Because not only was Albertalli writing queer stories-she was actively profiting off them, and existing as a major face of LGBTQ+ YA literature.ĭoes it matter who writes queer stories? Media outlets and audiences alike asked. Which, in the realm of LGBTQ+ representation, presented a potential for problematic and harmful behavior. You see, at face value, Becky Albertalli presented as a cishet white woman. Because LGBTQ+ readers had long felt shut out of mainstream YA, and with the popularity of Simon, there finally came an opportunity for their voices to be heard and celebrated.īut with this success came scrutiny, leveled mainly at Albertalli’s perceived ability (and henceforth, permission) to write these particular narratives. These stories filled a void that had been steeping within YA literature for a long time, and undoubtedly paved the way for new authors, new stories, and new perspectives to be told and celebrated within the community and industry alike. Following that were Albertalli’s subsequent books Leah on the Offbeat and What If It’s Us (cowritten with Adam Silvera). The blockbuster theatrical release of the movie adaptation, Love, Simon, in 2018 only cemented that momentum, being that it was the first gay teen film to be produced by a major film studio. The Homo Sapiens Agenda was published in 2015, it was an instant sensation, ushering in a new era of LGBTQ+ representation that allowed many readers to see themselves centered in beautiful, well-dimensioned queer stories for the first time. From the moment her debut novel Simon vs. Becky Albertalli has been a celebrated name in YA (Young Adult fiction) for years.
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