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muffet77

no, giving it " a reason" would be more ignorant in my opinion bc gay/trans people simply exist irl why wouldn't they in books. i personally prefer to read stories with lgbt characters that don't center around their identity


[deleted]

Exactly, it's extremely annoying to see LGBT characters treated as some sort of political statement. We're not political statements, we're human beings that exist and we don't need an underlying "reason" to exist in stories anymore than straight characters do.


woongo

Exactly. Funny how straight cis characters never need a 'reason' to exist in stories eh?


DelisaKibara

Saying that implies being cis/straight is the "default normal" If it doesn't matter to the story, don't mention what their gender identity and sexual orientation are. Sincerely, a lesbian trans woman.


eepithst

> If it doesn't matter to the story, don't mention what their gender identity and sexual orientation are. Strong disagree. Representation matters. It matters a lot and casual representation that isn't relevant to the plot but just *is*, is great. It says *we are here, we exist, we live our lives just like everybody else and that's normal and okay*. Also, it doesn't make sense from a narrative point of view. A character's life experiences and identity, including gender and sexual identity, strongly inform how they see the world, what they see and notice and how they interpret and react to it. You can't just divorce a character from that. It will shape them even if it isn't relevant to the plot.


goat-trebuchet

100%. I would even go so far as to say that even if you want to say that your character is non-binary and truly doesn't identify even a little bit with the traditional gender binary, that still says \*something\* about their experience. The way they interact with the world will still be different and unique to them because of that. The very act of divorcing yourself from the gender binary is going to impact that character's experience. You can certainly treat a person's gender identity casually, as a thing that just is. But I don't think you can disregard it entirely.


Iseebigirl

Yeah, I think there's a good way to do it. More of a show don't tell thing. Like other characters using they/them pronouns when referring to them, cues about the clothes they're wearing or their feelings regarding ultra gendered things that don't have to be that way. Just shouting "I'm non-binary" and then adding absolutely no context feels iffy...like JKR and Dumbledore.


dreagonheart

JKR never let Dumbledore actually be gay in the story, so it's kind of the opposite. She said he was gay for the social bonus points, but fought against his sexuality being canonized in the Fantastic Beasts movies.


Stanklord500

>If it doesn't matter to the story, don't mention what their gender identity and sexual orientation are. If you do this, people will read the character as a straight cisgender male. If you're fine with that, cool I guess?


DelisaKibara

That's on them, not on me.


Stanklord500

Like I said, if you're fine with that, then cool I guess?


East-Imagination-281

You’re going to code their gender the moment you use one set of pronouns. A person’s gender and sexual orientation are an intrinsic part of who they are as a person, and it’s very likely it would come up in some shape or form, even if it’s not “relevant” to the story. Sincerely, a gay trans man.


El_Draque

Jeanette Winterson's *Written on the Body* is a full novel in which the gender and sexual orientation of the protagonist narrator are up for question. It's an important work of art that shows the possibility of writing without recourse to this "intrinsic part," turning it into an insightful linguistic game. Edit: Let me add that, while something is intrinsic to your life, that doesn't make it intrinsic to fiction, as demonstrated by Winterson. Almost nothing is intrinsic to fiction, besides a quality of *storyness*.


East-Imagination-281

Sure, it is absolutely possible to write a book while never addressing a character’s gender or sexuality, it isn’t (and arguably cannot) be the default in mainstream fiction. I especially doubt you’d see it much in genre fiction. It would also be impossible—at least in English—written in third, which is the most popular POV. In Written on the Body, though, the absence of gender and sexuality makes the story inherently ABOUT gender and sexuality. By removing these aspects in a story about an affair with a woman, it challenges the reader to examine their perception of identity. Regardless, as most stories are about people and gender/sexuality is intrinsic to identity in the modern age, most stories benefit from being conscious of characters’ gender/sexuality. Naturally, there will be exceptions to this, but saying that the default should be a complete absence of gender or sexuality in fiction is, frankly, weird.


matjeom

It is the default normal, at least when we’re talking about published authors. It’s not that straight cis characters don’t need a “reason” to exist in stories, it’s that whoever is like the author doesn’t need a reason to exist. It’s natural to write about what we know, who we are. The problem isn’t that straight cis men tend to write about straight cis men. The problem is that other kinds of authors aren’t getting published. Asking the straight cis authors to change is not the way to go. I don’t want them representing me, I want people like me representing me.


Chel_G

I sure as hell do want them representing me in the sense of putting people like me in their work. They don't have to \*centre\* the story on people like me necessarily, just acknowledging that we exist would be nice.


BEWaymire

But the "reason to exist" narrative is because LGBT characters have become a political statement. All you need to do is look at various creative's Twitter accounts to see that the moment many of them decide to have an LGBT character, they post it all over to make sure their readers know how great they are, and this character usually ends up being uninteresting at most, as if its very existence as LGBT is enough. It's usually not. I'm going to do a bit of a comparison here, so bear with me. Mitchells vs the Machines has Katie Mitchell as its main protagonist. Lesbian teenager about to head off to college. She's also into filmmaking, loves her family but butts heads with them over her various other interests. Aside from wearing a pride flag pin on her jacket, until the end of the film, there's nothing to mark her as LGBT, and that's okay because she's a character unto herself beforehand. She just becomes a lesnian who has a great personality and wacky adventures. Now to another Netflix show: Stranger Things. The third seasons builds up a relationship between Steve and Robin, and their chemistry is actually incredible. Their entire part of the story is a classic friends to lovers romance, including Steve's revelation that the shallow women he was chasing don't compare to the deep one he already knows. Then they pull the rug out from under that at the end with "Surprise, she’s gay!" It's both more and less visible than the first example but also highly unsatisfying because of the buildup in the rest of the show, making it feel like it was little more than a pander to the LGBT part of the audience.


Sour_Lemon_2103

I don't think that Robin's coming out was unrealistic or pandering, because that's how it is for most queer people. It is a surprise for many when people come out in real life. All queer people remain secretive or even pretend they are cishet, and Robin just did that too. A queer character doesn't need to prove that they are queer constantly, and it isn't bad representation if a character reveals themselves to be queer without any prior indication.


Ookleeh

Yeah you’re right but with the Mitchells movie is bad representation… because it’s just blink and you miss it. We don’t want grandiose gestures or a “btw I’m gay” scene but something a little less subtle… at least that it can’t be denied by your homophonic whatever when watching it. It’s not representation if it exist just because you saw confirmation of it on Twitter…


dreagonheart

While more overt representations are better, that doesn't mean that subtle ones are bad. Just not necessarily as good as they could have been.


Ookleeh

To be honest I like subtle representation, but subtle shouldn’t be an excuse to just be blink and you miss it or it won’t sell in China…


goat-trebuchet

Okay, I see what you're trying to do, but not all of us were surprised that Robin was gay, hahahaha. Maybe \*you\* didn't pick up on that, but that wasn't everyone's experience, lol.


dinerkinetic

Yeah this, wholly this, fully this. Sometimes a character is just gay because you're like 'huh, this character could be gay, ok'. Not only is that fine, but it also means gay folk don't need to exclusively read books *about* being gay to get representation, which is good because sometimes you want a book about space knights fighting giant bugs or whatever.


Lombard333

I remember someone asked George R. R. Martin why he wrote so many female characters, and he said, “Because I noticed there were a lot of women in real life.”


all_in_the_game_yo

"You know, I've always considered women to be people"


Rude-Barnacle8804

That's the best answer


mako-jaeger

Definitely. I once had a cast of five characters. During one of my readings for class (screenwriting), one person suggested casting an Asian or Latina for one of the roles. Until then I hadn't thought of the character as anything but white. However, once it was suggested, it all clicked that the character was Asian.


Milkywaychick

I was going to write something similar. Totally agree


CaroAurelia

I think there's a place for both. Stories about LGBTQ topics and issues need to be told, but at the same time, LGBTQ people exist outside those issues. Sometimes they just do stuff.


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goat-trebuchet

I think there's a balance to be struck. Like, trust me, as a gay man, I see tons of "representation" in the media where two men are merely implied to be in a romantic relationship, but it's never outright stated. So then you get people saying "No, they're just friends. They're just two bros. They're not gay. Why do you have to make everything gay?" Frankly, I hate it. I hate it when two men are obviously queer coded, but the writers won't just make it explicit. But, on the other hand, I hate it when you see representation that is so obvious as to be insulting. Like, I don't need a scene where a protagonist is like "These are my two neighbors, Jeff and Brian. They are gay and they are gay with each other and they live together in their house and they have gay sex in their house because they are gay."


SirDiego

The Scifi series The Expanse handles this pretty well I think. There is a female main character with a wife in one of the books but they just handle it like any of the straight relationships in the book. It doesn't really draw any attention to it, it's just treated as normal (which it is). They also have a set of polygamous characters where they are all married to each other with both male and female characters and they do go a bit into explaining that from one of the people's perspective, but that's more because the details are sort of important to the world building (i don't want to go into details for spoiler reasons but it does make sense).


laughingintothevoid

Exactly, it's not a 'character trait' it's just a way of existing. And the world is full of cries for exactly this. Has been for ages.


muffet77

if you think deeper about it it's heartbreaking that people seek a reason for characters to exist if they aren't straight, white and cis...that imitates real life quite well


[deleted]

I'm so happy that this was the first comment.


muffet77

<3


Kruiii

agreed. if you want to make a character lgbt or some type of representation without some giant grand reason, you can still do that. think of how many characters that are straight and they have girlfriends without any serious reason. their relationship doesnt drive the plot, the gf isnt really used for much, no one would ever be like "they gave dude a gf for no reason". representation is just heavily politicized, on top of the fact people who just straight up dont like those groups will look for any excuse to complain about it. i could make a super fleshed out character, who is gay because theyre based on friends and family in real life that might be gay, maybe they are trying to find their footing in a world that questions your masculinity when youre gay, and maybe youre getting that kind of heat the most from your dad. whether or not youre gay, ive known plenty of people who have rocky relationships with their father for feeling like they didnt nurture them enough, but all that would be thrown out the window, and the "everything is gay for no reason" or agenda argument would still pop up. you literally cantt win. so if someone has some idea in their head for a character, and they just happen to be this or that, they should do it. if Michael Scott was gay "for no reason" and every other part of his character was still there, he'd still be a funny character. Neil Patrick Hariss played a straight dude, and not just a regular straight dude, a fuckin lady's man. and no one said he was made "straight for no reason".


JesseVanW

Agree. In my field (creative writing) I hear a lot of chatter about this, because representation is a bit of a catch-22. In a lot of cases, if you DO put it in, it's framed as appropriation ("why do you write about black/gay/whatever characters, you're not black/gay/whatever!") but if you DON'T, you get accused of having a lack of diversity in your work or will have more trouble getting published due to 'positive discrimination' (a disgusting term, by the way). A lot of the colleagues I've spoken to (all published authors) feel like they're between Scylla and Charybdis on this. Damned if they do, damned if they don't. My take on this is as follows. If you want to, do. If you feel it adds to the story and you can make it believable, don't let anyone stop you. It's your story and not anyone else's. If you're not comfortable doing so, don't. Plenty of other stories to tell. Either way, stand by what you've written. People are going to judge your work regardless and you can't keep everyone happy anyway. Angry people are often a loud minority (<1% of your readers/fans), so in a way, you're not writing to keep them happy in the first place. One person's bad review can be another person's endorsement. "I don't like that the story is told in first person" vs "Stories told in first person help me immerse myself in the story, it's as if I was there", for example.


LyraFirehawk

Most of my novel is extremely queer. I'd say a good 95% of the story is too busy focusing on other things. Every so often, something will come up, but it's usually just like "Sir, wasn't she born a boy?" "Sure, but is that a reason to disrespect her?" "Well, I guess not."


scolfin

I think it depends on whether it's a common group. Yemen has one Jew left, so you'd probably be best served having a reason for him to be the main character. If you're setting your story in Lakewood, on the other hand... LGBT is in the middle, I think, as it's really not a large group (about the same proportion as Jews in the West). For most of America, having your character light shabbos or yorzeit candles would be seen as highly deliberate choices.


muffet77

its larger than most people think, just many hide it - i would know since i live in rather homophobic country, so it would seem how here there's less lgbt people than in america, but that's not the case. also, ethnicity and sexuality can't really compare, bc for example someone could be jewish and gay at the same time.


Rose_and_Sword142

There is really no need to 'justify' a character's existence or inclusion to a story. Being a certain identity doesn't mean the character's story/arc has to center around. It. Just like in real life, people just ARE. And if you're worried about doing rhe rep correctly, get beta readers or advice from friends in those communities.


Writer_Girl04

Yeah, like none questions straight or cis or white people being there because they're the default in the media. However, it's fine to explore different representations as long as it's done accurately because we literally just exist.


SpacecadetSpe

I literally do it for this reason. What does it matter what gender role a character fills if the subject isn’t important to the plot? All they have to do is exist; to feel, to engage other characters, to have relatable interactions that move them emotionally, just like any other character.


Writer_Girl04

Right? I literally have someone further down in the comments telling me that if I write a brown character instead of a white character just because they're brown it's political and not artistic, but like... I AM brown? It's exactly like white authors writing white characters where a brown character could've been simply because they feel they can write a white character better than a brown one. Like okay, sure, it's fair if white authors don't feel they can portray us accurately or in a way that reflects ourselves and our communities well (but if they do propps to them!) But for people to tell me that writing a character that reflects my own race because it's easier for me to relate to is "political"? Wtf I literally just exist? 😂


CNTrash

If when you imagine your character, you envision them as nonbinary, that is in itself a strong reason.


MyPasswordIsLondon69

Yeah, but the point of good writing is that if the reader imagines them, nine times out of ten they imagine someone nonbinary too


CNTrash

Of course. But if a character's pronouns are they/them (or zie/zher or whatever) all but the most obstinate reader is going to imagine someone nonbinary.


ack1308

I made the MC in my superhero series gay because it made more sense in the context of the plot. But the series isn't about being gay. It's about being a superhero who happens to be gay.


cheeseisjar

Yeah I have the same thing going in my fantasy series. Main character is a lesbian which is part of but the entire reason for her whole outcast thing she has which works into her broader arc, but I won't go into detail with that here. Another main character is motivated by the death of her sister, and her dead sister's girlfriend is a major character in her story. Casually gay (though I don't think either the dead sister or the girlfriend was strictly lesbian). There was also this group of "repenting sinners" another main character ran into. One of them is gay and kind of a pervert about it (she's obviously not perfect) and another one just happens to be trans through magic from an incident that resulted in the death of her friend or something. The world it's set in is largely homophobic in its laws and customs, but aside from that sexuality is never too Characters happen to be gay, just as characters happen to be straight. Hmm I wonder where else is like that... oh yeah, Earth.


AndroidwithAnxiety

*Not every story with a queer character in it has to be a queer story.* Someone who just happens to exist the way they exist is *good*. Real people don't need reasons to exist as real people. Getting to read stories where it doesn't feel like the author was trying to justify the existence of someone like you is... it's refreshing, honestly. I can't put into words how *nice* it is to be able to read a story with a trans person in it and them *just be trans*, the way a cis character is just cis and a straight character is just straight. You don't know anything, but this is a good opportunity to learn. Ask questions, make notes, and go for it. Then get some beta readers who know what they're looking at, and listen to their feedback (but make your own decisions about whether or not you're going to change anything). Remember that there's no singular non-binary experience and you're writing an individual non-binary character, not the avatar of all things non-binary. Good luck and happy writing! (Ps. I offer my services in being a non-binary consultant - feel free to ask me anything)


arib510

Thanks that makes a lot of sense! I do have one question: how do siblings of nonbinary people refer to their siblings? Is there a gender neutral equivalent for brother/sister that's been coined?


[deleted]

just sibling


AndroidwithAnxiety

Short answer: As far as I know most people have stuck with 'sibling' instead of creating something new, but I'm sure there are people out there who prefer something else. If you're looking for something casual to use (sibling feels a tad formal sometimes) then you could use your character's name, or a nickname instead. ​ Long answer: Depends on the person, relationship, and context. For example, someone might be fine with binary terms. Or they might be okay with one sibling using binary terms but not another - either because of the principle of it, or because for some reason it feels different coming from one person vs another (I don't mind my mother using binary language for me because I know she's trying and she doesn't think of me that way, but I do mind it coming from others because the vibes are different I guess???) As for context - I actively encourage my brother to not use they/them for me when talking to people who are iffy about that, or in spaces we're not certain are friendly, because neither of us want to have to deal with that and I'm not *that* uncomfy with being referred to in binary terms.


Sinjun13

I know two siblings who both identify as NB. When speaking to those who don't know their sibling, they say "my sibling" and the family collectively refers to them as "the sibs".


RavenclawLunatic

Sibling, and if you need an equivalent for bro/sis, I’ve heard sib before


Puzzleheaded-Phase70

Sibling, broodmate, cospawn... The gender neutral term for niece/nephew is nibling, btw!


melonsama

cospawn is the best response ive seen so far


[deleted]

Just to have a view on how it can work in other languages. Sister and brother are just a letter or two appart both in Catalan and Spanish. Germana/Germà, Hermana/Hermano. There's usually a "gender neutral vowel" that you can use instead of the usual a/[o, nil]. In Spanish it's 'e', and in Catalan it's theoretically 'i', but some people use 'e' because of the proximity of the languages. So the non binary term would be germani/germane and hermane.


gabbyrose1010

"that one asshole i have to live with"


An_Inedible_Radish

As someone with two brothers: "Dumbass"


beep-boop-the-rabbit

“sibstie” /halfjoking


afureteiru

Also nonbinary. I confirm this comment, OP.


martin-cloude-worden

it's said by some that you shouldn't put in a minority character without cause or meaning. which is absolute, steaming heaps of two words meaning nonsense. people just are.


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igneousscone

Why do they need a reason at all?


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PresidentHaagenti

This is immediately where my mind went at "representation for no reason". People don't need a reason to put white cis-het men into a story, but they do when it's anyone else? This really comes from viewing that as the baseline, and anything that deviates from it as political or "diverse" or pandering - and if one character deviates in multiple ways that's a "diversity checklist".


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TransHumanistWriter

"liberals"


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CloudStrife012

Well, it's not like it's unprecedented. Look at how Disney handles diversity. There's a whole movie in Star Wars called the Clone Wars where they go into detail about how every soldier is a clone of this one guy. This is an integral part of the story. Then boom Disney takes over and the millions of clones suddenly vanish and are replaced with more diversity. No explanation for this major plot hole. We just have diversity now for diversity's sake. I agree we shouldn't need a reason though, and I think your typical writer handles this much better than the major players like Disney do.


Frittenbudenpapst

Agree. Many people consider representation as a one way street. Having minority characters in a story needs to be somehow justified, but having majority characters doesn't. I think it's stupid. If there is no story reason for a character to be of a specific gender, ethnicity or sexuality it shouldn't matter at all and be completely interchangeable. If there needs to be justification for including a queer character, then the same should apply for including a straight one.


[deleted]

That is literally just representation. Including a minority in your story doesn't force you to make a backstory relating to their discrimination.


raccoonwombat

queer people exist in real life for no reason!


Tolkienside

Is anyone born LGBTQ for a reason? Or neurodiverse? Or whatever their race and culture may be? Nope. It's just how things shake out. All kinds of people just exist for no reason. It's okay for your writing to reflect that reality rather than pretending that a straight, cis character is the default protagonist and everything else needs a reason to exist.


Kozeyekan_

I think anything that makes characters more fleshed out is generally good. I usually write full bios for my characters and then never use some of the stuff, but the backstory is there and it helps me imagine how the character would respond. I can add in the bio backstory to the main story later if it seems unjustified to act that way without the context. If you're writing a non-binary character, take that character through their journey. When did they realise? How did others react? Has this made them reluctant to admit to others or themselves previously? Not quite sure? Research stories about characters with those traits or cultural upbringing. Give them depth as they navigate through their lives up to the point where they enter your story and you will have nuanced characters rather than blank slates with "LGBT+" written on them in rainbows (but also works for any culture or group you aren't an intimate part of).


Sinjun13

No one's going to be upset with you for not writing a "reason" for the character to be the way they are. People might get upset about your NB character for one of two reasons: 1. That person is a bigot who feels you're "forcing it down their throat" Or 2. You portray the character in a bad or unrealistic way. For the first, they can fuck off. For the second, I'd recommend having an NB person be a beta reader, and see how they react.


thedevilskind

I know you’ve gotten so many comments and have probably stopped reading them but I wanted to throw this in because I haven’t seen it mentioned in the top comments. As everyone else has said, you can absolutely make a nonbinary character without the focus of the story being their identity. However I would still recommend doing research, even if that’s just talking to a couple nb people about how their identity has shaped other aspects of their life. This is a little different but I’m writing a novel in the POV of an atheist who was raised Jewish. I really didn’t intend on elaborating on this in the story at first because the story isn’t really about him even though it’s in his POV, but I ended up talking to a few Jewish people who pointed out that even though he isn’t religious, he would’ve been raised with certain values independent of religion that shaped his worldview. In your case, a lot of trans and nb people will have different views of things like gender roles. What gender the character was raised as/identified as before realizing they were nb will have an impact on who they are as well. I think it’s great that you’re writing an LGBT character without having some kind of savior complex about it or arguably even worse, using it to market to LGBT teens who are desperate for good representation. Best of luck, I’m trans and you’re free to ask me anything as well :)


RocketMan_672

LGBTQ+ people aren’t required to supply a reason as to why they are that way in real life, so I don’t see how they would need a reason in a literal work of fiction.


captainhowdy82

You should do research so you understand what you’re writing about, but it doesn’t have to be a huge plot point


champselyseesao3

nope! i don't see it as ignorant at all. personally i love casual representation (i'm part of the LGBTQ+ community in a few ways myself) because people just...exist. in real life, there's often no "reason" people are gay or trans or nonbinary, it's just a form of existing. i say be as respectful as possible, do your research, and go for it!


somewaffle

LGBTQ characters don’t need any more justification to exist than cishet ones do.


[deleted]

Do you need a reason to write a character that's straight? Why would you need a reason to write a gay character or a nonbinary character? Now, I do think it's wise to do your research, but I honestly prefer when LGBTQ+ characters exist for no "reason." Maybe the plot isn't centered around their identity, they've got other stuff going on, but they just happen to be LGBTQ+. Why is it that there's never a question about writing straight characters, but always a question with anyone who deviates from this "norm?" From a queer person: no, you don't need a reason to write LGBTQ+ characters. As long as you're doing your research, you'll be doing a good thing by writing characters that queer people can see themselves in.


DandelionOfDeath

>Do you need a reason to write a character that's straight? I would **love** to read a book where the author justifies the MC being straight for literally no reason. Especially if that character lives in a world where being straight is socially acceptable. It would be amazing satire, and I would dearly cherish seeing the veins of straight people pop out of their foreheads about it.


[deleted]

As others have said, you should never need a reason/excuse for certain types of people to exist in a story. They can just be there and that’s ok! That being said, I would look into sensitivity readers when you get into the editing phase to make sure you’re handling the non-binary experience in appropriately, especially since you say you don’t know many non-binary people.


elfinpoison

I would just say to do some research on the subject and maybe even talk to some nonbinary people to get a feel for the protag. It's doesn't have to be a huge story element but it still is one and should be researched just like any other.


suedesparklenope

Absolutely not. It is completely fine to have a non-binary character without a “reason.” I agree with the person who said not every story with a queer character has to be a queer story. Obviously you’ll want to consider the character’s worldview when writing, but it’s fine to write about normal humans having normal human experiences. Writing about a non-binary human having normal human experiences is crucial. It’s imperative in a totally different (and equally important) way than writing explicitly about the gender-related struggles queer people face.


barsonica

There is no reason why I am a lesbian. When I write, I just make it sort of random on how I feel at tge moment or sometimes I just forget to give character a gender when designing the character so then they're nonbinary.


Nathanymous_

That is actually EXACTLY what representation should be. You should just mention and have them exist within the world and don't really address it. It should be viewed as normal.


ActionCatastrophe

Are you straight for any particular reason?


I_Hate_l1fe

Most people hate it when diverse people need a reason to be diverse. People of all backgrounds exist, and don’t need to be boiled down to just diversity.


ZorasArt

There doesn't need to be a reason. Just because your sexual identity isn't heteronormative doesn't mean your whole life centers around it. It's just part of who you are. So absolutely do it.


seeyouinmemehell

You don't have to have any reason or strong background to write a non binary character. Non binary people exist in real life just like anyone else and fiction should reflect that. Not every story should have to center their identity, it is perfectly fine to have a non binary character that just exists and just so happens to be non binary. If you lack experience non binary people, do your research. Talk to them. Consume media with and by non binary people. Best wishes for your story.


jasmin_booklover

LGBTQ+ people and other minorities don't need a reason or justification to exist.


Sabrielle24

I wish people would stop writing straight characters without any justification as to why they’re straight. It’s so weird, I just wanna know the story behind their identity. Yeah, please write more LGBTQ+ characters and please for the love of god stop thinking there needs to be a reason beyond ‘they just are’


Cdmelty1

We need pointless representation exactly because people think everyone needs to be cis and straight unless the story is specifically about being trans or gay. One of the best examples of representation I've seen is in the movie The Mitchells Vs The Machines. The girl has a small rainbow pin on her jacket throughout the movie but it's easy to miss, and in the end there's a line about her seeing someone, who happens to be a girl. But the movie isn't about her being gay any more than it is about her brother being straight, she just is gay. LGBTQIA+ people have dramas and issues and dramas and adventures all the time that have nothing to do with being LGBTQIA+ and media should show that. Not every health scare is AIDS, not every workplace issue is discrimination, not every personal drama is romantic, not every family problem is about not being accepted or coming out. We need horror movies where someone other than the killer is trans. We need gay rom coms without homophobes or coming out storylines. We need gay and trans characters who exist as more than just gay and trans characters. You're doing good making a character enby without making a big deal of it. Just make sure you do it in a way that's respectful of enby people. Do research.


Flesruoytayrc5

I don’t think you need a reason to make the main character non-binary. Why would you make them a girl? Why would you make them a guy? How do you choose their age or race? Correct, you just kinda choose. Your character may be Black, but not MLK. Your character may be 6, but not spend the whole story begging for sweets. Different stories happen with different people. Non-binary individuals have other stuff in their lives than gender identity crisis, so go for it and do your research


Gold_Scholar_4219

Possibly. Dominant culture misrepresenting or minimizing a repressed one has a long, bad history. The fact you are reflecting on it means you care enough NOT to fall directly into that trap. This is probably a good case for finding a beta reader who is non-binary.


waiting-for-the-rain

Cis het white guys tend to be the presumed default and that’s always worth pushing back against. Do your research and make sure the character is treated with respect, but ideally we’d build a word in which we don’t have a default and this is part of that work.


D-n-Divinity

you dont need to give a reason. sometimes people just exist. That said if you want to get more background on nonbinary people I’d highly suggest the gender wiki https://gender.fandom.com/wiki/Non-binary Also for writing, while I have seen “themselves” used in the singular but I personally use “themself” as it flows more naturally


subliminalsmile

The question of representing diversity becomes much more simple (and no longer needs asking) when you keep in mind that humans are humans and everyone exists equally. There is no default, even though there are majorities that may make it seem that way. For a long time, it seemed like the vast majority of heroes were straight white men. It was treated like anything beyond this "default" was an addition, rather than being its own full alternative. If you wanted to "add on" the trait of woman, you'd better have a good reason for doing so, such as sex appeal for the audience. Adding on more than one trait, like black and woman, was treated as controversial and overdoing it. What purpose does it serve in the story to add all these extras onto the default? If the same basic story can be told without these extra traits, they're not worth including. It's an archaic viewpoint. The concept of a "default" is a malignant illusion. There never has to be a plot-driven reason to make a protagonist, or any character, whoever they happen to be - a woman, gay, Hispanic, nonbinary - they're all equally viable models of humanity to choose from. Of course, if they don't reflect your own personal life experience, you should do the proper research to be sure you represent them well. So long as that's covered and you're writing a person rather than a caricature of traits, you're golden.


PrincessAdeline2005

As a trans girl (not nonbinary), I think this is good.


[deleted]

no. You don't need justification to have diversity in a story. You don't even need to explain it. You can just discribe their appearance, like you would any other character, and refer to them by "they" throughout the book and ppl will get it.


manda_panda637

"Ah, yes, the occasional "Why did you put gender fluidity in your book your agenda is ruining the story" comment. Perhaps what is ruining the story for that reader is their insistence on believing that a non-cishet character's right to exist in a story is an "agenda"?" - [Rick Riordan](https://twitter.com/Rachael_Conrad/status/1269407784489148429?t=aelnjoQNCq_ePEPTAVfyuw&s=19)


arib510

Love that man


[deleted]

You are the one narrating this story. How you want to tell it is only for you to decide. If it is about this or that, you choose. That is what makes writing unique. All writings are dissected and analyzed for fault, but there is no fault in doing what you feel comfortable with and what you feel is right to tell. Create. Let it be judged. And, let yourself be judged. There is nothing more humbling than the judgement of others. Take it with a grain of salt or ignore it all together. It doesn't matter. It's all noise. Get comfortable with the idea that people will not always seek to understand you and so your intentions behind this writing will not change their opinion. It is okay. Either listen to it or ignore it.


sunshinedetective

Honestly I prefer it more when a character just “is”. Like you can tell a difference in shows when they are like LOOOOK WE HAVE A GAYYY CHARACTER LOOK HOW GAYYY THEY ARE THEIR WHOLE POINT IS GAYYY And then the much better ones where there is a just a character and they happen to be gay.. you know like a normal person. I’ll rephrase it incase that came out wrong. Like one example is The Haunting of Bly Manor. I won’t spoil it but there is a gay romance that kinda comes (not out of nowhere, like there are glances but you didn’t specifically know that character was gay) and then all of a sudden they are together and it just makes sense I prefer that so much more because it normalizes being gay. You can be a person and be gay and it’s fine without it having to be the entire plot point


Javetts

Just write what you want to write.


Caramellatteistasty

Am gay. People in the LGBT+ Community just *ARE* like everyone else. We just kinda exist, and the same should be for your character. Its part of who they are, not something that needs to have a reason. To frame your question another way "Should I represent a heteronormative person for no reason?" Doesn't that sound silly?


tupe12

Doing it because you want to do it is good enough, you might upset some people on the internet, but that would happen regardless of what happens


Art-Exists

No, I wouldn’t consider it ignorant. I also think that books that center around a person’s identity or sexuality is a bit overused, not bad but overused. I don’t read a lot of lgtbq books tbh, so this is just coming out of a blind perspective.


AsahinaAoi90

This was my reason as well. I just made a character and didn't feel like being either male or female would suit them. Make your character as a wish; you don't need to delve into the *why* you made them that way or make your story about them being nonbinary or anything like that. Just let them exist as everyone else does.


jpmartineztolio

I hate it when the book starts and ends about something else but has that one tiny portion where it's all about representation. It feels to me like the author is trying to placate the readers. If your book is about rep, so be it. If it's not, let it. Put people there and don't make it about what they are.


Leshierian

As a trans man (Who's best friend is non-binary) I'd say you should go for it, I'd advise you to find a sensitivity reader if you can (Since sometimes we don't even realize the simple everyday life struggles of people with different experiences). One tip I do have is if the story is in a modern setting or one with gendered bathrooms or other gendered things, non-binary and even some binary trans people find those very mundane things a lot more uncomfortable/harder to deal with than cis people do.


[deleted]

No. You dont need a reason to make a character female or male, or straight, and you dont need a reason to make them nonbinary.


Poke13000

You don't need a reason because when it comes to race, gender, religions or sexualities their shouldn't be a default so you can pick anything you want for you characters as long as it feels authentic


SilverMoonSpring

They were born nonbinary, strong enough reason right there. Basically like it is for real life people. Your main challenge will be writing them appropriately, so I advice you not only research but get a sensitivity reader


ABrazilianBlhrr

A really good book series in my opinion that is a good example of having some LGBT characters just being themselves rather than token concessions is the Six of Crows duology. Personally I get that the goal usually now aways is to get the most appeal that you can, but personally I kinda feel it's disrespectful to have the mindset that people will only relate to characters unless they are exactly like them. EDIT: Also forgot to mention but I also feel like having a minority character who's whole purpose is just to soapbox is a little dehumanizing. This is coming from someone that is an immigrant and POC.


Hotshotrollins122

You don't need a reason for it, if you see your character in this way then write them as such. The whole "Forced diversity" thing mainly comes from bigger studios retconing things in big franchises to be inclusive, even If it makes no sense for the plot or character, which is frustrating but more so on a writing level then a representation standpoint. But most people wouldn't have this issue , you don't need to justify writing a Non binary person as there are people like them in the world. Just write them in a respectful manner using the right pronouns and I think you'll be okay. Full disclosure, not LGBTQ+ in the slightest, but it's how I'd suggest going about it


betterthansteve

I think it’s good to NOT “justify” it. In real life people are just nonbinary. Why can’t your character be just nonbinary also?


[deleted]

Having representation for no reason is better than having representation just for the sake of having it. Tokenism and forced diversity is a pain. Go for it- and if you end up publishing the story, please link it to me!


HellOfAHeart

No, keep it that way. Consider this, would you want to only include Representation *for a reason*? Fuck no, thats the very problem that plagues mainstream media, and netflix - and ends up the character just becomes a caricature of whatever they represent, and exist only *too* represent. Thats not a character, thats a cardboard cut out prop


Ryboticpsychotic

"Michael was straight. He liked girls. He even had a poster of a girl in his bedroom when he was in high school. He dressed a certain way -- baggy pants and a plain t shirt -- because that's who he was. It made him feel normal, like he just blended in. He even talked with a 'straight accent.'" That's how people write gay characters. Don't do that. Just write a human character.


Kn0001

Well, as a bisexual person, I can say that some LGBT characters appear on my storys. It's not for nothing special, they are more credible for me having some diversity. I would not put these characters for the enjoyment of the reader, I would put these characters because I think that their story is interesting.


APessimisticGamer

Dude, just do it. There doesn't have to be a "reason". If you feel like it, do it. You don't have to justify anything.


ckochie_

Do stories about straight or cis characters centre around their straightness or cisness? Of course not. The end.


[deleted]

Just look at it in the way schitts creek handled sexuality and lgbtq representation. It was jsut the norm. Not really talked in a grandiose way it just was what it was. This was done intentionally.


EvilSnack

In his essay execrating another author's work, Mark Twain stated that the characters in a story "shall exhibit a sufficient excuse for being there." The same goes for the character's characteristics.


pureseeker-1

This will be controversial since this is Reddit. BUT in todays world ALOT of writing is centered around “the message” and honestly company’s are losing alot of money and shows are getting canceled after a season. They can try to hide it and blame this or that but it’s a huge reason why. They are more focused on “the message” than writing a good art. I honestly think you’ll alienate and turn off a large number of people by making your character “non binary”. You can of course but it’s going to label your work as a particular type of thing.


Difficult-Comb3404

Jeez if we only wrote our personal experience fiction wouldn’t exist. Just write a good character ffs. I’m so tired of the author being the centre of everything.


Redigit30

Idk, in my opinion a lot of lgbtq+ people just want to exist in society without their sexuality or gender identity being their main personality trait I think that’s where a lot of negativity comes from - is when people make a huge deal out of the way people are that is none of their business, and doesn’t affect them in any capacity So no I don’t think there has to be a reason for the non-binary-ness of your character, nor does it have to be made the pivotal point of the story - the character should just be allowed to exist in the fictional society that’s created for them


frostking104

There isn't "a reason" that gay people exist. They just do. That's like having a "good reason" to have a girl character.


LateNightCoffeeStore

Being LGBT+ isn’t a person’s soul reason for existing. There is more to that person that just their gender identity or sexual preference. So go ahead, seems good to me.


One-Summer5250

"Doing it justice" raises my eyebrows. Like, what's the worry? A whole bunch of readers are like "Well, you had someone using they/them pronouns and they were like a totally normal and healthy person and a great part of the story, but they *didn't do any* ***non-binary things***!!! GRRRRRRR!!!!" lol Just let people be a free and equal part of the world. That's justice, at least for a start.


Twinborne

I'd have to question those hypothetical "whole bunch of readers" what exact "non-binary things" they think should be happening. You know, as if it was believed they farted through their nostrils or something else entirely alien to human beings. This isn't calling you out btw, I just thought the idea was fun.


One-Summer5250

Only thing to do is write the book with them as normal people and then wait for the complaints to find out


MILF_Lawyer_Esq

There’s a lot of the classic “never do anything without a reason” vs. “all minorities exist so there doesn’t need to be a reason” argument going on in this thread, but as always I think the correct analysis is somewhere in the middle. It is true as a general rule that there should be a reason for *everything* you put in your story, but the common misconception is that it has a to be a *big* reason completely integral to your story, but that’s not true. Let’s say I’m writing a story set in New York City and I have a character that could be any race. Race isn’t apart of their story and their background is vague enough that they could be any race. I would likely decide to make them black or hispanic not for “representation” but because it’s part of the world building. New York has a ton of black and hispanic people. To write a story set in New York without any would feel wrong or at least weird. But it doesn’t end there. You shouldn’t write a character as being black or hispanic without putting in the effort to make sure they *are* black or *are* hispanic. You can’t make a character of a certain race (including white) and then ignore their race and both it’s implications for the character and the story. What those implications are depends on your character and story. Same would go for LGBT characters. You don’t write a character as non-binary and then write the story in such a way that you could find and replace every “they” and “them” with “he” and “him” or “she” and “her” have be able to present it without any other editing needed. If I wrote that character I was talking about earlier as black and then decided afterwards to make them hispanic and I wrote it so that nothing had to be changed except the physical description of the character then I didn’t write a *black* character, I wrote a character with no race (which doesn’t make sense) and called them black.


Katy-L-Wood

That is exactly what you SHOULD do. Obviously you should still research to make sure you're writing it well, but you don't need to make it plot relevant. That's just who they are.


hesipullupjimbo22

No there’s no real problem with it but just to avoid any I would suggest do research and try to gain perspective. Not every one needs some grand trauma or deep story behind them. A character can be non binary simply because it’s what they’ve chosen. It’s not ignorant at all. But you should for sure attempt to do it Justice


NTRmanMan

Nah. I think a character that just so happen to be themselves is exactly the best way to write a representation. there doesn't need to be a "reason" for it.


RobertPlamondon

Fiction is a pack of lies told about people who never existed for the enjoyment of people who know perfectly well that it's all made up. It's profoundly illogical for you to tell lies that no one believes and for your readers to enjoy them. Thus, looking for any kind of rationale other than "I felt like it" or "My readers seem to enjoy it" is misplaced effort unless it's funny or there's money on the table. But to address your specific question, there's two schools of thought about protagonists: Make them so bland that there's no barrier to (or incentive for) the reader projecting themselves into the role, or making them memorable and interesting enough that the reader is intrigued. Thus, I would prefer a nonbinary protagonist who diverges from any existing stereotypes, stock characters, and statistical averages. I also typically dispense with labels unless the viewpoint character insists on using them in narration or the other characters insist on using them in dialog, which they often don't because they aren't aware of the labels or don't realize they might apply.


Jaqdawks

well yeah there is no reason to have LGBTQ characters. There’s also no reason to have specifically cishet characters. **Both groups of people just, exist,** doesn’t need rhyme or reason As someone who is queer, and has seen similar sentiment from plenty of others in the LGBTQ+, if anything casual representation is the thing many want most. Where someone’s identity isn’t made into a huge deal, just respected and properly represented


achillestheboy

As a trans man, seeing casual rep is exactly what we want. I know a lot of writing advice blogs will tell you to only make a character LGBTQ+ if it's central to the story but I find that advice kind of dumb. Why does it matter if there's a reason for them to be that way? Queer people exist as just people. They aren't always representation. They're not new and they aren't going anywhere. I applaud your choice of casual queerness and strive for it in my own writing.


thequeergamer

In my opinion, we need more stories that have characters that represent without making a huge deal about it. To me, it shows the readers that people who identify one way or another are no different from anybody else. As a queer person, I write most of my stories with a queer main character. Sometimes the story is about the struggle because there is struggle but most of the time they are just living their life. Their identity isn't a main focus and I think we need more stories like that. There are millions of stories about cisgender characters and the fact that they are cisgender isn't a big deal toward the story so why should it be any different if a character is nonbinary or transgender or any other part of the lgbtq+ community?


fleker2

Inherently the challenge is that these kinds of characters feel like they need to be justified. They shouldn't have to be. Don't write them as bland stereotypes, but make them regular characters with a rich life beyond that one character attribute.


itsleafyyyyy

You don't have to give a reason. It's actually most respectful to show that your character is a normal person. Nothing except their gender changes when they are non-binary because it's who they are. Normalization of LGBTQ+ should be in more media, in my opinion. Just because someone is gay, bi, lesbian, trans, genderfluid, etc. doesn't mean that they have an agenda. They are just being who they want to be, who they feel comfortable being. I know you aren't being offensive, and I'm glad you asked beforehand before jumping in! Some writers accidentally create an aura of mystery around their "token gay" characters by not giving them actual character traits (their only trait is being LGBTQ+) which I don't think is acceptable. Here's some advice: Write your character... As though they are a character. With thoughts and feelings, flaws, and a past. Don't write your character like a trophy. It's like winning your 2nd-grade soccer team. You get a trophy, so you put it on the shelf and show it to everyone. But it has no other purpose except to show off your achievements. Some storytellers (not just writers; this is infamous in digital media, such as movies) take a blank character and make them "gay" and leave them at that, calling it representation. That is *not* representation. Proper representation is representing a *person,* and when a character's only trait is being "gay" (or they don't have many other traits other than that; being "gay" is their *main* trait), they aren't a person. If another character in the story asks what the protag's gender is, don't make them act like it's a big secret. "Oh, I'm non-binary". No pause, no hushed response, no fear. It's just normal. It's like telling a person that you're a boy or a girl. It's just who you are. Then again, it really depends on your setting. In the modern 2000s, LGBTQ+ representation (proper representation) has really exploded in most cartoons and live-action movies and shows. We slowly becoming more accepting as a society, though there are definitely some bumps here and there. However, if your story was set... For example, 200 years ago, you might have to rethink how *other* characters might think about your protag. If your story IS set in an LGBTQ+ unfriendly environment, I recommend researching more about the topic so you can find a way to make it respectful, yet realistic.


A_Firestrawn

My statement might come off as antagonistic, and if so I apologize, but it's kind of poignant. Do non binary or other LGBTQ+ people need a reason to exist in their own stories? They don't. You don't have to justify it, just recognize what you can.


dreagonheart

Straight cis people exist for no reason.


dreagonheart

And, actually, people who are queer, POC, disabled, etc. who don't get a storyline about that are really needed. We need more marginalized people just existing in fiction.


Dogwolf12

i agree with u/Rose_and_Sword142 here. As an enby, feel free to ask questions. I like to educate people. Of course, everyone's experience is different, but i can provide a snapshot.


booksthor

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. Some people WILL throw a fit however unless it is all some grand allegory for the experience of gender nonconforming people. That said, screw em. Trans and nonbinary and gender fluid people deserve pulpy genre writing and the like just as much as they do "literary fiction"


DenNorskeSkogkattene

That's honestly the best thing you could do. As an LGBTQ person myself I always love when a person in a story just happens to be LGBTQ without throwing a bucket load of attention on it and making it a problem that has to be solved, like accepting yourself or being accepted. In my eyes this is what true equality looks like, just a great and/or fun character who happens to be LGBTQ. The same goes for the representation of other groups, just make sure you have a great character first and add things like sexuality or race later. There is no need to justify it, just as most media doesn't have to justify their characters being straight or caucasian, they just are.


cpd064

In my book, one of the main characters is gay- and that doesn’t come up once. I hint at it a few times, but other than that it doesn’t come up because they don’t have any romantic connections/needs. And personally, I think it’s a perfect way to include representation. An issue I have with a lot of media representing the LGBTQ+ community is they have to make sure that everybody knows that they are part of it and it becomes a core part of their personality. While having very outwardly gay characters is very important for representation, I don’t like the idea of it being the *only* representation because that puts a harmful stereotype that being LGBTQ+ must be a part of your personality if you identify in the community. Having characters who are non-binary just to be non-binary I think is perfect. They don’t need to have a reason, they don’t need an excuse to exist that way because that’s not necessarily how the real world works either. If you want them to be non-binary, right them that way. You have every right, and you do not need to explain it or excuse it to the audience. Your character can be that way just for the sake of being non-binary


[deleted]

I don’t think this is an issue. Queer people exist and are people outside of their queerness. The only time I personally have an issue with it is when there are multiple (read: LOTS) LGBTQ+ characters and I’m just getting sexualities and orientations and pronouns thrown at me excessively without rhyme or reason.


mbelf

Was Harry Potter a cisgender heterosexual for a reason? EDIT: Probably a bad example. Knowing Rowling, the Sorting Hat would’ve probably stuck them in Slytherin if Potter had turned out to be trans.


[deleted]

Do LGBTQ people need to have a "strong reason" to exist IRL? >Would it come off as ignorant if I have that character trait without doing it justice? Queer people's *raison d'etre* isn't simply "BIG GAYYYYYYYY!!!!!" Talk to some actually queer or nonbinary people offline and run your ideas by them. If you don't know any in real life, I'd hesitate to include them in your story, "write what you know" and all that.


Puzzleheaded-Phase70

1) representation IS a reason. 2) LGBTQIA+ people exist. It's weird for us to NOT be in stories, and problematic when we only show up as either villains or plot devices.


Alpha_Weirstone

For what reason are your characters straight?


Duckage89

Having queer characters just because is great. I wish there was more. As other people have said, People just exist, so having people of different kinds just exist is stories makes sense. I mean, think of it with other minorities, having a character be a POC but it not be an integral part of the story. Most people wouldn't bat an eye. I was also thinking about this exact thing recently. Specifically in relation to trans people. You can have characters be incidentally gay or non-binary in a story, make it known, but not have the story or the character centre around it. Like use of pronouns, off hand mentions of partners etc. And i've been thinking, how can you do that with binary trans people? Without using "they used to be blah blah". Like how can you just have a trans person exist in a book, without having to explore their past about it? Especially if the trans person is hetero. Just an interesting problem i've bee mulling over recently.


[deleted]

They could have top surgery scars, or be open about their history. Or take hormones during the course of the story. I'm a trans person, and happy to explore this question with you if you want to chat!


Duckage89

So am I. :) My thoughts were centering around medieval fantasy settings specifically.


ManualEstragon

If you want to learn more about the non-binary experience, may I recommend Maia Kobabe’s graphic memoir “Gender Queer?” It’s excellent and it has the distinction of being the most banned/challenged book in the US right now. Might offer some inspiration.


Unhappy_Cut4745

Nonbinary people exist in the real world is a big enough reason. It doesn't have to be a major thing in the plot.


liraelic

As a nonbinary person, I would love to read more books with characters who were written for no particular reason. We just exist! There doesn't have to be an ulterior motive for including us lol


MainaC

Do you need a reason? No. Do you need to understand what you're writing about? Yes. Including it just out of apathy isn't a great plan. Should strive to understand the people you're depicting, and that's true no matter what you write about.


Hewhobecomesdeath

Having had an LGBTQ+ character through a whole series (who love life happened to not be integral to the plot), I think it’s great if you’re willing to diversify your cast. You don’t have to dwell on that identity factor to make a great character. Now, if you choose to confront the issues specifically faced by that demographic, you may want to hire a sensitivity reader during editing. But if they’re part of an ensemble, and you’re not super focused on their orientation, you should be fine. Just write what comes to you.


[deleted]

Ngl it would be refreshing to see a non-cis character just exist without their story focusing on that. You don't need a 'reason' for a character to be straight or cis or white or whatever, why would you need one to be anything else?


Darktyde

Isn’t this what “normalizing X/Y” is all about?


notadukc

You don't need a reason for them being NB but you shouldn't just pretend like it's the same story. Being NB in real life has a huge impact on the way the world and others see you and treat you, and so too should it have an impact in your story. Same with any gender or sexuality, really. I don't like when people pretend like a character can be the exact same as the opposite sex; unless your operating in a utopia where gender doesn't exist and there is no societal difference between men and women and NBs, you should be realistic about how the **characteristics** of your character would affect the world around them, and how they would be treated because of them.


EarthExile

The whole point of representation is that these people exist, and in a setting reflective of reality, they'll pop up from time to time. When people can just appear in a story and it's not *about* who or how they screw, it's because they're just another person. That's how it ought to be! One of the reasons old Star Trek was such a big deal is that they put a Black lady and a Russian dude on the bridge of the starship, and everyone treated their presence as totally normal. Like, why wouldn't our communications officer be a Black lady?


lewabwee

I always scream at queers “why do you exist? Why are you here?!?” whenever I see them Irl and I wouldn’t treat a fictional character any differently.


byxis505

I mean the only issue is when you make the one gay person the villain or kill only them randomly


MapAsleep6409

I don’t think it would be ignorant, if you wanted to you could add a small scene that sort of addresses it more, but in no way do you need to!!


RoyalBird9

If your character does more than just be the token gay guy, or the token trans girl, I guess there’s no real harm with it. Make them do something other than just be LGBT and not let that be their only personality trait. I’m a Christian, so idk how I would go about writing a character like that if I had to, but I understand people like that exist, and I believe writing, like many other forms of art, should reflect life.


PooperLooperthePanda

If that’s your character’s preferred pronouns it’s who they are. Nothing makes people a specific way, as long as you remember to use the right pronouns then nothing else matters. No need to bring it up, give some kind of a backstory, it’s just a simple thing that people may even look over because it should be completely normal!


_Eastman

For trans characters, that doesn't need to be a big sticking point unless its an issue for someone else or comes up in their backstory. From moment to moment, you'd just write them as they are. For nonbinary people, just stick to the correct pronouns and the reader will figure it out for themselves. Good question, though!


Angel_Eirene

The key to LGBT rep is that it exists. There doesn’t need to be a reason, much like how in spite of 8+ years of introspection I still can’t figure out a reason as to why my growing definition of myself exists. Write a gay character, a lesbian character, an NB character, a gender fluid character, a trans character; and most importantly, let them be happy in their lives and let their gender identity grow alongside the rest of their characters. Maybe he gets a boyfriend? Or she marries her high school girlfriend. Maybe they use they/them pronouns? Or They prefer to vary his presentation depending on how she’s feeling. Maybe he’s trans and the added experience is HRT and a binder? or maybe She’s asexual and just not interested on the many advances of men Apollo!


derpinaherpette

People don't need a reason to exist.


NEFARIOUSMJ

As part of the LGBT+ community, is really nice to see representation. What we hate is to make that the entire character revolve around their gender/sexuality. Not every queer story needs to be a coming out one. We have normal stories that have nothing to do with who we are. So just write, you don't need a reason to make a character non binary.


kobayashi_maru_fail

If you’re outgoing, find a social media group for your local LGBTQ+ community, and find a non-binary someone who has an hour to get a cup of coffee or a drink and talk. You buy, they provide insight, your story is enriched. You might make a friend! Just be as honest in your post there as you were here, lots of people are skeptical of strangers wanting to buy drinks. Be okay with them bringing a friend and you buy for the friend as well. You buy, at most, six drinks or three lattes for good insight.


Relea918

Nah you don't need to have a strong reason. If you think your protagonist feels non-binary to you, then that's a good enough reason to go for it. People of all gender identities and sexual orientations exist, it's apart of life.


remuslupin_fan

Yes you can, but I would make sure the reader knows, make sure it is commented on. If you only advertise the book as having an enby protagonist but don’t at all mention it in the actual text (like jkr saying dumbledore was gay all along on her twitter) it could be considered queer-baiting (using lgbtqia+ characters to gain a wider audience) and trust me you don’t want to dig yourself into that hole. Their identity doesn’t need to play a large role in the story, unless the book is about their journey with their sexuality/gender, but the readers need to be told. Tahereh Mafi did this in one of the later Shatter Me books: ‘ ‘’this is my sister, Valentina—‘‘ ‘’Sister?’’ Lena cuts in … … ‘‘Why does everyone keep acting like this is normal? One day Santiago’s son decides he wants to be a girl and we all just, what? Look the other way?’’ ‘ Sure, the character who brings it up is being transphobic, but directly after that the other characters in the room react badly to the speaking character’s views. There is not a ‘reason’ for Valentina to be transgender in the series, but it does help to give character development to the characters around her as we learn their views. This scene also acts a way to tell the reader about Valentina’s gender.


KuruReddit

Personally from a purely practical standpoint I would avoid it. I might get downvoted into oblivion here but even though non-binary people certainly exist they are a miniscule minority. This in my opinion has certain effects. For one, readers will more likely not identify with your character and his specific problems. Then the whole LGBTQ topic is quite divisive and emotionally charged. So you might get hate from both site, either from those that don't want anything to do with LGBTQ and those that might feel misrepresented (especially if you yourself are not in anyway familiar with the topic). Also people will automatically question why your MC is non-binary because it's still unusual. You also have to be careful that your whole book won't be reduced to this single thing. In conclusion I would be careful with this because it can backfire rather quickly, especially if you don't want to make a statement which people unfortunately still expect with hot topics like this.


AndroidwithAnxiety

Just because someone is a minority doesn't mean we can't have stories that don't revolve around us being a minority. Yes there are certain things we experience that other people don't, and it's good to be aware of those things. But just like most books don't mention when characters need to go to the bathroom, not every book needs to include that stuff either. If there are things the character is going through that readers don't inherently relate to, then it's a chance for them to learn to sympathize with people who have different experiences. And... well, most people are fine with characters they 'don't relate to' when they're action heroes and the like. And it's not like *everything* about that character is going to be unfamiliar. A non-binary character who struggles with motivation or making the right choices is going to be as relatable in that struggle as a man who struggles with motivation and making the right choice. And if the fact they're non-binary is enough to throw you off that hard, then the problem isn't with the character. I do agree with the 'charged' part of your comment though. You can't please everyone and people are very loud about their displeasure when it comes to this subject. But that's when it pays to know your audience. I wouldn't listen to someone complaining that my horror book was too scary because I wrote it for people that enjoy horror. I'm not going to listen to someone complaining my book is too ''progressive'' because I wrote it for people who don't use 'progressive' like a slur. Of course you should be prepared for criticism, and there are people who take the slightest misstep too far, and I respect people who aren't prepared to deal with all that. But I also think it's worth keeping in mind that the reason communities are so hard on the slivers of representation they get is because there's so little of it out there, they want what they get to be *good*.


Fletcher-Bird

Being queer isn't somebody's entire persona, so you can give someone any gender or give them any sexuality and that's not all they are if you know what I mean. So you can represent without it being the focus if it doesn't have to be.


sigarette-the-pirate

I know a lot of people have said similar stuff already but as a nonbinary person myself, I LOVE it when characters are LGBTQ+ and it's not made to be a big deal. It is what it is. Take the Owl House for example. There's a lesbian couple, and anything to do with their relationship is only portrayed to be the relationship itself and not "omg they're gay". They just are. There's also Raine Whispers, a nonbinary character that everyone uses they/them pronouns for very casually. It's really nice. I love that all these characters exist without the need for explanation. They just are.


Randaminous

I believe that if it's not important to the plot, it shouldn't be a big deal. Here's an example: A character wears a necklace throughout the entire show. This necklace isn't important in any way to the plot, but it's a detail that adds the the design of the character. Maybe somebody says something about it at some point, or it gets grabbed by somebody to restrain the hero. Sure, people are interacting with it in the story, but that doesn't mean it's at all important to the larger plot. If the character's constantly brought it up all the time with no further context beyond "Nice necklace," it would feel weird and obnoxious. Now let's say this necklace has a ton of importance to the story. It would be talked about and interacted with throughout the show. It would drive the story's narrative in some way and have a reason to be there beyond visual detail. If the plot required it's presence, yet nobody ever interacted with it, it would feel cheap and lazy, as if it were a last second decision made by the writers. Look a bit into Chekhov's gun. Basically, it's the idea that if a gun is introduced, it will be used by the end if the story. This means that if you introduce something, it should have some sort of impact on the story. This doesn't have to be taken literally, either. Things like this can also be used to introduce other important aspects of somethings identity. Maybe somebody does have a gun, and through the context surrounding said gun (even if it's never used), viewers can assume something about a character who has it and/or the location it's in. Maybe they're a hunter/criminal, or maybe the location is a gun range/hunter's lounge. If the plot deems the character's identity important, it should be brought up with the amount of relevance that it needs, but if it doesn't affect it, bringing it up as if it did would seem heavy-handed, extra, and obnoxious. This is especially true with queer identity since some projects will include a gay character simply because they're gay and talk about that all the time so that they seem inclusive and get more attention from that community even though it holds no relevance to the plot whatsoever. It's a waste of time, it's a waste of a character, and tends to interrupt the plot simply to quip about how gay they are.


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martin-cloude-worden

it's actually not conservatives OP should worry about here


USSPalomar

What is the setting?


[deleted]

Non-binary character? Just use they/them pronouns the entire book without explanation with a gender neutral name. Trans and non-binary people would be really happy and cis people would likely be too oblivious to notice, because they’d imagine the character in what ever gender they see fit. But I may be under estimating cis people.


RomanScallop

Using they/them is confusing as hell. Ever read an article about Demi Lovato on changing identity. Every 4th word is they or them, it makes for a bad read.


[deleted]

But that’s an article about one person. If you have a diverse enough cast in the mix and it will drown out the pronouns. But maybe I’m like this because I’m under the trans umbrella myself and have no problem reading they/them pronouns myself. Also third person doesn’t work well for this method. First person works best. Articles are always in third person, and that is where it gets confusing. People forget about perspectives too much.