A New Way for Gay Characters in Y.A.

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Y.A. literature can be depended on as a key reflector of what teens are thinking and doing—so how well is Y.A. doing at reflecting the current state of teen culture with regard to LGBT issues, and how far need we still go? I talked editors and writers and book lovers to get their thoughts on the current state of LGBT characters in young adult fiction.

Suddenly, it seems like gay characters are everywhere in Y.A. literature. Or, if not everywhere, certainly in far more places and in a greater variety than ever before. Perhaps the most eye-catching recent example, which preceded , is —and its cover with, yes, two boys kissing. But beyond the covers, plots involving LGBT characters are twisting and turning and emerging anew from the traditional coming-out story of years past. In last year's , by Marisa Calin, for instance, a girl develops feelings for her female teacher at the same time that she works through feelings for her best friend, who is referred to as “you” throughout, lending gender-ambiguity to the story. Or take upcoming novel which features Rafe Goldberg, who's