--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In general there should be gay characters…" description: "\"“In general there should be gay characters in YA because a) surprise, there are gay folks everywhere and b) in my opinion as a father, there’s not a da..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/john-scalzi-2071_characters_in-general-there-should-be-gay-character_2310862.jpg" --- # In general there should be gay characters in YA because a)… ![“In general there should be gay characters in YA because a) surprise, there are gay folks everywhere and b) in my opinion as a father, there’s not a damn thing wrong with my child encountering gay folks in her literature, because see point a).” quote by John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/john-scalzi-2071_characters_in-general-there-should-be-gay-character_2310862.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/john-scalzi-2071_characters_in-general-there-should-be-gay-character_2310862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/john-scalzi-2071_characters_in-general-there-should-be-gay-character_2310862.jpg) > ““In general there should be gay characters in YA because a) surprise, there are gay folks everywhere and b) in my opinion as a father, there’s not a damn thing wrong with my child encountering gay folks in her literature, because see point a).”” [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that gay characters should be included in young adult literature because they reflect reality and pose no harm to readers. **In simple terms:** Gay characters belong in YA books; they’re normal and harmless. Key Takeaway Include diverse characters to reflect real life. Themes inclusion representation diversity parental perspective Mood thoughtful supportive progressive Type advice social commentary parental insight When to use this quote - school libraries - classroom reading lists - parental book selection - author guidelines - publisher policies Key Concepts LGBTQ+ visibility social acceptance literary realism Questions to Reflect On - How does representation affect a teen’s sense of belonging? - What responsibilities do authors have when portraying marginalized groups? A Different Perspective Some may argue that explicit representation could clash with certain cultural or religious values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Glbt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glbt/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Raising kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raising-kids/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Gay folks go to church. We pray to the Lord too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-freedia/gay-folks-go-to-church-we-pray-to-the-lord-too/) [Big Freedia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-freedia/) > [Now, it's weird not to have gay characters on a show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mullally/now-it-s-weird-not-to-have-gay-characters-on-a-show/) [Megan Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mullally/) > [I feel like, for so many years in the industry, LGBT-identifying actors were told to play small or water themselves down or 'butch it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-bowyer-chapman/i-feel-like-for-so-many-years-in-the-industry-lgbt-identifying-actors/) [Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-bowyer-chapman/) > [For a long time we have just seen caricatures of gay characters. 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