Many people in the world today think it is inappropriate for writers to create certain types of characters, simply because they are offensive.
For Example: The Flamboyant Gay Tailor.
He/She makes us laugh, smile, and generally breaks up any tension that may have formed during our reading/viewing experience. However, there are those that consider the creation of such a character to be offensive. Why, you ask?
Common answers are usually centered around the belief that homosexuals are like African Americans, and thus the gay tailor should not be portrayed as such, because their "lifestyle, culture and people are not a toy for your creative process, or for the benefit of making a buck off of their culture."
I was once told that because I create such characters in my works occasionally, I am a bigot. I never once advocated hatred of homosexuals in my works, nor do I ever. If I create a homosexual, it is either because I intended the character to be homosexual, or because they were an appropriate foil to the otherwise grim realities of the story.
Basically: I make the stereotypical gay male as a way to ease the tension.
On the other hand, when I create a character who is homosexual in a serious work, they are portrayed with logical, normal human emotions.
Why, then, is this so offensive? Because, despite my open-minded approach to life, my views do not line up with what most "open minded" folks consider to be "right."
Perception is reality, and I perceive, conceive, and portray according to how I want my books to be, not in a way that limits my creativity for fear of upsetting the apple cart.
To you who wish to make great works, remember this lesson:
Nothing is Sacred. Nothing is Taboo. Nothing is bad for your writing but bad spelling, grammar, and fearing to test to boundaries of human thought.
All My Love,
Timothy Bryan Keen
