Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Humanities
First Advisor
Wallace, Miriam
Area of Concentration
English
Abstract
This thesis addresses the erasure of bisexuals in LGBTQ+ young adult literature, in particular through the “coming-out, coming-of-age” narrative which previously favored gay and lesbian characters or themes, and has only recently begun to focus more on bisexuals. Bisexual erasure is argued to stem from a concept known as the gay-straight binary, a system which alienates or mislabels individuals through the idea that a person is "gay” or “straight” unless explicitly-labeled otherwise. I look at several contemporary young adult novels that focus on explicitly-labeled bisexual characters to discuss how they go against both the gay-straight binary and negative representations of bisexuality. I conclude that bisexual YA novels are works of bisexual activism, as well as a resource for bisexual and questioning readers, and that there needs to be more bisexual-focused YA novels published for the sake of bisexual visibility.
Recommended Citation
Lord, Asia, "BREAKING THE GAY-STRAIGHT BINARY THROUGH THE BISEXUAL EXPERIENCE IN YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE" (2020). Theses & ETDs. 5964.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/5964