Unraveled discussion

Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon did not make any gay elf characters, so I really don't see what the problem is. Also when Keefe is like "yeah, it's cool", I mean... he would say that, because he admires how humans and the human world differ from the elves and elf world. Not to mention, what's he supposed to say? "That's weird and horrifying"??? Shannon would get lit on fire even more than she is being already. I am a devoted Christian, and I see nothing wrong with not sticking one's head in the sand and censoring the reality of the way the (human) world is today. I mean, there's a Taylor Swift reference in there, because it's 2024, and yet people want Shannon to pretend like LGBTQ people don't exist and Keefe would never meet one.

Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon did not make any gay elf characters, so I really..."

maybe bc its not just the human world? i dunno, i havent read it yet, so i cant really judge. but that still take a point off. i cant stand books like that. even if theyre small mentions. not my choice though. im just rambling ig. my opinion wont change anything.

Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon did not make any gay elf characters, so I really..."

As a Christian, wouldn’t you want your choice of literature to reflect your Christian values? It is also very dishonest of the author to write this into the series 9.5 books in, thinking that she can get away with slipping it in, but people have noticed it straight away and are speaking up about it. She also used to say that she would never write about any lgbt lifestyles since she did not believe it belonged in her book, and now she has turned against her word. You might not think it’s that big of a deal, but lying to your readers and trying to use your influence to push and check off political boxes is a pretty big deal to most Christians and conservative families who care about what they and their families read. She may “get lit on fire” as you say either way, but she should have done what was right and kept her books the same.

As someone who does not support LGBTQ+ and is Muslim this extremely bothers me since its a children's book. She has also said before that she will not at LGBTQ+ characters to her books and now that shes adding them makes me sad cause authors should not be lying to their readers. I also think though that Shannon was pressured into doing this by some people and its not fair to her that she had to do just to make some people happy she should have left her books the way they were. She definitely wasn't adding LGBTQ+ for a reason (she's a mom herself) and now that she added it I'm glad people are speaking up and saying that it is not right for a children's book, even if the mentions are small.

I am also very disappointed in the addition of the LGBTQ + sellout mentions.
I agree that the target audience is too young to have this shoved down their throats. Shannon has done a marvelous job using all her various characters to navigate ALL the human condition issues tweens and teens deal with. They all feel insecure, unsure, doubt , and question. those are normal growing processes. One does not need to identify as LGBTQ+ to experience those issues.
Our culture, our influencers, our media, the agents, Hollywood, and sports people need to stop feeding the beast of supporting every oddity within human behavior.
I will no longer be supporting Shannon Messenger if she continues to change her content and be so inclusive. Shannon you may want to look at J.K. Rowling and the success she has had standing up to the transgender issues. You don’t have to sell out to b be successful! Just be yourself and write your books the way you started this series! You are one of the BEST authors I have ever read! The way you started the series is what has made you successful.

Honestly it seems pretty hypocritical to be so entirely focused on those two brief mentions when pretty much the entirety of the fanbase is hardcore sokeefe ships. :) idk how shipping CHILDREN is so much better than a few sentences that can be easily overlooked or skipped past. (and my two cents on the issue is that those few sentences will mean a lot more to kids feeling validated than those angry about the representation.)

Allyson wrote: "Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon did not make an..."

Well maybe I’m a Christian who has struggled with same-sex attraction, and am choosing to not live that lifestyle. However, it is not for me or you or anyone to judge another’s personal choices. That’s God’s job. We get to heaven by loving others and focusing on our own holiness, not by criticizing others and pointing out their sins. I think that realism is an extremely important aspect of YA fiction, and the truth is that there are gay people out there, whether or not you agree with it based on your religious principles. I agree that it might be unfortunate that she went back on her word, but it sounds like maybe people like yourself were propping her up as this conservative Christian ultimatum, and maybe she didn’t want to continue feeding into that. If you don’t want your kids to live that kind of lifestyle, then don’t shelter them. Instead, educate them on the importance of God’s love for them, which leads them to follow the exact plan He has for their life. If you believe that no Christian is called to that kind of lifestyle, than instill a sense of dependency on God, not a dependency on judging other to make you feel holier (because it doesn’t make you holier.) I’m not going to tell you how to raise you kids, that’s your choice, but I know some people who are extremely sheltered from things like LGBTQ and other secular “ideals” or “agendas” if you will, and when they grow up and go out into the world, they are going to struggle and be totally unprepared when they meet people who are not like them. Okay not all of that response was directed at you specifically, I just started writing and I had to finish my thoughts. I understand that people are frustrated, but if you’re really looking to get upset about gay characters in books, walk into any secular book store (like Barnes and nobles, etc.) and at LEAST 50% of the books are about gay characters or include them in some way.

Allyson wrote: "Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon did not make an..."

It's just a mention. Nowadays people can't go anywhere without hearing about this stuff anyways. Not saying I support it, but this is the world we live in; I'm not going to let to sentences ruin a great series.

Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Allyson wrote: "Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon..."

I definitely agree about the 50% of bookstores now being filled with lgbtq agenda. Maybe that’s why Christians who are interested in writing and telling stories should pursue that because they can make a difference and create better stories for those who can’t find appropriate books in places like Barnes and Noble.
Responding to your claim on judgement, the Bible certainly does call out things like hypocritical judgment, but the Bible clearly encourages righteous judgment. I can still love a book series, but that doesn’t mean I can just accept the sin that’s in it (and sin that is portrayed positively), and act like it’s normal, because it’s not and it shouldn’t be. We know what God’s word says, and we know He has said that pursuing homosexuality and approving of it goes against His commands. If we don’t asses sin that some people are going through, how are we supposed to help them get to Heaven if we are okay with watching them live a sinful lifestyle? We get to Heaven by obeying God’s word and following Him.

as a bi KOTLC fan I did not like the depiction of the lgbtqia+ community within this novel. It felt forced. I think there is lots of room for conversation surrounding the topic in these books because of the whole match making system but the way it was done here did not sit well with me. I hate when authors toss in lgbtqia+ characters just for the sake of being trendy and virtue signaling and that is the way this read to me. It didn't ruin the book, but it did make me feel disappointed. I hope if we get more representation in the future, it will be handled tactfully.

Allyson wrote: "Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon did not make an..."

But what if my christian values are different than yours I am a affirming christian and give 100% of my support to the lgbtq community

Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon did not make any gay elf characters, so I really..."

Thank you I completely agree

Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Allyson wrote: "Madeleine Sofia Germaine wrote: "Why are people getting so upset about two mentions of gay characters? It is unrealistic to pretend that this is uncommon in the human world. Shannon..."

Madeleine, you should be yourself love who you want to love I respect your current position but I believe that God accepts us for who we are no matter what that entails

Alina wrote: "As someone who does not support LGBTQ+ and is Muslim this extremely bothers me since its a children's book. She has also said before that she will not at LGBTQ+ characters to her books and now that..."

How is 3-4 lines in a book shoving it down your throat? genuine question.

Rebecca wrote: "I am also very disappointed in the addition of the LGBTQ + sellout mentions.
I agree that the target audience is too young to have this shoved down their throats. Shannon has done a marvelous job ..."

I agree that this book is for young readers, but these things are visible in many books and shows for children as well. And anyway there is just 1 paragraph that talks about LGBTQ+ content, its pretty easy to skip. Plus kids should know about these kind of things, and as a teen myself I didn't even notice the LGBTQ+ mentions

They made it worse with the LGBTQ addition to it...

As an LGBTQ+ person with this having been my favorite book series for years and has been there in very important parts of my life, having even two small mentions made me very happy. It was only mentioned for a small amount of the book, so it didn't ruin ANYTHING. I think it was a realistic addition.