Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34566
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

[Depending on how you ask](https://daliaresearch.com/counting-the-lgbt-population-6-of-europeans-identify-as-lgbt/), between one and ten percent of the population of Europe and about [five percent of the US population identify as LGBT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_demographics_of_the_United_States). [About two thirds](https://www.hrc.org/youth-report/view-and-share-statistics) of them come out beyond their family. Despite the fact that only a few percent of the American population are opently LGBT, [Americans think](http://news.gallup.com/poll/183383/americans-greatly-overestimate-percent-gay-lesbian.aspx) that about a quarter of the population are lesbian or gay and two thirds of the population find being homosexual morally acceptable. The number of LGBT characters in the media (e.g. [4.8% on tv](https://www.glaad.org/whereweareontv16)) roughly equals their actual percentage in the population, that is, their numbers are currently represented fairly.

While [nine in ten Americans](http://www.pewforum.org/2016/09/28/5-vast-majority-of-americans-know-someone-who-is-gay-fewer-know-someone-who-is-transgender/) know someone who is gay or lesbian, [one third of the American population](https://www.statista.com/statistics/219360/acceptance-of-homosexuality-in-selected-countries/) still believe that homosexuality is unacceptable. I don't have numbers for how many readers will think this way, but I believe it is fair to assume that for a not unsignificant number any LGBT character will appear to be "inserted" into a book (or other media) for political reasons.

And maybe that assumption is not completely false. Agents are actively seeking books with LGBT and other minority characters (see for example the interviews with agents at [Kirkus Reviews Pro Connect](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/proconnect/word-on-the-street/)). Some will call that "political correctness", others will think of it as a necessary correction in misrepresenting reality. However that may be, it is certainly a conscious effort (on the part of the publishing industry), and you as a writer cannot really avoid being viewed in this historic context.

What you can do, though, is twofold:

1. If the sexual orientation of a character is irrelevant to the story, don't mention it.

2. Write engaging characters.

But in the end, acceptance of your characters will mostly depend on _how you market your book_ and _who you market it to_.

Original score: 52