LGBT literature is an often overlooked influencer of opinion and attitudes. Even in an age when we communicate both frequently and instantaneously, the value and significance of a good book should not be underestimated. Literature often shapes who we are and how we perceive our place in the world. And for those of us who came out before the Internet, books were often one of the only tools we had to determine that we were not alone in this world. I can remember reading The Best Little Boy in the World and breathing a huge sigh of relief that there were others out there who felt as I did. Literature matters.
Patricia Nell Warren’s book The Front Runner is a seminal work of gay and lesbian literature. Published thirty five years ago, the book is an examination of sports and homosexuality that still provides much to think about in today’s far more complex world.
In the wake of last week's conversation about Michael Phelps, Matthew Mitcham and homophobia in sports, I was thrilled to be able to put a few questions about sports, literature and our community to Patricia Nell Warren. As you’ll see, Patricia has a lot to say not just about homophobia and sports, but about the state of LGBT literature.
[Patricia Nell Warren photo by Greg Zabilski, courtesy of the author]
Ben Finzel: You wrote The Front Runner in a vastly different era for gay and lesbian people. How much of what the characters experienced is still relevant today, more than 30 years later?
Patricia Nell Warren: In the world of sports, a notable shift of attitude has taken place with the Olympic Games. The IOC now doesn't object to openly LGBT athletes competing — there were 11 at Athens, and more than 11 (I'm not sure of the exact total) at Beijing. Recently the IOC changed its rules to allow transgendered athletes to compete, providing they meet certain parameters.
But on the U.S. national level, many of the old problems are still there — especially in team sports, where a closeted athlete can feel the combined homophobic pressures from teammates, coaches, athletic department heads, university presidents, team owners, corporate sponsors, sports bodies, right-wing sports media…and of course the fans.
Ben Finzel: Do think there is as much homophobia in sports as some of us might believe? How has literature and media coverage affected the situation?
Patricia Nell Warren: The level of homophobia varies from sport to sport. In equestrian sports, for example, the focus is on the horse, and the wealthy people who make these sports happen are able to shield and protect their own who happen to be LGBT, whether they're riders or owners or whoever. So there isn't very much open homophobia in horse racing, or show jumping, or dressage.
But when it comes to football, baseball, hockey, soccer, etc. the homophobia is very blatant. Often it is fueled by the missionizing that the religious right is doing in many sports right now. I'm sure that the right kind of literature and media coverage has helped a lot to loosen things up. Many homophobes — whether players or radio show-hosts or whoever — have learned that they can't necessarily get away with expressing naked hate any more. But we have a ways to go on this front. And unfortunately it's not possible to force people with negative attitudes to change them overnight.
Ben Finzel: With all of the progress we’ve made in other fields, why do you think we still don’t have an openly gay major sports league player? When will that change?
Patricia Nell Warren: The extreme pressures that I mentioned above are the biggest reason why. In pro sports, especially, they can be excruciating. For the most part, what we've seen is major players who come out after they retire. When I interviewed Jim Bouton (noted sports author, former New York Yankee pitcher and a staunch straight supporter of ours) on why this hadn't happened in MLB yet, he said that it was going to take a gay Jackie Robinson to make the breakthrough. Robinson was so talented that his team didn't dare keep him in the dugout. Only when he played did he make the breakthrough for blacks in baseball. In Bouton's opinion, it will take a gay player who is that talented. Once his team can't do without him, he can be open about his sexual orientation.
Ben Finzel: Literature has long been important as a means of showcasing the reality of our lives to society at large. Is it still as much of an influencer as it was in the past? What do you think the future holds for LGBT literature?
Patricia Nell Warren: Unfortunately I have to say that the influence of LGBT literature is waning somewhat for now. First of all, the publishing business — like the music business — has been deeply impacted by the recession. Music sales are down by 1/3, as everybody was admitting at the Grammys the other day…and I expect that the end-of-year 2008 figures for books will be similarly dismal.
In addition, most of the LGBT bookstores that existed in 1994, when Wildcat Press (my independent imprint) started up, have closed their doors. Our people still do buy books, but mostly online, with Amazon and others. But it's hard for them to find out what's new and exciting in LGBT books. Most of the gay media are not very interested in reviewing books or featuring authors any more. They would rather celebrate politicians and tabloid figures and film/TV stars.
Ad rates for our national publications are way too expensive for most LGBT publishers, meaning that the smaller presses can't even advertise to our own book-buying demographic. So these economic factors have to be looked at, because they are creating a situation where some LGBT authors who have important messages are going to find they can't publish or get into the shrinking marketplace. Not every writer can publish their own work by "print on demand" and market it well enough to create a bestseller.
A few literary people, including myself, have been talking about these looming problems for LGBT books for some years, but little has been done to address them. One thing is sure: there is no scarcity of talented young writers out there, with urgent messages and new creative approaches.
So…for the moment, the survival of LGBT books is going to depend largely on tending the fire of this new talent carefully, on guerrilla marketing on the Web, on the online booksellers…and on the support from LGBT websites and print media who DO care about the best in our fiction and nonfiction.
Ben Finzel: Patricia, thank you for your insight. I hope we’ll all reconsider the role of LGBT literature in gay and lesbian communications now and in the future. We must continue to promote the availability of smart, fascinating LGBT writing and remember the positive impact that has on all our lives.
If you’d like to know more about Patricia, visit the Web site for her publishing company or check out her blog posts on The Bilerico Project and The Huffington Post.
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