#queer teen characters

[wahlpaper]

Radio Silence Review

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

CW: Suicidal Thoughts, Abusive Parent, Animal Death, Underage Drinking, School Stress, Depression, Arson, Death Theeats, Toxic Internet Culture, Stalking, Unhealthy Weight Loss, Positive References to Harry Potter and Scott Pilgrim, Anxiety, Racism, Queerphobia, Classism, Fire Injury

5/5

I've wanted to read Alice Oseman's Radio Silence for quite a while, but it was the most recent season of Heartstopper that motivated me to read it now. If you're familiar with Oseman, you might know that all of their stories are set in the same universe. You may also know that they don't always connect to each other. I had assumed that Aled (a character in the Heartstopper comic and Radio Silence) was renamed Issac for the show. When I realized his story was very different, I looked into why. Aled was left out in hopes that Radio Silence will get an adaptation. So, if you were wondering, you do not need to be familiar with Heartstopper to understand and enjoy Radio Silence. The story takes place after and is very much its own thing!

In Radio Silence, Frances Janvier is head girl of her school and achieving top grades. She's on track to go to Cambridge, but she's been missing out on a fulfilling social life because of it. The only two things she does in her free time are art and listen to a podcast called "Universe City". When she accidentally finds out that she knows the anonymous creator of the podcast, she starts to help with the show and get close to him. This is Aled Last, a depressed boy with an abusive mother and a missing twin sister. Time spent with Frances allowed both of them to embrace their true selves. Unfortunately, the problems in Aled's life may be too much for their friendship.

Being used to Heartstopper and Loveless, both by Oseman, I was unprepared for how dark Radio Silence was. While no main characters die, there are feelings of hopelessness and fear that can affect a reader. It's the first book I've needed a reading break from since Jennette McCurdy's memoir. In addition to the topics I've already mentioned, this book covers racism, single parent-hood, mental illness, flaws in the education system, suicidal thoughts, toxic internet culture, and stalking. The topics are all handled quite well, I just wish I had read a content warning going into it. For me, it helps to prepare for what I'm about to read instead of going in blind. All reading needs are valid!

The thing that drew me to Oseman in the first place was their inclusion of asexuality. While you do not need to be ace yourself to write ace characters, I do see it as a nice bonus. Being ace, Oseman tends to include that rep in most of their books. Over the course of Radio Silence, Aled discovers that he is on the asexual spectrum. It's something he's afraid to share as he doesn't know how others will react. I've had this same fear every time I've started being interested in someone new. Seeing realistic representation of my identity will always feel rewarding.

Oseman is great at writing varied and authentic queer identities. Aled is also into guys and potentially gender fluid. The podcast he creates often pulls from his own life and the main character of it is gender fluid. Frances knows she's bisexual before the book starts. She doesn't get a romance arc in this book, so it's not a big part of the plot, it's just a part of who she is. There's also a gay character and a lesbian character. Queer people flock together and it's clear that Oseman knows this.

I think that Radio Silence is mostly written very well! The pacing allowed the book to take up many months and feel like it. Every mysterious part of the story was revealed at the right time. The characters were all complex and interesting. The messages all got across. What I struggled with was how Frances was telling the story. Though it's all from her point of view at some time in the future, this feels uncertain and inconsistent. It's as if sometimes she was just describing it in the moment. She was also annoyingly repetitive at times. I think it would have worked better if she was either an unreliable narrator or if it was all in the present. It wouldn't need to be present tense, but lines like "I would always" or "I never saw [person] again" could be left out. There's always going to be something a book struggles with and that's okay.

Radio Silence is not just a must-read for Alice Oseman fans, but a great book for anyone upset with the school system, wanting a friendship love story, or looking for a serious read that turns out okay. If you decide to read it you'll be treated to bits of the fictional podcast, fashion ideas from the characters, and lots of queer rep! If this sounds like a book for you, trust your gut and pick it up!

[babykittenteach]

No Context Reasons You Should Watch Dead Boy Detectives

[transmascjfk]

so hes a little queer boy, ash was a little queer trans boy is what ur saying link link

[sillypenguinwitch]

okay so i'm not trying to make this a ~thing~ or a hot take or whatever, but can we talk about how all the hyped up queer shows still predominantly feature mlm couples? i'm not saying there aren't wlw shows/movies or the mlm-focused shows don't also feature wlw characters/couples, just... they either get nowhere near the same amount of hype, have some other main plot, end with at least one of them dying or experiencing something traumatic, get cancelled after one season in the middle of their arc, or they're not the main couple. And that's not to discount the representation you can get from secondary characters of course but just... ugh I want a heartstopper or rwrb or young royals or skam or love, simon or i don't even know... with girls. And I know I'm not the first person to bring this up and I know it's not that simple, but seeing all the hype for heartstopper and rwrb this week makes my heart ache a little bit so i needed to say this somewhere.

[whatisgodtoanonbeliever]

I never thought something would mean this much for me. I've always been chill with my queerness; I let it flow wherever and I don't focus much on it. But being bisexual has always been a label for me. Headcanoning characters as bisexual is just par for the course. And tonight, getting Buck confirmed bi hit me like a truck. Seeing that play out has me feeling so seen and proud and I am typing through tears on my couch that I get to have this.

So anyone who has something shitty to say because it isn't with eddie can consider themselves blocked. In this moment I swear to god it's not about them. Next week I'll go back to my fun shipping but this week is for me. For those of us who never realized how much having a character so dear to us be bi would mean.

[steph-the-4th-robin]

Day 25 of Characters That Are Definitely Queer but Comics Won’t Let Them Be:

Cassie Sandsmark

[inkpotsprite]

Dead Boy Detectives is everything I ever wanted in a show.

That's all I have to say, really.

[teencopandthesourwolf]

OH, DEER

for @sterekdrabbles 31.01.24 challenge. the prompt words were: SCENT, OBSCENE and CONTAIN.

#established relationship, #werewolf derek hale, #stiles stilinski's scent, #food, #pov stiles.

.

Reaching for the venison jerky—dude, seriously?!—Derek drops a pack into the shopping cart before leaning in and sniffing Stiles's throat, growling at the scent right there in the snack aisle.

It is weird and hot, in embarrassingly equal measure.

“Venison’s from the Latin venari. Means ‘to hunt’... Did you, uhhh,” Stiles gulps. “Did you kn—oh, God.” His entire body shivers as Derek tongues his jugular.

S-l-o-w-l-y.

Stiles can't contain himself; he full-on moans, loud and unbridled and obscene.

“MADISON! CLEAN-UP ON AISLE FOUR!”

When Stiles' eyes drop absurdly to his own crotch, Derek innocently asks, “We need tissues, babe?”

.

[wahlpaper]

Girls Like Girls Review

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko

CW: Loss of a Parent, Suicide, Suicidal Thoughts, Underage Drinking and Drug Use, Dangerous Driving, Near Death Experience, Breaking and Entering, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Controlling Parent, Domestic Abuse, Toxic Friendships, Fade-To-Black Sexual Activity, Vomit, Child Abandonment, Swearing, Grief, Violence, Injury, Bullying, Mentioned Abortion, Gaslighting, Classism, Sexism, Accidental Outing

3.5/5

I grew up watching Hayley Kiyoko on Disney Channel and have been following her music career for quite a while. When she announced that she was writing a book, I knew I had to read it, no matter what. For those who use YouTube more than me, you may have realized that this book is based on the music video for the song of the same name. I didn't realize this until listening to the acknowledgments at the end of the book. Based on my experience, I recommend reading the book before watching the music video, assuming you haven't seen it yet. The story ventured outside of my comfort zone, but kept reeling me back in. I honestly didn't know if I liked the book until the very end, but I had refused to DNF a Kiyoko book. 

After her mom dies by suicide, Coley moves to a small town in Oregon. It's the summer before her senior year of high school and she's now stuck living with the father that skipped out on raising her. He's a man she doesn't know or trust. While out biking to avoid being home, she nearly gets run over by a group of popular kids. They likely wouldn't have taken her under their wing if it weren't for their ring leader, Sonya, being intrigued by Coley. As the summer goes on, the two girls become inseparable. Will they unravel their feelings for each other or will their family lives and social circles drag them down?

It's important to note that Girls Like Girls is set in 2006. Kiyoko was 15 that year and therefore able to pull from her own memories of how teenagers lived in 2006. There's AIM, LiveJournal, tattoo chokers, no smartphones, and different slang. There are also a lot of references to the popular music of that time. I recommend looking up the songs you're unfamiliar with for the full experience. Of course, the mindset towards human rights was also of the time. Many characters, Coley and Sonya included, could have benefited from therapy, but that wasn't as openly talked about 17 years ago. Homophobia was also more publicly accepted at the time. These issues haven't gone away, but it's nice to see that things have improved. 

Speaking of queer content, Girls Like Girls is a story about two very different teen girls realizing they are attracted to their own gender. It becomes clearer throughout the story, that despite Sonya coming from a well-off family, Coley is in a much safer environment to come out as gay. Sonya has a controlling mother and a few openly homophobic friends. Coley finds several other queer people in her community and a number of allies. I am relieved that we got a little bit of Sonya's POV, because the relationship between Coley and her would read as irredeemably toxic otherwise. I am also relieved that the book takes the time to address the toxicity that's there. If you're patient, the book will address everything you're wondering about.

I experienced Girls Like Girls as an audiobook. It was mostly read by Kiyoko doing Coley's POV. I enjoy her voice and love when an author reads their own book. She was joined by one of my favorite audiobook narrators, Natalie Naudus, for Sonya's LiveJournal posts and emails. There are a few other voices throughout for small parts. While I enjoyed the ensemble cast of voices, I disliked the music and ambient sounds that were mixed in. If it had been consistent throughout the whole book, I would have liked it. Instead, the additional sounds would appear out of nowhere and temporarily take me out of the story. Please keep that in mind if you're trying to decide between print and audio. 

Kiyoko's writing style will appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen, especially those looking for queer content. It's a summer romance, for one. It handles dark topics well without being the kind of book to make the audience cry. It's a small town setting with a new girl trying to become a part of a group of friends who have known each other for years. It's not usually my type of genre, which is why I potentially would've DNF'd it had a different author written it. There were scenes that made me uncomfortable, but I was often reeled back in by the action. I don't regret sticking it out to the end. I enjoy the way the story resolves. Of course, you'll have to read it yourself if you want to know the ending. 

If you're interested in a small-town YA romance with queer content and dark topics, Hayley Kiyoko's Girls Like Girls is the book for you. Should you pick it up and stick it out, you'll be rewarded with a music video summary of the book. Give it a chance, it's the kind of book you'll remember!

[jadezdominion]

WiP Teaser

Writing be like... Can the WiP write itself? UGH! Anyways, expect a little torture scene in my upcoming fic. Why is my brain like this?

Thank you to @cat-on-the-fence @darkplotbunnyfarm and @kymera219 for giving me the push to expand on this fic.

Part 1 of the story for those who want to know what it's about. Also, I'm sorry for the sad vibes. It won't be like that for the whole story. <3

WiP Teaser Snippet:

Stiles's lifeless body hung limp in Derek's powerful arms; his lips were starting to turn a cadaver blue he never wanted to associate with the boy, and his typically rosy cheeks were pale.

Unbelievably consumed by his grief, and rightfully so, Peter realized that Derek had not heard anything he said. Almost as if the words had been spoken in an unknown dialect; they didn't register whatsoever. 

He moved to take Stiles from his arms, and that's when everything seemed to hit Derek like a freight train. He roared at Peter and clutched Stiles's body against his chest. Cradling him as if he were made of spun glass.

"Derek, my Alpha, please, for the good of our existence, I need you to HEAR me! I can get our Stiles back, but we HAVE to leave… NOW!"

Peter didn't mean to growl out some of those words, but he needed his Alpha to listen and hear what he said. Time was of the essence, and the longer they stayed there, the more they risked being discovered.

The only reason the nurses and doctors had not flooded the room once Stiles died was that Peter had hacked their system and crossed his vitals with a different patient.

"We can get him back, Peter? Okay. Okay."

His voice was soft and hoarse, yet determined. Derek wrapped a blanket around Stiles and lifted him up. A soft sob escaped his lips when Stiles's head fell back before he could maneuver him into a better position. He cleared his throat and motioned to Peter to lead the way.

They weaved their way through the hospital's least traveled hallways until they reached the back exit. Ironically, the morgue provided the best way to leave the Hellmouth that was Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital.

Peter let his murderous thoughts keep him grounded as he opened the backdoor to his Lexus LX 600 SUV for Derek to lay Stiles's body down across the backseats.

He already knew how to make each nerve ending the human body possessed light up in the most unpleasant ways, and he would be making sure Scott felt each one in depth before he begged for death.

He did so love when his victims begged.

Derek couldn't bear leaving Stiles's side, and well, fair. He watched his nephew climb in and put his beloved's head in his lap. Sighing, he closed the door for them and made his way to the driver's side. He was ready to get the show on the road, so to speak.

He had activated the call to those he would need tonight, but it was time to give Derek the details he had kept secret for far too long. He looked through his rearview mirror, and the sight crushed him.

His nephew was reverently carding his fingers through Stiles's hair and whispering words of promise that they would be together soon. He knew that if they didn't bring Stiles back, Derek would end his own life and join Stiles in the Here After.

He cleared his throat to get the attention of a heartbroken Alpha. Derek looked up at him with a sadness that seeped deeply into his eyes, and it made Peter want to climb into the backseat and hold him close. Now was not the time for those feelings, though. He needed to be strong for all of them.

"Alpha, I can't begin to imagine your agony. I need you to acknowledge what I tell you and focus. Are you able to do that?"

Derek nodded at him and flashed his Alpha red eyes, signaling he could proceed. That's a start, at least. Now, the hard part. He knew this would not be easy to accept.

TBC

[marzipanandminutiae]

women who were the only girl with F/F ships in their mostly-sapphic teen friend group, and had to feign interest in the Pretty Gay Anime Boys Of The Week to talk to their friends at all, deserve financial compensation

[punkeropercyjackson]

[abbysthighs]

I have been thirsting over this fictional character for months now.

[nocturnal-riptide]

Hey guys, so most of you wanted me to draw Tim Drake. So i chose to draw a mix of the comic's Tim and titans series' Tim.

[steph-the-4th-robin]

Day 38 of Characters That Are Definitely Queer but Comics Won’t Let Them Be:

Jaime Reyes

[k-wame]

ADAM DIMARCO as Jared Date and Switch (2014) ‧ Teen Drama ‧ dir. Chris Nelson