Kevin Jennings & The Problem of Gay Fiction
Having reviewed the list of books recommended on the reading list designed by Kevin Jennings (and the subject of a recent post), a reader said she found a curious shortage (absence?) of books published before the 1980s. Indeed, she was struck that he did not include E.M.Forster’s early twentieth century novel of homosexual love, Maurice.
Beyond Maurice and the novels of Jim Grimsley, there is a paucity of gay fiction that deals eloquently and deftly with the emotional aspects of coming out and coming to terms with homosexuality. Gore Vidal’s The City and the Pillar does have its moments. In the comments to that aforementioned post, some of our readers mention Mary Renault‘s fiction, particularly The Charioteer (which I have not read). (And Patricia Nell Warren’s The Front Runner has some choice passages.)
Given the paucity of good gay fiction, especially of such fiction without scenes of explicit sex, if Jennings had decided to compile a list of books without sex scenes, that list would be small indeed. It is sad that so many gay men who take it upon themselves to write about their (our?) lives must needs describe the sex act itself whereas gifted writers for millennia have written about sexuality without describing the act itself.
We need need serious fiction, stories which help us explore the complexity of our sexuality and can describe the emotional rewards of monogamous love. Perhaps, such books are out there, perhaps, they are even on Mr. Jennings lists, but given what I’ve read, given the conversations (and publications) in the debate on gay marriage, I’m doubtful. Too many see marriage as a right and gratuitous literary descriptions of the sex act an entitlement.
All that said, there are a few books out there which do explore the emotional aspect and complexity of our sexuality. It just doesn’t seem that (m)any of them are on Mr. Jennings’ list.
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Maybe because anything in the 1980s or before, you’d have to imagine hairy beasts like the dude in The Joy of Sex. I dunno.
Sorry bears.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — December 7, 2009 @ 12:42 pm - December 7, 2009
The problem is that most gays think of Stonewall as the norm. There were no other kinds of gays, ever, than drag queens and exhibitionists. Stonewall was a huge wrong turn for the gay community. I think a new look at gay history and literature would help us build a foundation for a new way of being gay which includes marriage, family, church, and public service. I made a list in another post, but, again, starting with texts like Ruth, Gilgamesh, The Iliad, and looking at the lives of religious figures as Rumi, St. Aelred or St. Bacchus and Sergius or W. H. Auden, and great military leaders like Alexander, Richard I, and Lawrence of Arabia would help the gay community find the richness and depth it needs to move forward.
I haven’t read a novel, gay or straight, that was published post-1950 in years. There’s way too much Tolstoy and Eliot and Dickens to read.
Comment by Ashpenaz — December 7, 2009 @ 3:27 pm - December 7, 2009
(disclaimer: Token Straight Guy Viewpoint)
It seems to me that there is a demand for non-sexualized same sex relationship fiction. You see this expressed in the desire to read more into relationships like Sam and Frodo, Kirk and Spock, and even Ron and Harry (Potter, not Dresden).
To come from the other direction, look at Xena. (I prefer to look at Gabrielle, but follow me) In the beginning, there was not so much sexual tension implied, most of it was read in by the Greek isle gals (avoiding the filter I hope) Lucy Lawless even thanked them in more than a few interviews for their support in keeping the show going. Over time, the show’s themes changed to reflect that base. It was never explicit (well there was the bath fan service), I’m not even sure if they actuattly kissed until Xena was dead… long story. But even when Xena was more bi, Gabrielle was always there for her.
There was even a spot set in modern times where the cast were playing their reincarnations, with Ted Rami playing Xena and Lucy playing Joxer. Amusing for the gender implications, and yet romantic that Xena and Gabrielle were together no matter what incarnation.
(What? I liked watching Xena, the jokes were groan inducing and Renee O’Conner is hot)
Not being the consumer of gay lit, I don’t know how many stories there are when the scene ‘fades to black’ when the two get intimate. I think there should be more.
(Disclaimer the second, I’m an old country boy)
Another gay couple in the movies I can think of are Mr. Went and Mr. Kidd from ‘Diamonds are Forever) When I was a kid, I never caught they were gay. It was part of the character, but it wasn’t so campy (ok, well Kidd was) that it was all they were.
Addendum from the roommate. She said watching Hercules, she always thought that Herc and Aeolis were going to hook up. She’s the one who reads all the Harry Potter slash fic.
Comment by The_Livewire — December 7, 2009 @ 4:00 pm - December 7, 2009
Eh, I’d prefer something more than “slash”. Sex can be mentioned as part of the story, if it fits, but I don’t need the graphic details. Most great dramas and love stories involve well-developed characters and their interaction especially when facing some external event, problem, etc. It’s that dynamic which makes these stories interesting to read or when watching TV/movies. Authors who rely upon smut or filmmakers who do likewise with special effects to fill in for a poor plot do a disservice to their readers/viewers and usually end up suffering the consequences.
For some reason the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is popping into my head, so let’s go with that example. A very charming and entertaining movie. I can’t say it rates as one the all-time classics, but it was still good IMO. Did it rely upon special effects? Smut? Nope. Yet most folks who saw it really enjoyed the movie and this low-budget flick made a killing at the box office. It was a love story and about family that people really enjoyed. That’s what I’d like to see more of in books and film, including those of a gay-themed genre.
Of course, an explosion now and then never hurts. Sorry, had to add that cause I do still enjoy special effects even though I may dislike the film because of the poor writing.
Comment by John — December 7, 2009 @ 7:52 pm - December 7, 2009
I would like to see an all-gay remake of Barefoot in the Park, with two men as the young couple and two women as the mother and the person upstairs. Don’t change a single line of dialogue (except pronouns). Just have a nice romantic comedy.
Comment by Ashpenaz — December 7, 2009 @ 9:32 pm - December 7, 2009
There is another book – Kings Row. There is a character in that book, a young teen who is gay. It comes through in the story but it is not explicit. I cannot remember his name. I do remember some other names because my sister was so taken with that book that she named all of her daughters after their characters – Cassandra, Renee, and Parris.
The books that have been a matter of discussion are very sexually explicit. I would think that they would be embarrassing to a lot of members of the gay community. Some of what I read of what was in the books (out of context I am sure but that is not the point) indicates a lot of emphasis upon turning the young minds of children towards sex, instead of allowing them to remain innocent.
I have also read a few other stories concerning some of the things that Jennings has advocated or stated to young boys around 14 years of age. If these things are typical of what he advocates then he should not be allowed to have anything to do with young boys. He is clearly very dangerous, and appears to be a part of the NAMBLA network. The kind of material advocated seems to fit with the advocacy of NAMBLA.
Comment by StraightAussie — December 7, 2009 @ 11:26 pm - December 7, 2009
John, maybe I wasn’t clear, sorry.
I wasn’t saying that it was just slash/fic, I was saying the reading of something more into the relationships of the characters (that, I’ll admit turns into bad fan fiction) shows there is a void that isn’t filled.
Comment by The_Livewire — December 8, 2009 @ 6:48 am - December 8, 2009
One of the reasons I’ve kept the relationship between two certain male characters in my books ambiguous is because “Are they or aren’t they?” is a much more fun and interesting treatment.
Comment by V the K — December 8, 2009 @ 6:51 am - December 8, 2009