Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-37611621-20190908185441/@comment-38091275-20191026141103

216.193.154.195 wrote: Charlotte O CATS KOTLC wrote: “^ I agree. It is always nice to see somebody like you in a book. And what I'm saying doesn't just have to do with LGBTQ+ representation. It applies to racial diversity too. She probably only added Asian-based characters (Tam and Linh) after realizing that all her main characters were white, and had Wylie play a bigger role later on because he was African-based.

And plus whenever the characters go to the forbidden cities they only go to Europe or the US.

Here's another way of looking at it: She says that elves are naturally more beautiful than humans. But by having a majority of straight Caucasian-based characters, she's indirectly implying that this sector of the population is better than the rest. Now this may not necessarily be the case but it's still pretty downgrading to people who aren't straight or of Caucasian descent.

I hope I worded that well. If I didn't please tell me and I'll edit it.”

I completely agree with you. These threads are centered on discussion for LGBTQ+ representation, but racial marginalized communities are just the same and neeeeeeed this recognition and representation.

As a result of living in a western society, SM is probably just most comfortable in writing this way. Although America is diverse, majority of our population are White or Straight. She has few ways to pull from other people’s experiences. Also, by clarifying there is no racism in the Elvin world, no messages are being sent on who is pretty or not. As a beginning writer, that is the way she wanted to create her characters. Even as a racial minority, I am okay with this. She can build her world anyway she wants because she is the author. Even though elves are very similar to humans, she doesn’t have to make it fully representative because she is the author. If she proclaimed that all elves were straight, that is just how she wants her world to be. It is also a two way street. If she makes elves straight or with many sexualities, she will receive criticism either way. Also, it is way too late to establish these things in main characters. Although I see all this theorizing about these characters being LGBTQ+, unfortunately, it is very unlikely. Almost all the main characters have shown signs of being straight,especially Sophie, the books being in her point of view.

I understand that she has a limited point of view living as a white person in the US, but she could at least try. And though there is no racism in the Lost Cities, there is a lot from the author. All elves are "pretty", 90% are white. The gnomes, THE ELVES' SLAVES, are dark-skinned. Even if she wants her world to be a certain way, it won't in any way reflect real life. Also, "the main characters have shown signs of being straight"? we have no idea what's in their heads, and just showing heteroromantic feelings doesn't mean there isn't a chance that a character isn't bi/pan/omni/abro/something else.