I had to actively make, to create a world that didn't necessarily reflect my white, suburban upbringing. And while my upbringing was liberal and open with regard to queer people, they were never my peers, but my teachers, my parents' friends, and famous people or politicians. I think that was the distance that influenced the lack of presence in my writing.

[citrinesunset.livejournal.com]

Re. writing queer background/foreground characters... I would think that if you're queer, you'd naturally insert more characters who are like you.

Yeah, that's how I feel. I think people are generally inclined to include characters who are like them, maybe not in a specific sense but in a general one. So I don't necessarily begrudge Moffat for not having queer characters.

There's also the distance factor.

But like you say, you grew more aware as you got older and began to notice these things more, too. Yet, a lot of people, even those who are fairly open-minded, never seem to really notice.

[verasteine.livejournal.com]

You know, those were the days I was predominantly writing original fiction and consuming both fan fiction and professional fiction. And being an audience as well as a writer, I became aware of what I did not like and did like to read, and why. I became aware of the fact that I chose, whenever possible, fiction that for instance starred powerful women. And that choice, and occasionally having to read (for school) something I didn't like, or choosing the wrong thing, taught me about being an audience. And that, I think, influenced being a writer who wants to write for more diverse audiences, or at least keep an eye open for inclusion.

[citrinesunset.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. I think I'm a lot the same, both from being an audience, myself, and observing how other people react to stories. I think participating in fandoms gave me a deeper appreciation for considering your desired audience, whereas before, I'd been less comfortable considering the audience of my writing.

I've seen some writers get really defensive about the idea that people could be bothered by stuff like this. But I don't see what's wrong with being aware of it, at least. It doesn't dictate aLl my creative choices by any means, but it gives me a perspective that I think is good to have.