"Just as an example, let's say I write a zombie story, as is my wont. There are five couples in there, four straight, one gay. Zombies eat four of the couples, but one survives to fight another day. And the surviving couple is a boy and a girl. I might argue that the gay couple was treated exactly the same as the straight couples. Four out of five didn't make it out, so they were just in the unlucky 80%.
Whereupon someone might argue that 100% of the gay characters got eaten by zombies.
Who's right? Well, both and neither, that's what I personally think. And far from censoring ourselves or saying screw political correctness, I think what we have to do is question our assumptions first. How come only one couple has to survive? How come only one couple is gay?"
Why would any couples have to survive?
As for me, I resolve this problem by not mentioning any sexual orientation unless it's essential to the story. Was there a reason for any of the couples to be gay, except to fill the PC quota? No? Then why bother? If I need couples, and I want to kill four out of five, I make them all straight. Why? Simply so nobody can claim that "Oh woez, he killed the gay couple! Bigot!"
Well, actually, yes. But I'm an equal opportunity bigot: I hate everyone. I avoid such things not because I'm a homophobe, but simply because I don't want to bother having to justify my creative decisions to anyone. If I don't have a gay couple that gets eaten by zombies, and anyone complains, I'll just tell them what I just wrote here, and as far as I'm concerned I'm done with the matter.
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Date: 2008-12-16 09:00 am (UTC)Whereupon someone might argue that 100% of the gay characters got eaten by zombies.
Who's right? Well, both and neither, that's what I personally think. And far from censoring ourselves or saying screw political correctness, I think what we have to do is question our assumptions first. How come only one couple has to survive? How come only one couple is gay?"
Why would any couples have to survive?
As for me, I resolve this problem by not mentioning any sexual orientation unless it's essential to the story. Was there a reason for any of the couples to be gay, except to fill the PC quota? No? Then why bother? If I need couples, and I want to kill four out of five, I make them all straight. Why? Simply so nobody can claim that "Oh woez, he killed the gay couple! Bigot!"
Well, actually, yes. But I'm an equal opportunity bigot: I hate everyone. I avoid such things not because I'm a homophobe, but simply because I don't want to bother having to justify my creative decisions to anyone. If I don't have a gay couple that gets eaten by zombies, and anyone complains, I'll just tell them what I just wrote here, and as far as I'm concerned I'm done with the matter.