When I should be sleeping....

[pica_scribit]

Ugh. Got off work this morning at 6:00 completely exhausted. Home and to bed by 7:00 with pleasant classical radio playing softly. And then awake again for no particular reason around 11:15. I need to sleep more. I have a sort-of date this evening, and I have to go to work after, so more than four hours of sleep would be nice. *sigh

Comments

[jademg]

an interesting story with a fun and diverse cast, which also promotes socially-aware, life-affirming messages

sounds like something everyone should read! :)

[pica_scribit]

It would be nice to have someone read it someday!

[brighty18]

Being you, you can totally write that!

[pica_scribit]

Being me, I'll keep getting distracted and maybe never get around to writing it....

[ardentlyburning]

I would definitely love to read an original novel written by you!

But, you said that there will be no asexual characters? That's a shame, I identify as asexual myself, and there are most definitely not enough asexual characters in YA novels or novels, period.

[pica_scribit]

I meant no offence. I just think it's annoying in fiction when characters (usually women) who are heavier or who aren't conventionally attractive are almost always treated as if they don't have sexual desires or romantic feelings, or such desires in them are portrayed as ridiculous. I'm sure you know the kind of thing I'm talking about. "Oh, ha ha! The fat girl wants sex, and the guy looks terrified!"

[ardentlyburning]

Oh, I figured you didn't mean any offense, and after rereading the sentence a few times, your meaning is a little clearer.

And I've definitely seen women who aren't conventionally attractive in media (and who usually serve primarily as comic relief) be treated as if they can't pursue sexual relationships. That's definitely a problem.

I'm just a little tired of the lack of asexual presence in the media, and of being treated as if people like me either don't exist or are too boring to be characters in anything. You mention slut-shaming, and while that's an issue, there is, paradoxically, something of a double standard existing where women are shamed for being virgins at the same time.

That's how I misread "they will not be asexual" the first time, as a statement about ALL of your characters and not just applying to "people who are not thin and conventionally attractive."

Glad to see that it was a misreading and I was mistaken.

[pica_scribit]

I think asexuality might be hard to portray in a story that isn't about that. It's easy to see why asexuality is such an "invisible" identity in the media (and probably in life). There are characters in fiction all the time who don't talk about or express sexual thought because it doesn't enter into the scope of the story, but I understand that's not the same as having explicitly asexual characters. I would think that to portray the identity in any useful way, it would have to be a main character, and probably a protagonist.

You mention slut-shaming, and while that's an issue, there is, paradoxically, something of a double standard existing where women are shamed for being virgins at the same time.

Women just can't win no matter what they choose to do with their bodies. If our culture had a face, I'd punch it.