Siegrid Tuttle answers “Is there any LGBTQ+ representation in this...”

Owen Blacker asked this question about Babel:

Is there any LGBTQ+ representation in this book?

Siegrid Tuttle The simple answer is no and if you're looking for books for like a Pride reading list or something, this is not the book.

The more complex answer is t…moreThe simple answer is no and if you're looking for books for like a Pride reading list or something, this is not the book.

The more complex answer is that the author just generally isn't interested in romance, especially explicit romance. There are two love triangles that are alluded to in the book, but really only serve to make this argument that people will destroy the things they desire if they cannot have them (even if those things are people who they claim to love). One of those love triangles involved an implied queer relationship but it is not a situation where there is explicit straight romance and then implied gay romance, there's just only implied romance for everyone and that implied romance purely serves to make a thematic point. What is taken very seriously in the book is questions about love and loyalty between friends, family, and your nation. Particularly friendship is focused on a lot. So while queer romance is not focused on, this very queer idea that the most intense and important relationships in your life need not be romantic is taken very seriously.

I would also add that while this is a very good book on colonialism, it definitely doesn't look at like patriarchy as a system that both creates and is reproduced by colonialism. I only mention that because racism very much is examined as a societal structure that both produces colonialism and is reproduced by colonialism. While sexism is mentioned in the book, it's not examined in the same way. Which is fine, obviously R.F Kuang cannot tackle every mountain in her anti-colonialism book, but if you're looking for books about colonialism that address the way colonialism reproduces within the family, this also is not the book.(less)

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Owen Blacker I have read the book since asking the question, but that's a really comprehensive, useful answer; thank you! ...more
Mar 02, 2024 02:29PM · flag

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