So I am working on a story and want one of my protags to be a somewhat flirtatious lesbian. The problem is, I've never written an LGBTQ+ character before. (not for lack of want, I'm just a new writer) what are some ways to write a character that's not stereotypical and stands out among her two male teammates?
Your character will stand out if she has a different personality - her entire character isn’t just her sexuality. You can make her stand out just by making her personality unique and interesting!
To answer the second part of your question, here are things to keep in mind:
1. Not all lesbians have a bad relationship with their fathers/brothers/other male relatives. That stereotype arises mostly from the idea that lesbians are lesbians because they hate men, were abused by men, etc. etc. This is definitely not the case, and being lesbian really has nothing to do with disliking men.
2. Lesbians are not lesbians because we’re “not pretty enough.“ Again, this arises from the idea that being lesbian has to do with men. A lot of us have heard the phrase “You’re too pretty to be a lesbian!” or “Of course you’re a lesbian, it’s not like you have a lot of options.” Firstly, all women are beautiful, irregardless of what society may drive us to believe. And secondly, being lesbian has nothing to do with beauty.
3. Not all lesbians are tomboyish/masculine. There are definitely masculine lesbians and butches (like me!) but there are definitely also more traditionally feminine lesbians, as well as femme lesbians. To go along with that…
4. Not all lesbians are femme or butch. While butch/femme culture is definitely something that is a part of our culture, not all lesbians choose to identify with one of those labels, and that’s cool too!
5. Lesbian relationships are not heteronormative, no matter what. There isn’t a ‘boy’ and a ‘girl’ in the relationship - there are two women. It doesn’t matter if you have a butch/femme couple, they are not heteronormative. Just be aware of that.
Other than that, just remember that your character is her own character, not just her identity. Good luck writing!
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