Bottom line: sex is dealt with in a wide variety of ways in YA novels. I’ve also read plenty with no sex at all, and some with merely hand-holding and kissing. I’ve read many YA books with steamy sex scenes. For a 17-year old, sex cannot be ignored! They stated, rightly so, that even if Chloe doesn’t choose to have sex, sexuality would be palpable all around her - sexual tension, sexual harassment, curiosity about sex, a friend having sex, or pressure to have sex. Because of this, my classmates and teacher Michelle pointed out, the book felt more Middle Grade than Young Adult. She is living in an unrealistic, sex-less parallel universe. When she meets not one, but two, guys her passions barely stir. Chloe’s experience traveling alone in a Latin American country is easy and hassle-free. It’s true I shied away from my 17-year old protagonist Chloe thinking more than “he’s cute” and sharing an innocent kiss during her first romantic adventure. Among the critiques I received on the first draft of my YA novel was that I had avoided the subject altogether. There’s a lot of discussion online about sex in YA novels: too much of, not enough of, inappropriateness of, negative consequences of, condoning of, etc.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |