Friday, May 17, 2013

Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia


Today is International Day Against Hopbobia and Transphobia, a topic near and dear to my heart. 

I've written before that I never set out to be a political writer.  But I do think it is difficult to be an LGBT writer today without an undercurrent of social or political justice, if not only in the subtext. 

In all of the stories I've worked on so far, there is an element of normalcy that I like to evoke with my characters, their settings, and their worlds.  It's my goal to illustrate that LGBT people hope, dream, and long for the same things that the rest of the world does.  It's just harder sometimes for us to achieve our goals because of the attitudes and laws that prevent us from doing so.

My hope is that someone opposed to LGBT right who reads my novel will understand that we really don't want anything different than them.  It just that we have to ask for the rights that most people grow up with expecting.

I'm not the only one speaking out about this topic today.  Click this link for other LGBT authors blogging about this topic today:



http://hopagainsthomophobia.blogspot.com/

Leave me a comment,including your email address, and I'll enter you into a drawing for a complimentary copy of my first novel, A Place To Call Their Own. (if you're not comfortable leaving your emial address on this public forum, email me directly at deanfrech@aol.com.) My novel won't be out until July 5th, so I won't be able to send the book until then, but I will announce the winner by May 28.

25 comments:

  1. Commendable goal. I know I learn many things from novels. It would be interesting to learn if anyone did come away with a changed opinion and consciousness. Everyone knows at least one and probably many, LGBT people in their everyday world. And yes, difficult to write anything on the topic and not become involved in social justice issues.

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    1. Thanks, Sue. Email me at deanfrech@aol.com so I can contact you if you are the winner.

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  2. Thank you for taking part in the hop!

    In order to combat hatred, we must spread love. Educate others, bring awareness, because every person who has their mind opened is one person closer to a world where homophobia and transphobia doesn’t exist.

    kimberlyFDR@yahoo.com

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  3. I hope that someone who is opposed will read you book as well. We need them to open there minds and realize it comes down to love not gender. Thank you for the opportunity to win and for participating in the hop.

    Cheers
    Karl
    slats5663(at)shaw(dot)ca

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  4. That was a great post. I think that you have a very worthy goal and I wish you all the best. Thank you for sharing and participating in the hop.

    Beth
    JPadawan11@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you for your encouragement, JPadawan11!

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  5. Excellent post and an excellent goal. Looking forward to seeing your novel come out. Let us know when so I can plug it eh? :)

    x Elin
    elingregory@gmail.com

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    1. Thank your for stopping by and the connection on Facebook!

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  6. Dean,

    It is sad that it is 2013 and our community is still having to fight for equality and against discrimination. It makes me think of how women had to fight for the right to vote and the civil rights movement. One day, we will be able to look back in history and see our community's struggle in the same light as those others who battled before us. I just hope that I am alive when that day comes!

    Thanks for being part of this hop that continues to grow every year.

    Brenda
    bcothernbooks AT gmail DOT com

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    1. Brenda, that is so true, thank you for the comment and for stopping by!

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  7. Thanks for the hop.
    cvsimpkins@msn.com

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  8. Thank you so much for your post and participating in this amazing hop!

    sophiebonaste@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you for your support and encouragement!

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  9. Hi Dean - I love your point of view :)

    ajpeters@andrewjpeterswrites.com

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    1. Thanks, Andrew! And thank you for stopping by!

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  10. Wonderful post and wonderful goal. Thank you for sharing them and for taking part in the hop.

    humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com

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  11. Great post! Thank you for taking part in the hop!
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

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  12. Thanks for the post.

    peggy1984 at live dot com

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  13. If you are following this post, you can find the name of the winner here...

    http://deanpacefrech.blogspot.com/2013/05/drawing-winner.html

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