One Night Stand: The Challenge That Dare Not Speak Its Name

I stopped by A Novel Challenge not too long ago and browsed through this year's challenges. Several caught my attention--64, if you want to be exact. Yep. You read that right. Sixty-four. Imagine if I actually joined all those challenges . . . I would probably have to give up my job. And my family. Not to mention sleeping.

Since I have sworn off challenges this year (except for the two I had previously committed to), I will not be joining any of those 64. That won't stop me, however, from enjoying a one night stand--browsing through my TBR room, selecting books that would be perfect to read for the challenges and putting them all on a list. Ah, the joy of making a list! Part of the fun and none of the commitment. The only thing missing is in the reading of the books, but I will get to that in time, just not in time for the the challenge deadlines most likely. I will not be doing this for all 64 challenges that I am interested in, only a select few. The question is, where to start?

Of all the challenges I am not joining this year, there were a couple in particular that I really struggled saying no to. One of them is The Challenge That Dare Not Speak Its Name, or the GLBT Reading Challenge.

The host, Amanda from The Zen Leaf, writes:

What I hope to do by creating this blog is help others gain a better understanding of the GLBT community. This is a very sensitive and divisive issue right now in our world, and the only way for us to reach equality is by learning and sharing.

I have been mulling over what to write, how to express why this challenge means so much to me, for several days now. And I am still not sure quite what to say. Fellow blogger Memory over at Stella Matutina summed it up by saying:

. . . being queer/gay/LGBT/GLBT/whichever term you prefer is neither a good thing nor a bad thing, any more than being heterosexual is good or bad. It's just a thing, full stop, no positive or negative connotations intended. (Ditto for heterosexuality). You can't control it, and it's not something that should make any difference.

When one of my coworkers came up to me one day and asked me if I'd heard that a certain celebrity was gay, my response was simply, "So?" I did not see what it mattered. I still don't. Knowing that did not change my perception of that person or what I thought of his work.

Unfortunately in our society it does matter to some people. There are those who judge others based solely on their sexuality. They reduce sexual orientation to a sexual act and vilify it. Sometimes in the name of religion. Or in the name of tradition. Regardless, it's discrimination. And as a result, it makes reading challenges like this all the more important. By reading GLBT books, Memory went on to say:

. . . maybe, just maybe, they'll realize that these characters are people first and foremost; that it's a person's actions that define them, not their sexuality. That it's every bit as possible to relate to someone of a different sexuality than, say, someone with a different hair colour than their own.

I believe that in literature, issues can often be stripped down to the person, whether real or imagined, and it is easier for people to realize that underneath it all is a human being. We may not share the same politics and dreams; we may come from different backgrounds and faiths, and be of a different culture, race, nationality, gender or sexual orientation; We may have varying life experiences. Perhaps by learning more about those who are different from us, we can not only learn to celebrate those differences, but also come to realize how much we are the same. This is one of the reasons I read. To open myself up and learn about other cultures and people. To step outside of my own little box and learn about the world around me. Reading has opened my mind and my heart over the years in a variety of ways. I believe it can do the same for others as well.

The challenge guidelines state that books can be about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered (GLBT) topics and/or by GLBT authors. There will be mini challenges during the year and prizes to boot. Participants are asked to sign up for one of three levels:

• Lambda Level: Read 4 books.
• Pink Triangle Level: Read 8 books.
• Rainbow Level: Read 12 or more books.

List of possible books I'd read if I was actually joining the challenge (which I'm not):
(all books listed are ones I own but have not yet read)

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
Passage to India by E.M. Forster
Three Junes by Julia Glass
Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood
Blind Fall by Christopher Rice
Light Before Day by Christopher Rice
The Snow Garden by Christopher Rice
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Night Watch by Sarah Waters

I imagine there are more on my shelves I don't know about or I've missed. With this list alone, I could probably sign up for the Rainbow Level. Alas, it is not to be. This is a one night stand after all. However, I am looking forward to following the progress of those who are participating and perhaps even adding a few new books to my TBR collection.

• Have you read any of the books I've listed? Any I absolutely must read right now?
• What books have you read or want to read that might fit into this challenge?

Note (it sucks that I have to write this at all but . . .): I respect that others may have views differing from my own, and so I ask that you respect mine; in other words, be nice even if you disagree. I will not tolerate inflammatory or malicious comments and will exercise my right to delete them.

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