#Also the other non binary characters I know are Darcy and the one person from sex educations whose name I cannot remember

[iwannascreameurekaa]

I know like four non binary characters in media and two of them are from pjo

[fredmouseoz]

My suggestions

Bold: Stories from older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (David Hardy) - Oral history, Australian, older queers. Covers topics I haven't seen elsewhere.

Gaysia: Adventures in the Queer East (Benjamin Law)

Then I went and attempted to look at their collection and a) I can't work out how to find out what they already have and b) because of their set up they are only available to USians, so I got grumpy and stopped dealing with their horrid form. Other non-fiction I might have included:

Gender Queer (Maia Kobabe)

All Boys Aren't Blue (George M. Johnson)

Spinning (Tillie Walden) - I have a soft spot for this one, because one of my kids described it as 'the first time I've recognised myself in a book'

Gender Euphoria (Laura Kate Dale) - interesting mix, roughly half the essays are written by one person, which gives some depth, and then the rest add breadth of experience.

Beyond the Gender Binary (Alok Vaid-Menon) - tiny book, covers a lot of the very basics; this was lent to more than one teacher at one offspring's school

Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War II (Allan Bérubé)

We Have Always Been Here (Samra Habib)

Presenting The Past: Anne Lister Of Halifax, 1791–1840 (Jill Liddington) - really good summary of information about one of The historical queer individuals I know about

And some fiction (I have no idea whether they are interested in fiction, but these are the books that I've read recently enough that they are in my reading record and that were interesting and queer at some level)

No Man's Land (A.J. Fitzwater) - NZ, historical fiction

The Unbalancing (R.B. Lemberg)

How to Get a Girlfriend (When You're a Terrifying Monster) (Marie Cardno)

Lone Women (Victor LaValle) - horror, USA historical

Bow Grip (Ivan Coyote) - viewpoint character is straight (I think), but the story was very queer.

Small Town Pride (Phil Stamper) - one of the few middle grade books I've read that are about coming of age as a queer character.

One Last Stop (Casey McQuiston) - romance, with a whole lot of interesting things in the subplots

The Dawnhounds (Sascha Stronach) - complex future SF

Stars in Their Eyes (Jessica Walton) - coming of age, graphic novel

Bent for leather (Cecilia Tan) - queer and kinky erotic short stories

Peter Darling (Austin Chant) - transformative work, dark fiction

Elatsoe (Darcie Little Badger)

Phoenix Extravagant (Yoon Ha Lee)

Snapdragon (Kat Leyh) - middle grade, graphic novel

Princess Princess Ever After (K. O'Neill) - middle grade, graphic novel, transformative work

Homesick: Stories (Nino Cipri) - Cipri is one of my must buy authors.

Depart, Depart! (Sim Kern) - difficult reading, both because 'natural disaster' and bigotry.

I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up (Kodama Naoko) - this is the only queer Japanese story I've read, so it might not be good example of the genre, but I loved it

A Line in the Dark (Malinda Lo) - thriller/murder myster

The Devourers (Indra Das)

Knit One, Girl Two (Shira Glassman)

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street (Natasha Pulley)

Annie on My Mind (Nancy Garden)

all the graphic novels by Tab A Kimpton (I can't remember what the books are; there are four that are set in the same friends group)

There are also multiple series involving queer characters, or written by out queer individuals, but I've chosen to ignore those for now (note that at least two of the above books are in a series, but I've read them as standalone)

what are the absolute KEY books you MUST HAVE in a queer library??!? let us know here so we can buy as many as possible (if we don’t already have them in our collection)

[hag-rambling-on]

Boys hc’s feats Diaspro

Riven

Riven Cassios was born to two Omega prisoners. What surprised everyone, because staying healthy enough to carry out a pregnancy on a planet that sucks your magic is... Obviously the Rocalucce Council keeps an eye on the planet, they took him out of there because no child would pay because his parents, and he has been in foster homes, although it doesn't last long since the requirements for his adoption were more strict than most -which in the long run the Council would realize was COUNTERPRODUCTIVE for his character-. That is what Darcy detects and why the high spheres are somewhat "permissive" with him.

His mother died giving birth, it was already miraculous that she lived so long and ‘bout his father I think I'm going to kill him too, maybe. The father I assure you would be love him (he called Riven to himself Daru, his gift) thought was not his initial idea, the mother always saw him as an experiment (she was a witch who followed the Ancenstresses). Ohm, also in his blood there are dark elves and giants.

Riven surname is actually the name of the galaxy where he was born or a derivation of it, as is common for orphans. So the boy knows NOTHING about the above.

Timmy and Riven are the only specialists who have passed the full course at Fonterossa, without skips. In the end they bond about it. Timmy gives him a recommendation to work as a part-time mechanic at Magix (good boy face, he knows how to use it)

Timmy

Timeus “tshhhh, it’s Timmy.... i’m not my grandfather” fulfills the physique requisits as much as any other specialist, but it is true that his physique and abilities, adapted to the distance, give him a more "feline" air.

He is also the one who wakes up at night and moves silently, scaringthe rest of the squad if they wake up unexpectedly.

His glasses are for both sight and Aura Vision. His parents are rich enough to pay for an operation, but since he would have to wear glasses for his ability anyway, why? Practical guy.

And the glasses make people look down on him, something that when his self-esteem is high and he’s being rational and cunning he knows it’s wonderful, although many others times may hurt. He is mostly leprechaum with something human.

Nex

Nex is still a Paladin born in Lymphea and with blood of literally ALL races. He adapts well to any planet, although not its people at first. His race mix makes his face “charismatic”, like always draw attention even if people don’t know very well why they are draw.

His ability is Delay Sleep. It allows him to hold over his need to sleep for days without going crazy or losing physical capacity or needing many days to recover (he can stay awake for 5 or more days, sleep 8-10 hours and go back to being his usual self). Sometimes he does not control this well and has plenty of energy in need of drop but he is the one who has the most control of his ability.

One of his parents spent time in Rocalucce Fortress as a "guest" so at times he feels like he has something to prove.

Roy

Coming from Andros, most of the population are merpeople with a few elves and humans. which avoids the 100% aquatic population. Roy, unlike Aisha is mostly human-elf with a bit of merpeople in a grandgrandgrand level. One of his parents comes from one of the colonies on the moons of Andros and he was born there although they moved almost immediately.

Roy’s paladin ability being the canon “Triton Aura” used to breathe underwater. That and learning to swim and drive all kinds of water vehicles was what made him feel "adapted" to Andros. But he always try to be useful.

He only became a Paladin at the beginning of season 6, and it was visiting him that the season began. He’s bi but he thinks of himself as straight.

Nabu

I plead guilty to liking Nabu even though I shipped Aisha with Flora and Nex. So I have a hard time thinking about him. Except, EVERY time I try to think of something. EVERY TIME. Rapunzel. So, he will never cut his hair.

But with an island instead of a tower and a babysitter (male and wizard) more dumbledoor (not, actually more like Newt Scamander mentor like).

Sometimes he misses out on some "social customs/things/normalcies" whatever is called due to his little dealing with people. He may seem naive or that don't understand sarcasm. He understands and learns quickly, but people were very respectful to him and there are things he is not used to. 1/2 merpeople 1/4 half elf 1/4 human as both of his parents are half merpeople.

He likes to swim as much as any merpeople, but they didn't let him do it much because they were afraid he would go away or lost, so he usually went off "to the heights", going up to the rooftops and things like that.

Helia

Helia is trans but keeps his first name as chosen name which I don’t understand. Also he has formally tried study practically everything he wanted. Specialist, Paladin, Wizard (of Threads). Painter.

He can't make up his mind, his family hurries him just to STOP making them dizzy and spend a few years with everything -and actually end a single “major” choice- he wants to experience, that he has a very long life and can dedicate a few decades to Everything and they can support them. Well, more or less, but he was vip pass to all these options because family connections.

Long story about Sky, Brandon and Dia.

Sky, Brandon and Diaspro's first meeting was a show. Has it all. Costumes, lies. Confusion. Kidnapping. And that is why Diaspro insists on the wedding (I would like to mention that although I don’t know her romantic orientation yet surely bi or lesbian, here, Dia is asexual. And Sky is non-binary but his parents do not approve so go for he/him to avoid problem with them. And here our story begins)

A bit of background. Brandon actually hails from Isis, the son of the military and was chosen by the whimsical chibi!Diaspro as a playmate and future personal guard (because then she believed that touching children gave "lice" and her character and age did not have the 18like wall of royal education, then in a random encounter he called her among many things what Dia's mind translated in a strange way "uncracked geode", which is a double-edged compliment in Isis that many would not accept from strangers but she liked it). Rarely they would end up becoming friends in the end. When the series begins, Brandon and Diaspro keep up with calls, which will prevent Dia's reaction with Bloom on the one hand.

On a visit (officially only from the kings of Erakyon to to the kings of Isis) for the children to get to know each other, somehow, they all ended up happily dressing up, with Sky and Dia looking like two pretty princesses and Brandon assessing whether his dress would be green or yellow because Diaspro insisted that she and Sky had already taken the blue and red and so it would be more "thematic".

Here began the first of many attacks on Sky's head, because before it had begun to be rumored (true) that Erendor had fertility problems (btw his race dwarf-high elf and Samara is leprechaum-high elf, Sky gots mostly high elf part). When they came in and saw two girls and a boy, Brandon, not the highest IQ, but one of the wisest of his team and definitely the best fighter, played along so he ended up pretending to be Sky (also helps that his hair colors looks like Erendor) Everything worked out well in the end, although Brandon ended up as Sky's squire (better for him, worse for Diaspro), and Diaspro made Sky promise that he owed her a big favor. Anyway they grew up over the years in friendship and they both knew they were not of each other's true love interest, but, they could put up with each other (because that's what royalty does).

Sky and Diaspro have a sonorous (affectionate) war over Sky's hair to annoy/exasperate Brandon. Diaspro always complains that he doesn't grow it and it would look great then. Sky says that he is fine as with his hair at it is (it's actually Erendor's thing). The soft part of Diaspro that she doesn't usually show off has taught Sky many ways to style his hair and subtly put on makeup to look more feminine if he wants to.

How I am amused by that image from wikipedia and that Diaspro entered Sky's guard so quickly. Another headcanon is that Diaspro would sometimes change her appearance a bit and go into Sky's guard to be with Brandon to annoy him and Sky, when Brandon has to talk about her without giving details, she is simply "his sister Charbonne" (she hates that alias). They were discovered when she was 15 years old but she had already trained and the royal families considered it a sign to formalize the engagement since “they search each other” (people only sees what they wants).

The Diaspro family is not good, first Brandon was a shield (emotional) because as a child they were not “that” bad and then Sky joined him (physically and politically), handling things with Bloom so like that was not a good idea when the floor was full of cracked bottles.

... omg i’m sorry you three i’m sorry what I did to you

Also, Brandon's ability as a green user is very interesting and helps with this a lot. I temporally call it “Keypoint Warning” and I like it a lot, it's like a "tic" that tells him "be careful, what you say, what you do now, even the smallest thing could change everything for youself (for better or for worse)”. He actually has a scar on his forehead (not a lightning bolt) that his hairstyle hides after “that” day but a little less fine on the words and the kidnappers might have broken his mouth so... His parents have been cured (spoiler: no) of heart attack since then.

[houseplant-central]

I spent so much time making Darcy Adara not a manic pixie dream girl that I think she became something worse

I started writing "After" in late 2015. Five years later it's an abandoned draft, but it is the first novel I've ever successfully written the full draft of. I've made several attempts at editing it, but it's not gone anywhere.

However, that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about the main character of After: Darcy Adara. A girl from small town Canada with her wits and a pocket knife against the forces of heaven on a mission to save humanity. While she's more cliché than any character I hope to write these days, I maintained up until about 10 minutes ago that she was a good character, at least for 15 year old me, who's bookshelf was still mostly full of John Green and various YA fantasy.

But after thinking the other week about John Green and my fascination and then strong aversion to the "manic pixie dream girl"s that filled his books, I think I went so far to the polar opposite with Darcy that I ended up with basically the same thing. Allow me to explain.

John Green's girls are alienating to actual young female readers because of this obsession with their "quirkiness" and "differentness". They have an obsession with art or collecting bones or hell.... Italian architecture. Something that makes them intelligent but unapproachable and unrelatable. They're more interesting than you because of all their quirks, and they know it. So instead of Italian architecture or bones or any form of art, I made Darcy a boxer, a survivalist. She knew a ridiculous amount about outdoorsmanship and surviving in the wild (a good thing to know if you're a character in an apocalyptic novel, but not necessary). I thought I was subverting the trope of young adult heroines by giving her an interest that John Green's girls would never choose.

But her knowledge of natural disasters ended up being just as much of a "quirky quirk" as anything else, because it wasn't just an aspect of her character, it was the reason her character was fundamentally "more interesting" than the other characters. I unconsciously used it to put other female characters down, ultimately falling into the trap of having her male love interest tell her she was "not like other girls" because she was so smart about what really mattered-- staying level headed in a natural disaster crisis. (And as John Green and his era of Young Adult fiction writers have taught us, anytime a girl character is desirable because she's "not like other girls", something is wrong. Your female characters should not only be interesting and intelligent because all other females are uninteresting and unintelligent-- "you're not like other girls" is inherently problematic).

I didn't want Darcy to be a flighty, thin, feminine girl like the manic pixie dream girl, so instead she was level headed, muscly, and masculine (although arguably her androgyny could also have something to do with my own non binary identity but.... back on topic). Instead of being the girl elevated above others in John Green books, she was a confident tomboy. But I then elevated her above other girls in her own way.  I described her as the only one capable of doing what she was doing. She never accepted help from other girl characters, she could do it herself. The girl character placed opposite her was hyper feminine and ditzy as hell, and those two things blended into each other.

What was intended to be a strongly feminist character ended up being put on the same kind of unapproachable and unrelatable pedestal as John Green's girls.

If I were to rewrite her story, I'd keep her tomboyish tendencies, but I'd make them an aspect of her character, not a defining characteristic. I'd include her knowledge of outdoorsmanship and natural disasters, but again: I'd make them an aspect of her character, not a defining characteristic. Her character needs to come not from an interest of hers, or her style, but from core characteristics, like courage, and determination. Her mannerisms need to come from her background, her upbringing and the values instilled by that upbringing.

And the story would need to be restructured. The ditzy character is a misogynistic characture, she needs to go. The love interest needs to love her not because she's so unlike the majority of women, but because he thinks women are awesome regardless of their interests and happens to like this one for who she is as a person. The other female characters, even if they're not as important to the plot as her, need to be just as important to their own goals and lives as she is to hers. Darcy would need to be re-presented as the headstrong, stubborn as hell hero I intended her to be. A tough girl from small town Canada, with an introverted dad and a mom she's never met. A problem solver with a fascination for the earth. A girl with a short fuse who has a hard time starting conversations with people she doesn't know, but does it anyways. A loudmouth. She can still be a scrappy heroine with only her wits and a pocket knife against the forces of heaven on a mission to save humanity, but she needs proper substance behind that of who is: to herself and the other people in her life and history.