I've finally decided what to write.
In light of the recent murder of Black trans woman Penny Proud, the fact that it's Black History Month, and the fact that Black and trans women are systemically dehumanized and demeaned as well as disproportionately raped and murdered, I've decided to write a feminist YA fantasy fanfiction celebrating and affirming the beauty and diversity of Black women, trans women, and women who are both. How, you ask?
Isabelle Lorde.
Belle, along with several other queer women and women of color (and nonbinary people of color), is a main character in this fanfiction. She's the reincarnation of the Greek goddess of beauty, love, and sexuality, Aphrodite. She's also a dark-skinned Black Haitian trans woman, the behaviorist for her team of monster fighters and assorted supernatural badasses, and generally awesome.
And, of course, the story is going to contain a lot of discussion about Black women (I've asked a lot of questions to make sure I'm doing this respectfully, but if you see something problematic or disrespectful, let me know) and queer women in real life, because real life Black women, queer women, and Black queer women are awesome and deserve to be celebrated and written about.
I doubt I'll finish by the end of February, but I will finish.
I love writing about women and nonbinary people, especially those of color. Marginalized people are awesome and our stories - their stories, right now, because I'm white and Black people deserve to take center stage this month - and struggles deserve to be told, especially in fantasy. Because white cishet men aren't the only ones who can be badass.
In light of the recent murder of Black trans woman Penny Proud, the fact that it's Black History Month, and the fact that Black and trans women are systemically dehumanized and demeaned as well as disproportionately raped and murdered, I've decided to write a feminist YA fantasy fanfiction celebrating and affirming the beauty and diversity of Black women, trans women, and women who are both. How, you ask?
Isabelle Lorde.
Belle, along with several other queer women and women of color (and nonbinary people of color), is a main character in this fanfiction. She's the reincarnation of the Greek goddess of beauty, love, and sexuality, Aphrodite. She's also a dark-skinned Black Haitian trans woman, the behaviorist for her team of monster fighters and assorted supernatural badasses, and generally awesome.
And, of course, the story is going to contain a lot of discussion about Black women (I've asked a lot of questions to make sure I'm doing this respectfully, but if you see something problematic or disrespectful, let me know) and queer women in real life, because real life Black women, queer women, and Black queer women are awesome and deserve to be celebrated and written about.
I doubt I'll finish by the end of February, but I will finish.
I love writing about women and nonbinary people, especially those of color. Marginalized people are awesome and our stories - their stories, right now, because I'm white and Black people deserve to take center stage this month - and struggles deserve to be told, especially in fantasy. Because white cishet men aren't the only ones who can be badass.
