Blog Challenge #13: Why Gay Romance?

My kids during gender-swap day at school
I'm an advocate of love. A champion for its cause. A passionate believer in the happily ever after. Gender has never played a factor in how I perceive love and if my children are anything to go by, they feel the same way. Love is love.

If you've followed my blog or read through the posts (welcome new readers) you've undoubtedly noticed that I represent a lot of GLBTQ romance. These "Gay Romance" authors have works in various subgenres, featuring a myriad of gender-pairings but at the core of each of their books is love. It's all about the love!

When I'm passionate about something, everyone knows about it. Ask any of my clients and they'll tell you how passionate I can be when discussing any of their works, their careers, my family, coffee, the publishing industry and Harry Potter. Get me talking about any of these topics and you'll not hear an intake of breath for several minutes. But I don't just talk about my causes, I champion them and each of my clients is a cause I fervently fight for on a daily basis. I advocate their work, I champion their successes and I'm passionate when I pitch their work to publishers and the media.

Rainbow Flag courtesy of
Creative Commons
One of the causes I advocate the most is the mainstreaming of "Gay Romance". Why? Because it's not a subgenre to be shelved in the Gay/Lesbian section of your bookstore. It's a love story between two (or more people) just like all of the other romance books shelved in the romance category. It's not shameful or perverted to see two men embrace passionately on a romance cover. It's not ugly to see a transgendered model on the cover of a romance novel. Our love stories are not, and should not, be categorized by our gender or that of our partner's any more than the color of our skin is.

I champion the love because if we were more tolerant about love and less complacent about hate, perhaps the current political landscape (in the US) could be better. The topics that would matter in this election would not be based on gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and race. It's all about the love, man!

It's about love. It's why I'm passionate about it. Why I advocate for it. Why I champion it and why I thirst for more of it.

Comments

  1. Margie ChurchOctober 27, 2012 at 9:41 AM

    I feel the same way. It's not about the genitals you have, it's about what's in your heart. A friend of mine is HIV positive and recently had a stroke. He's not going to make it. He's almost 50 and recently moved across The Pond to be with the love of his life. His partner had previously been married and has two children. The joy those two share over finding each other across the world - on Facebook takes my breath away. Equally so, in the last moments of his life, is the overwhelming grief his partner is sharing with me. And how I wish I could be there to hold their hands. I know elements of their love will weave their way into my next gay romance. It's a story too bold to hide.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saritza HernandezOctober 28, 2012 at 2:57 PM

      Love is such a beautiful thing, it should never be hidden. How beautiful to be part of their love and share these moments with them. My thoughts and prayers go out to them and their families as they transition into this new aspect of their family dynamic. Peace and love to all.

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