And boy, let me tell you something, I have thoughts. I have a lot of thoughts on this particular subject, and it's high time I put them out there.
Now, this is just me, and this is just from an author's perspective. When I read gay romance, I'm honestly not concerned with them wrapping it before they tap it. I'm just in it for the story. I also know this is a somewhat contentious issue, and not just in gay romance. Straight romance, bi romance, anything where there is a penis involved, condoms tend to be a rather dividing issue among the readership, and among the authorship.
So if listening to me isn't of interest, or you frankly just don't find this topic fascinating enough to read a full blog post on it, no harm, no foul. I'll see you in the next post. If you are someone who might want to discuss this/read about it/think about it, then settle in for...well, I don't know how long this is going to end up being. Settle in until the end.
So, if you've read my contemporary work, or any of my paranormal work that's set on basically Earth, you might have some idea where I stand on condoms, but just in case you're only coming here from Hearts of Madijak or Swarm, or you even just Googled to get here somehow, let me make it very clear:
My. Heroes. Practice. Safe. Sex.
With some exceedingly rare (And usually not too recent.) exceptions, when my characters plan to get it on, they slip on a rubber. Now, in something like the world of Swarm, or in Madijak, condoms simply aren't a consideration. However, from New York to LA to small-town Washington, condoms aplenty, my friends. So many condoms.
I do this very deliberately, because I think it's important, and I think it's especially important when it comes to gay characters. 90% of the people reading these books do not have a penis, but if the 10% who do have penises see the heroes snaring the serpent before sliding into the cave of wonders, then I'm all for it. The cay community was ravaged by AIDS in the 80s and 90s, and it's still something we have to deal with in our community today. Thankfully, we're getting better, but that doesn't remove the issue at hand.
My characters all have their own flaws, their own hangups, but I don't like my characters making dumb decisions. To me, two strangers meeting in a bar, then going home and doing it bareback? That's a stupid decision. I know too many gay and bi men who paid the price for just such a decision. HIV and AIDS are not pretty.
Now, that is the most important reason, but I do have an ulterior motive. Some of you, I'm sure, might be ready to type in the comments that sometimes, my characters go bareback. Even in recent work, and even on Earth. However, I would counter and ask you to find an instance of that behavior early in a book.
See, in real life gay relations, there often comes a point in a steady, committed relationship when the condoms are finally put in the drawer. That's my ulterior motive: I lean into protection in my narratives, which means I can use the abandoning of the condoms as a way to signal a relationship moving deeper. There's a writing trick for you, free of charge.
Do you have thoughts on rubbers in gay romance? I'm interested to hear what others think.
As always, darlings, stay beautiful, and if possible, stay drunk.
Raven
Now, this is just me, and this is just from an author's perspective. When I read gay romance, I'm honestly not concerned with them wrapping it before they tap it. I'm just in it for the story. I also know this is a somewhat contentious issue, and not just in gay romance. Straight romance, bi romance, anything where there is a penis involved, condoms tend to be a rather dividing issue among the readership, and among the authorship.
So if listening to me isn't of interest, or you frankly just don't find this topic fascinating enough to read a full blog post on it, no harm, no foul. I'll see you in the next post. If you are someone who might want to discuss this/read about it/think about it, then settle in for...well, I don't know how long this is going to end up being. Settle in until the end.
My. Heroes. Practice. Safe. Sex.
With some exceedingly rare (And usually not too recent.) exceptions, when my characters plan to get it on, they slip on a rubber. Now, in something like the world of Swarm, or in Madijak, condoms simply aren't a consideration. However, from New York to LA to small-town Washington, condoms aplenty, my friends. So many condoms.
I do this very deliberately, because I think it's important, and I think it's especially important when it comes to gay characters. 90% of the people reading these books do not have a penis, but if the 10% who do have penises see the heroes snaring the serpent before sliding into the cave of wonders, then I'm all for it. The cay community was ravaged by AIDS in the 80s and 90s, and it's still something we have to deal with in our community today. Thankfully, we're getting better, but that doesn't remove the issue at hand.
My characters all have their own flaws, their own hangups, but I don't like my characters making dumb decisions. To me, two strangers meeting in a bar, then going home and doing it bareback? That's a stupid decision. I know too many gay and bi men who paid the price for just such a decision. HIV and AIDS are not pretty.
Now, that is the most important reason, but I do have an ulterior motive. Some of you, I'm sure, might be ready to type in the comments that sometimes, my characters go bareback. Even in recent work, and even on Earth. However, I would counter and ask you to find an instance of that behavior early in a book.
See, in real life gay relations, there often comes a point in a steady, committed relationship when the condoms are finally put in the drawer. That's my ulterior motive: I lean into protection in my narratives, which means I can use the abandoning of the condoms as a way to signal a relationship moving deeper. There's a writing trick for you, free of charge.
Do you have thoughts on rubbers in gay romance? I'm interested to hear what others think.
As always, darlings, stay beautiful, and if possible, stay drunk.
Raven
Comments
Post a Comment