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Path: utzoo!watmath!jagardner
From: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Newsgroups: net.books,net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Should book ads disclose sexual slant?
Message-ID: <740@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 9-Jan-86 10:05:34 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.740
Posted: Thu Jan  9 10:05:34 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Jan-86 00:43:01 EST
Reply-To: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 30
Xref: watmath net.books:2739 net.sf-lovers:11824

[...]

In all the discussion of "Stars In My Pocket Like Grains Of Sand",
no one seems to have mentioned that one of the book's major themes
is the avoidance of sexual pigeon-holing.  This is demonstrated by
the pronoun convention that has been described in a previous article:
every sentient being is "she" and a "woman" regardless of gender...
except when one is sexually aroused, in which case the object of arousal
is "he" and a "man".

In this world, "homosexuality" and "heterosexuality" are defunct
words.  Gender is not directly related to desire.  The narrator
of the second part of the story muses at one point that he always
seems to be drawn towards males with ugly hands...and the "ugly
hands" part is more interesting to him than "males".  The people
of this world may remark upon the consistency of their tastes,
but they have no concept of sexual categorization.  You are not
"heterosexual" or "homosexual", even though you may find that the
individuals who appeal to you all happen to have the same gender.

You can argue all you want about whether this is a realistic attitude
or one that you would like to see adopted.  If you read the book, you
may find it boring or unappetizing.  You can also discuss general
policies for stating that a book has explicit sex scenes, gay or straight.
Given the nature of "Stars In My Pocket", however, I think a specific
warning like "This book is a homosexual love story" would be a gross
insult to a major premise of this particular novel.  It misses the
entire point.

			Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo