Why is Casidhe gay? To me, this is a funny question. I mean, why not? I am fully aware that a portion of the population still thinks homosexuality isn’t right. I am not going to address their feelings, prejudices, or beliefs. I can’t. No one can. I believe the only way their hearts and minds will ever change is when someone they know and love comes out, and they are forced to find some level of acceptance.
As a gay woman, I am continually looking for strong woman characters who also love women. I don’t mean they hate men. I don’t. I was married to two men, and I loved them both. I have two sons whom I adore. I have brothers and uncles and cousins who are men. I love them all.
I had a psychologist explain to me once that most women are homoemotional–meaning most women relate more naturally emotionally to women than to men. The word homo in Greek simply means same. One can also be homointellectual–meaning you connect intellectually better within your same gender. It just so happens, some people are also homosexual. It is not something you chose; it’s just in your DNA.
There is much more to Casidhe than being gay, but I will say, her relationship, just like yours and mine, is an integral part of her growth, her choices, and her life. The tide is turning in media–movies, TV shows, and literature. Gentleman Jack, Supergirl, Lost Girl, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batwoman, and countless other movies, shows, and books change the narrative and give girls a wider range of characters that reflect who they feel they feel are inside. Since the suicide rate in gay youth is double that of straight, seeing these examples in media is not only affirming; it could potentially save someone’s life.
Equality. I don’t want all characters to be gay. I just think there should be more. And bytheway, gay people come in as many shapes, sizes, and personalities as straight people. Please don’t assume you know what we look like, feel like, or act like. The diversity of humanity didn’t skip over homosexuals.
Sunbury Press, my publisher, has received some “interesting” phone calls and messages since Wolf’s release in 2019. It’s a small independent press with very few titles that host gay characters (Tough Girl in the Jam by Larry Loebell is another), so this response was fairly new to them. I have to give Lawrence Knorr, Sunbury’s owner, credit for the way he handles it: “In my mind, if you don’t want to read something like Wolf, don’t. There are millions of other choices out there and hundreds more from Sunbury Press to choose from. I don’t like many books published, but I never wrote a hateful email to tell them about how their books offended me. I simply chose another.”
My first novel, the 100th human, had straight protagonists, but it will likely be the last. My next book and my next series will all have gay protagonists. It just makes more sense to me. Note: If you don’t agree with me or in any way find this content offensive, feel free to unsubscribe. Please don’t send me a hateful email.