Unlock My Topic Please

[Anacoana]

I'd like to discuss re-opening my topic LGBT+ Books? (http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewto ... =1&t=23403). I put it up and was redirected semi-accurately to a pre-existing thread called Can anyone recommend any good LGB books? (http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewto ... rs#p180070) which, in my mind, isn't similar enough to mine to validate my thread being locked.

The topic searching for LGB books first of all doesn't include transgenders, and if you think it's hard to find books with gay people in them, it's twenty times harder to find ones with transgender main characters. Also, this pre-existing one is searching for books with characters. That can be anything from sassy best friend to waiter-who-looks-at-protagonist-in-a-maybe-flirty-way. Or it could be the male-antagonist-with-a-male-lover, or a casual mention of two moms/dads even though you never meet them.

My point is, my thread is looking for protagonists. Characters you spend the whole book with and get to know as people, not just one little glimpse or factor of them. When someone is a protagonist you're more likely to identify with them, and people need that for skin color, gender, and culture; we need that for sexuality too. While representation is getting better, it's too often like the examples I stated above, just a character or two tossed in to make sure people know the author is accepting. LGBT+ kids in many areas face day to day struggles, be it coming out vs not coming out, conflict between their sexuality and their beliefs/culture/friends/family, how involved to be with the rainbow community, to be aware of how violent people can be towards us and be wary constantly or to trust other people, the dicey environment of school as a teacher or student, as well as things that everyone else struggles with. When I was younger I had all these thoughts I just knew were vile, until I read Down To The Bone and realized that here's someone like me sexuality-wise, they understand and they're going through it too.

Protagonists are incredibly important, and we need books that are specifically seen through an LGBT+ character's eyes, something that's hard to find unless you have the time or burning desire to search for them and try to find reviews of them. And in this day where everything is happening at once and there are a thousand things to distract you, who's really going to do that. LGBT+ kids are underrepresented as it is, and even more underrepresented as protagonists. So I'd like my thread specifically for them to be unlocked please. Thank you for your time.

~Jessica

[Gravy]

I agree with this.
The threads are different enough to me to be separate.
In fact the original said...

I'm always looking for books with LGB characters are simply in the story with everyone else rather than being their sexuality being the focus of the story. Can any one recommend any books which have LGB characters but are not necessarily focusing on their sexuality?

And as was stated above...trans wasn't even listed.

As it is I can think of quite a few books/series that have LGB chracters that are not the focus.
However stories where the protagonist is LGBT, and deal with what that actually means, are sparse.
I'd love to have this thread as a place to look for recommendations.

[gali]

After reconsideration, I unlocked the topic. Next time just PM please.