The importance of diversity in Romance

One thing we have in our shared existence is love. We desire to love and be close to another just as we desire to be loved. Love, in all its forms, is one of the things that makes us human and binds us to one another. Humans love humans, we love our pets, we love a good time, we love certain foods. Some of the time humans even manage to love themselves enough.

There are so many different types of people, each with their own way of thinking, feeling, and seeing the world. And as many types of people there are, there are that many wonderful ways to love (and be loved). This, to me, is a hugely important thing that it seems is frequently missing in Romance novels.

Peruse the shelves (virtual or real) for Romance novels and a vast majority will be of a singular kind: white, monogamous, and heterosexual. Now don’t get me wrong; I know lots of white, monogamous heterosexuals and for the most part they’re fine people. However, I also know lots of people who aren’t white, or monogamous, or heterosexual, or gender ‘conforming’, or sexually active, or are neruo-atypical, or or or…

“But Charley,” the argument goes, “people want to read about themselves, that’s how books get sold.” And for traditional publishers, that seems to work out just fine; Romance novels sell hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of books every year and still most all of them are limited in diversity.

However, the people that I talk to don’t really seem to care about that as much as they care about things like ‘story’ and ‘writing’ and, well, substance. I believe that readers are well capable of empathetic thought for characters they are made to care about. When the character hurts, they can feel it. And when the character falls in love, they can feel that, too. People are curious and want to learn; what if there is a different way to love? Another way to feel that is acceptable to another? What if sex didn’t matter? Or their color, or gender, or background?

Representation is also important as well, and showing that diversity is, at least to me, as vital as just talking about it. Having characters of color, or who are asexual, or non-monogamous, or non-gender conforming, or who are simply different is important. Having characters who are depressed, anxious, or stressed is real.

No, it’s not the ‘fantasy’ character trope that permeates the typical Romance novel. I would like to believe that people are more attuned to a good story that encompasses a romance between two real characters then they are to just more of the same. And yes, the Romance is the whole point; the meet, the attraction, the emotional buildups, the crashes down and rocket blasts up, and of course the Happily Ever After. The plot and story server to support the Romance and not the other way around.

So long as that is the case, we, as people, can easily imagine and feel for characters who are going through the complications of falling in love. We’ve all been there, or have wanted to be. And we’ve all questioned if we’re “doing it the right way”. It takes so long to figure out that there is no “right way”; there are so many wonderful and special ways to fall in, and be in, love.

I hope you’ve found or will find yours.
Charley