Malinda Lo

This is the second of three interviews with authors I talked to for an AfterEllen.com article on lesbian/bi characters in YA fiction. This week I’m posting my complete interview with Mayra Lazara Dole, author of Down to the Bone, about a Latina teen in Miami who is kicked out of school (and her home) when she is outed as a lesbian.

Malinda Lo: Your novel Down to the Bone is the only YA novel I’ve read about a Latina lesbian teen really is deeply embedded in her culture.

Mayra Lazara Dole: My book has true sexy Latina flavor because I was born in Havana and raised in hot Miami’s Cuban-American community. I’m an authentic Latina lesbian writing from real experiences.

ML: I’m surprised that it’s taken so long for a Latina lesbian teen to show up in YA fiction, because there’s such a powerful history of Chicana and Latina writing in this country, e.g. Gloria Anzaldua, Cherrie Moraga, etc. Why do you think it’s taken so long for Latina lesbian teens to get a book of their own?

MLD: Chicanas are the most “out” lesbians in the United States and they write like fiends, thus I’m surprised they haven’t written millions of lesbian YA novels! Latina lesbians, although many are starting to come out, are usually closeted, marry men, and have affairs with women on the side, or, they come out when much older. Many educated Latinas go on to get Ph.D.’s or become lawyers, doctors, pilots, academics, businesswomen, etc. Some Latinas, regardless of how brilliant, aren’t interested in reading or writing.

In most cases, Hispanic lesbians would rather tattoo their eyeballs than write YA lesbian books that expose them! We need hot, brilliant, lesbian role models. The more juicy and respected out Latina lesbians we see in the media, the easier it’ll be for us to become mainstream and less fearful of writing lesbo lit.

ML: When reading Down to the Bone I was struck by the fact that coming out had so many awful consequences for Laura, the main character. In most LGBT YA fiction I’ve read lately, coming out is much easier—nobody’s being kicked out of their houses. Do you think that coming out for Cuban American and/or Latina teens is more difficult?

MLD: Coming out for some Latina or black lesbian teens can be as soothing as getting run over by a Mack truck! Young adults usually have a blast, but some deal with issues of self-esteem and self-acceptance, along with intellectual expansion, new ideas, questioning of belief systems and of our parents’ and societies expectations of us.

Coming out as a young teen in Hispanic cultures is HUGE for most of us and takes tremendous courage to fight against rigid traditions that date back to biblical times. Catholicism and Christianity play a major role in Latino homophobia. If the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene had been lesbos (who knows, maybe they were closeted), we’d have powerful role models and Latinas everywhere would be coming out in droves! Unfortunately, the Bible condemns homos, and many Latinas never question it—BTW, I’m not religious and respect all religions and nonbelievers.

ML: You’ve said that you have a focus group of LGBT teens that you consult. Can you tell us more about that?

MLD: I had a group of closeted and out Latina/o and black LGBTs, ages 18-21, who trusted and opened up to me. I feel privileged to have heard their stories. Two had been kicked out of Catholic school, four out of their homes, and three were living with gay friends because their parents wouldn’t accept their lovers. None of their parents want to speak to them again. There are 1.6 million homeless LGBT teens and youth in the U.S.—most are Latinas/os and black.

ML: When you came out, you went through some tough times. What kind of advice would you give to teens who are coming out these days, especially those coming out in Latino communities?

MLD: First, I’d never advice anyone under eighteen. Instead, I’d direct them to LGBT programs such as GLSEN, the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Pridelines Youth Services, Nineline, PFLAG, GLBT National Help Center, and Harvey Milk’s LGBT school for immediate help.

I’d ask eighteen-and-up teens to consider coming out when they’ve got a strong support system, feel loved and emotionally stable, and have a safety net that will catch them if they fall hard. I’d ask them to get books on legal rights for LGBT teens. If their parents are right-wing religious conservatives who believe every word the Bible states, I’d ask the teens to read the Bible and consider an honest conversation with parents, asking questions such as, “Do you think it was right for Lot to offer his daughters to get raped? Do unicorns exist? Why would it be OK to own slaves and stone people to death?” And finally, I’d have them search online and look into every LGBT support group available.

ML: Tazer, one of the characters in Down to the Bone, is quite unique and might be the only boi I’ve read about in YA fiction. What kinds of reactions have you gotten to his character?

MLD: Surprisingly, almost everyone who’s ever written to me about Down to the Bone has fallen madly in love with Tazer. I had no idea he’d have such a huge impact in people’s lives. I’ve been asked over and over again to write a book on Tazer. One day!

ML: In Down to the Bone, Laura has sex with her girlfriend, but the actual sex was portrayed without too much detail. Do you feel that there’s any particular way that sex — particularly LGBT sex — should be handled in YA fiction? Did your publisher give you any guidelines on this when you were working on Down to the Bone, for instance?

MLD: My agent and editor informed me that adults, as well as advanced readers, ages 10 and up, read YA books, thus I was asked to tone down the juicy Latina love/sex scenes in Down to the Bone. After thinking about it, I did. I can’t speak for other authors, but I think that LGBT sex in YA fiction should be handled responsibly. In other words, I will bend while working with editors. Normally, when a young adult manuscript has explicit sex, it automatically crosses over to an adult label.

Sex in YA books is a touchy subject for mainstream publishers. Nominated and award-winning teen YA books end up in important reading lists for high schools. Teachers and librarians purchase these books for schools and libraries and I’m sure most won’t recommend YA books with explicit sex.

ML: Have you read any LGBT YA fiction lately that you would recommend?

MLD: Yes. Freak Show by James St. James, The Last Exit to Normal by Michael Harmon, Project Sweet Life by Brent Hartinger, and The God Box by Alex Sanchez.

ML: What writing by Latina writers, lesbian or not, would you recommend to LGBT teens?

MLD: I can recommend loads of Latina writers, but they write adult books (not for teens). I’m afraid I haven’t found a single Latina lesbian YA author (there are a handful of straight YA authors with Spanish last names that I plan on reading after I devour as many lesbo books I can get my hands on!).

ML: I think that Down to the Bone really filled a gap in LGBT YA fiction with its Cuban-American cultural background. What other gaps do you think need to be filled? What stories do you think really need to be told?

MLD: I strongly feel we need Asian American, Native American, and African American YA lesbian authors to tell their stories. LGBT teens of color have a powerful need for books of their own culture that speak directly to them. Another gap that needs to be filled is in the novel I just finished, but shhh … it’s top secret!

ML: Can you tell me anything at all about your next YA novel? Do you know when it will be published?

MLD: My next novel is 100 percent different from Down to the Bone. In Down to the Bone, all my characters are out except Marlena, Laura’s lover. Laura is confused about her sexuality and doesn’t know if she’s straight, bi, or lesbian (she’s kind of bisexual) until she realizes the strength and power in being an out lesbian/tortillera. In my next book, my characters are all out and of a different class. It’s replete with sensual, intelligent, lesbians and bi’s, and a secret character that’s never been exposed in YA lit. My agent just retired and has moved to Atlanta and I’m just about to start my search for a new agent. I hope to be published soon!

Addendum: After I posted the complete text of my interview with Ellen Wittlinger last week, Mayra contacted me with a follow-up comment. Here it is:

MD: In Wittlinger’s interview, you wonder if it’s the editors or authors who allow coming out books. In my case—and in my first draft written eight years ago—Laura was a closeted, questioning bi. At that time, no one knew what a “tranniboy” was, especially not in Latino cultures. Four years ago, I found an agent interested in Down to the Bone. She and my editor said my story was too racy/edgy for younger teens, thus, in my first revision, I was asked to bring Laura’s older voice down to a sixteen-year-old’s. Also, my teen focus group felt that the tension would be far more dramatic if Laura was first closeted, then came out.

After reading the hundreds of emails sent to me by Latina/o, African-American, and closeted teens of color (many who’ve been kicked out of the house by parents and thought about suicide), I strongly believe that every culture should have their own questioning and coming-out story for their struggling LGBTQ youths.

It saddens me when academics and educated Anglos dismiss new questioning and coming-out stories about other cultures. I’d ask them to please look at the bigger picture and understand that certain groups/classes in some cultures aren’t there yet (especially the uneducated, underprivileged, and the religious right). It brings me joy that Down to the Bone connects with readers who’ve felt left out of the literary world. They express feeling “supported” and being “orgullosa/o” to finally have a book, and an author, who speaks to them. I’m proud of my “questioning” book and I can now move on.

Portions of this interview originally appeared in slightly different form in the article “Young Adult Books Move Beyond the Coming-Out Story, But Still Face Hurdles.” For more on Mayra Lazara Dole, visit her website.