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Pushing the Envelope
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From: Monica R. Edinger <edinger>
Date: Sat, 17 May 2003 10:35:13 -0400
I may be naive, but what about sex? Frankly, I'm confused about what is permitted in YA novels. I thought Neil Gaiman's Stardust would be grand for YA readers, but was told that the sex therein was too explicit for middle schoolers; on the other hand, I found certain less explicit sexual references in A Hole in My Life incredibly disturbing and recall some on this list indicating it was something that middle schoolers could indeed read.
In particular, I am curious (yellow --- no, not really, and I never saw the movie so never knew what that title meant) as to whether some on-the?ge YA writers are considering including oral sex in their novels as it seems to have become a much more regular part of YAs' sexual landscape than it was when I was a YA. I apologize if I'm offending anyone, but we are talking about edgy YA and I don't see how we can avoid doing that without pushing the envelope in ways that may be uncomfortable for those of us who grew some time ago. Or perhaps this is too specific for YA? That is my confusion. Is it okay to write about same sex interest, but not the specifics? Is rape and abuse only to be obliquely described? Is that what makes it YA, even the edgy kind?
A few years ago I was shocked to the point of turning completely red (I've always been a prude!) when first being told about some popular and highly confident 9th grade girls who were evidently regularly initiating oral sex with some "hot" 8th grade boys. I've since then heard many more stories, one involving some 7th graders playing a very different version of "Spin the Bottle" from the one I knew when their age --- on a private bus returning home from an evening party. Maybe I'm totally naive, but I simply do not recall this from my teen years. We groped and touched, but I do not recall oral sex being seen as simply another form of early exploration as it is now. The kids seem, erroneously, to see it as safe as intercourse is not. They seem to see it as inconsequential, as something that does not indicate commitment (or so I've been told). Can't recall seeing this any books so far (but I'm not that well read in YA literature, I admit) and so am curious if it is in books already, too specific to be in a YA book of any kind, or being considered in upcoming books.
Monica
Monica Edinger The Dalton School New York NY edinger at dalton.org monicaedinger at yahoo.com
Received on Sat 17 May 2003 09:35:13 AM CDT
Date: Sat, 17 May 2003 10:35:13 -0400
I may be naive, but what about sex? Frankly, I'm confused about what is permitted in YA novels. I thought Neil Gaiman's Stardust would be grand for YA readers, but was told that the sex therein was too explicit for middle schoolers; on the other hand, I found certain less explicit sexual references in A Hole in My Life incredibly disturbing and recall some on this list indicating it was something that middle schoolers could indeed read.
In particular, I am curious (yellow --- no, not really, and I never saw the movie so never knew what that title meant) as to whether some on-the?ge YA writers are considering including oral sex in their novels as it seems to have become a much more regular part of YAs' sexual landscape than it was when I was a YA. I apologize if I'm offending anyone, but we are talking about edgy YA and I don't see how we can avoid doing that without pushing the envelope in ways that may be uncomfortable for those of us who grew some time ago. Or perhaps this is too specific for YA? That is my confusion. Is it okay to write about same sex interest, but not the specifics? Is rape and abuse only to be obliquely described? Is that what makes it YA, even the edgy kind?
A few years ago I was shocked to the point of turning completely red (I've always been a prude!) when first being told about some popular and highly confident 9th grade girls who were evidently regularly initiating oral sex with some "hot" 8th grade boys. I've since then heard many more stories, one involving some 7th graders playing a very different version of "Spin the Bottle" from the one I knew when their age --- on a private bus returning home from an evening party. Maybe I'm totally naive, but I simply do not recall this from my teen years. We groped and touched, but I do not recall oral sex being seen as simply another form of early exploration as it is now. The kids seem, erroneously, to see it as safe as intercourse is not. They seem to see it as inconsequential, as something that does not indicate commitment (or so I've been told). Can't recall seeing this any books so far (but I'm not that well read in YA literature, I admit) and so am curious if it is in books already, too specific to be in a YA book of any kind, or being considered in upcoming books.
Monica
Monica Edinger The Dalton School New York NY edinger at dalton.org monicaedinger at yahoo.com
Received on Sat 17 May 2003 09:35:13 AM CDT
