Rachel Manija Brown and Sherwood Smith are authors of books largely aimed at young adults. In an article posted on Publishers Weekly's website, they share stories of how book agents and editors have gone about trying to eliminate gay characters in their books.
"The agent offered to sign us on the condition that we make the gay character straight, or else remove his viewpoint and all references to his sexual orientation."
There are also stories in the comments section of the story of editors wiping manuscripts clean of any reference to gay characters.
Which is understandable. Because if there's any demographic that I've known to be touchy about viewing things with an open mind, it's book readers. Vampires who glitter in sunlight and battle werewolves for the love of teenage girls in suburban Washington? That's true to life. Little boys who become wizards and battle Ralph Fiennes in the woods of England? That's realistic.
Gays and lesbians in a book? That's make believe, my friends. That's just your imagination.
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