--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: YA heroines can have romances that are…" description: "\"“YA heroines can have romances that are subplots: can have goals other than getting/keeping a man: can put their lovers second. JUST LIKE YAheroes DO!”..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/celine-kiernan-33507_gender-equality_ya-heroines-can-have-romances-that-are-s_2345256.png" --- # YA heroines can have romances that are subplots: can have… ![“YA heroines can have romances that are subplots: can have goals other than getting/keeping a man: can put their lovers second. JUST LIKE YAheroes DO!” quote by Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/celine-kiernan-33507_gender-equality_ya-heroines-can-have-romances-that-are-s_2345256.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/celine-kiernan-33507_gender-equality_ya-heroines-can-have-romances-that-are-s_2345256.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/celine-kiernan-33507_gender-equality_ya-heroines-can-have-romances-that-are-s_2345256.png) > ““YA heroines can have romances that are subplots: can have goals other than getting/keeping a man: can put their lovers second. JUST LIKE YAheroes DO!”” [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Young adult heroines should have agency beyond romance, mirroring male protagonists **In simple terms:** YA heroes prioritize goals over love Key Takeaway Write characters with independent ambitions Themes gender literature agency Mood empowering progressive Type literary advocacy When to use this quote - novels - screenplays - young adult media Key Concepts character development stereotype subversion Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate romance without undermining agency? - What narratives best showcase independent heroines? A Different Perspective Balancing romance and agency can be challenging for market expectations ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gender equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-equality/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) ## Related quotes > [“It is possible for YA heroines to go an entire book without discussing their love lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/it-is-possible-for-ya-heroines-to-go-an-entire-book-without/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“‎YA heroines can choose to have sex & they can choose not to without either decision becoming the focus of their story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/ya-heroines-can-choose-to-have-sex-they-can-choose-not-to-without/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“A female character can: Like babies, Be devoted to her lover, Cry, Be gentle, Be scared, Be uncertain, Take advice, and still be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/a-female-character-can-like-babies-be-devoted-to-her-lover-cry-be/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) ## More by Celine Kiernan > [Ananna of Tanarau is a delightfully irascible heroine, inhabiting a fascinating and fresh new world that I would love to spend more time in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/ananna-of-tanarau-is-a-delightfully-irascible-heroine-inhabiting-a/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“It is possible for YA heroines to go an entire book without discussing their love lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/it-is-possible-for-ya-heroines-to-go-an-entire-book-without/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“(on teaching writing) So many writers come to class with one question dominant in their mind, 'How do I make a living from this?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/on-teaching-writing-so-many-writers-come-to-class-with-one-question/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“Interview on The Skiffy and Fanty Show 2010. In response to query that young adults may not be open to the nuances/realism in Moorehawke:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/interview-on-the-skiffy-and-fanty-show-2010-in-response-to-query-that/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“We were watching telly the night Nan burnt the house down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/we-were-watching-telly-the-night-nan-burnt-the-house-down/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [A YA heroine does not have to pick up a weapon nor wear men's clothing to be equal to her male counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/a-ya-heroine-does-not-have-to-pick-up-a-weapon-nor-wear-men-s/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“A female character can: Like babies, Be devoted to her lover, Cry, Be gentle, Be scared, Be uncertain, Take advice, and still be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/a-female-character-can-like-babies-be-devoted-to-her-lover-cry-be/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [So many writers come to class with one question dominant in their mind, 'How do I make a living from this?' It's a fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/so-many-writers-come-to-class-with-one-question-dominant-in-their/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“Write what is important to you, regardless of fashion or marketability or anything like that – all those things are so far out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/write-what-is-important-to-you-regardless-of-fashion-or-marketability/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“ Do you have an audience in mind when writing? (March 2010 Bookgeeks interview ) In terms of story, the only audience I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/do-you-have-an-audience-in-mind-when-writing-march-2010-bookgeeks/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“(CBI lecture, Dublin, 2008. Speaking on the challenges presented by The Moorehawke Trilogy to the YA reader) You can't choose any of these characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/cbi-lecture-dublin-2008-speaking-on-the-challenges-presented-by-the/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“ On the Hunger Games Fan Race fail and the portrayal of POC in fantasy literature : It is as if the POC in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/on-the-hunger-games-fan-race-fail-and-the-portrayal-of-poc-in-fantasy/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“ On the ghosts in Moorehawke & Into The Grey/Taken Away : The ghosts ...are symbolic of those unresolved moments in history that linger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/on-the-ghosts-in-moorehawke-into-the-grey-taken-away-the-ghosts-are/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [“‎YA heroines can choose to have sex & they can choose not to without either decision becoming the focus of their story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/ya-heroines-can-choose-to-have-sex-they-can-choose-not-to-without/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) [Explore all 15 Celine Kiernan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) ## More Gender equality quotes > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Sporting events like the Olympics have developed and maintained a clear message of promoting gender equality as an essential criterion in the success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-attias/sporting-events-like-the-olympics-have-developed-and-maintained-a/) [Richard Attias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-attias/) > [“The Vishaka judgment made it clear that gender equality and the right to a safe and secure working place is part of the fundamental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justice-asok-kumar-ganguly/the-vishaka-judgment-made-it-clear-that-gender-equality-and-the-right/) [Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justice-asok-kumar-ganguly/) > [“As the postwoman waited, she dreamed of all the things she liked….Tiny postal stamps with colourful pictures. Thick postcards with exotic fragrances. Brown envelopes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshini/as-the-postwoman-waited-she-dreamed-of-all-the-things-she-liked-tiny/) [Priyadarshini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshini/) > [“Shouting about gender equality once a year doesn't end the patriarchal and misogynistic stereotypes. We must live every day as women's day, only then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/shouting-about-gender-equality-once-a-year-doesn-t-end-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. 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We know that investments in gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-lovin/sweden-s-development-is-based-on-the-equal-rights-of-men-and-women-we/) [Isabella Lovin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-lovin/) > [Gender equality cannot be achieved by cutting programs that allow girls to get the same chance to compete, learn, and play. The United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sanchez/gender-equality-cannot-be-achieved-by-cutting-programs-that-allow/) [Linda Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sanchez/) > [BUT MY RECENT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN ME THAT FEMINISM HAS BECOME AN UNPOPULAR WORD. WOMEN ARE CHOOSING NOT TO IDENTIFY AS FEMINISTS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/but-my-recent-research-has-shown-me-that-feminism-has-become-an/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [“absolute equality not possible . what is possible ,we can honour the qualities in each person .that would reduce this gap”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/litymunshi/absolute-equality-not-possible-what-is-possible-we-can-honour-the/) litymunshi > [“Every time we mention Gender Equality, merit is usually thrown out of the window. 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This patchwork quilt was filled with memories and made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshini/grandmother-nila-wove-them-into-a-beautiful-patchwork-quilt-she-also/) [Priyadarshini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshini/) [Browse all 275 Gender equality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-equality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“YA heroines can have romances that are subplots: can have goals other than getting/keeping a man: can put their lovers second. 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