Homophobia in American Gay-Themed Young Adult Novels (2000-2010)
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HOMOPHOBIA IN AMERICAN GAY-THEMED YOUNG ADULT NOVELS (2000-2010) Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Leicester by Nachanok Hutanan Department of English University of Leicester September 2020 HOMOPHOBIA IN AMERICAN GAY-THEMED YOUNG ADULT NOVELS (2000-2010) Nachanok Hutanan Abstract This thesis explores a selection of ten gay-themed American young adult (YA) novels published in the 2000s, starting from Marlene Fanta Shyer’s The Rainbow Kite (2002) to P.E. Ryan’s In Mike We Trust (2009). It examines the manifestation of homophobia and the coping strategies proffered in these books. By situating the novels as part of “problem YA fiction,” which typically depicts issues that teenage characters have experienced and must deal with, I argue that although the primary texts are imbued with the representations of homophobia, they can be considered as the texts of resistance, calling for activism to challenge homophobic bigotry. This is not simply because the novels include potential tactics to cope with homophobia, but also because they point out that these strategies are the way through which omnipresence of power is managed and made use of by the gay teenage characters to resist homophobia. In this thesis, the analysis is undertaken in four main areas in which homophobia is focalized in the texts: internalized homophobia, familial homophobia, homophobia in American high schools, and Christian-based homophobia. I explore the various strategies to deal specifically with homophobia in these domains and show how all collective power is awakened within multiple surrounding characters, who are recruited to join with the gay protagonists’ activism to combat homophobia. I contend that the novels present homophobia as a problem that everybody must be aware of and which must be eradicated. In this regard, I hold that the various novels under scrutiny constitute texts of activism. Acknowledgements I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Catherine Morley for her continuous support of my PhD thesis. Her positive comments, profound knowledge, patience, and encouragement helped me to complete this project, in spite of many unexpected difficulties and serious health issues. During the long journey of my PhD research, Dr. Morley has not only been my best supervisor, but she also sets herself as an example of what real teacher should be. She has dedicated her time and effort in improving my research skills and thesis writing in English, which has been very challenging for an international student like me. And this, of course, means extra work for her in reading, giving comments, and polishing all the drafts I have sent to her. In our one-to-one meetings at her office, Dr. Morley also offers me hot drinks which is really soothing especially in cold and rainy days. I could never have had a better supervisor than Dr. Morley. In addition to Dr. Morley, I would like to thank Dr. Zalfa Feghali and Associate Professor Susan Billingham for their constructive comments in my viva voce. Also, I am grateful to the Office of Higher Education (OCSC), Thailand for providing me with a full scholarship. With this support, I could pursue my postgraduate studies in the MA in Children’s Literature at the University of Reading and later this PhD in English Literature at the University of Leicester. I greatly appreciate the practical advice given to me to deal with personal and academic problems by Mrs. Wandee Taechaprut and all the staff from the Office of Educational Affairs, the Royal Thai Embassy in London. Their visits to me and other Thai scholarship students at universities around the United Kingdom every year warm our hearts. Special thanks go to Pimalaporn Wongchinsri for her tender loving care and especially her delicious food which she cooked for me every day. Her Thai food spiced up my PhD student’s life. Besides Pim, I thank my thoughtful friends who had always stood by me, cheered me up, and helped me in every way they could do: Preyapat Esposito, Amornchat Sermcheep, Paulpon Thamrongrat, Kampanat Deeudomchan, Kowit Ponhan, Warangkana Sae-jeng, Chatwiboon Peijsel, Korakot Boonlop, Art Mitchells-Urwin, Pattharaporn Thongnim, Pariyakorn Petkaew, Chanin Suriyakul, Pojana Maneeyingsakul, and Choneratt Suriyarangsun. We shared laughs, fun, happiness, and even sadness during our PhD studies in England. Our wonderful times here will be always remembered. Finally, I am grateful to my family: my mother who sadly passed away during the first year of my PhD research remains the wind beneath my wings. Her wish of “Good Luck” given to me on her deathbed is the blessing that inspires me whenever I feel discouraged. She will be in my heart forever and I am sure that she will be proud of me. I also thank my father Chatchai Hutanan and my very kind aunts Kessanee Sujaritjan and Rattana Ruengsri who have provided me with financial, moral, and emotional support throughout my life. Nothing would have been possible without them. Nachanok Hutanan Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 The Pivotal Issues in Gay-Themed Young Adult Literature between the 1970s and 1990s ....... 5 Homosexuality as the Problem ....................................................................................... 5 HIV/AIDS as a Gay Disease .......................................................................................... 9 Homophobia as the Central Issue in Gay-Themed Young Adult Novels in the 2000s ............. 12 Contemporary Gay-Themed Young Adult Novels and Homophobia .......................... 18 Gay-Themed Young Adult Novels as Texts of Resistance against Homophobia ........ 22 Terminology .................................................................................................................................... 28 Criteria of Primary Text Selection ................................................................................................. 33 Thesis Structure .............................................................................................................................. 35 Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................................ 38 Internalized Homophobia ................................................................................................. 38 The Manifestation of Internalized Homophobia .......................................................................... 47 Being in the Closet ....................................................................................................... 50 Hiding in the Glass Closet ............................................................................................ 56 Coming out of the Closet ............................................................................................................... 63 Eliciting “Power Within” to Break out of the Closet ................................................... 68 Challenging Heteronormativity and Homophobia in School ....................................... 73 Chapter 2 ............................................................................................................................ 81 Familial Homophobia ........................................................................................................ 81 The Manifestation of Familial Homophobia ................................................................................ 88 Disciplinary Power Exercised via Training and Self-Surveillance .............................. 92 Disciplinary Power Exercised via Punishment ............................................................. 99 Using Symbols to Challenge Parental Homophobia .................................................................. 104 Resisting Parental Homophobia with Symbols .......................................................... 108 Forming Collective Power through Symbols ............................................................. 116 2 Chapter 3 .......................................................................................................................... 123 Homophobia in American High Schools ........................................................................ 123 The Manifestation of Homophobia in the School Environment ............................................... 129 The Locker Room as the “Inner Sanctum” and as the “Battle Zone” ........................ 134 The Heterosexualized School Cafeteria and the Parking Lot ..................................... 143 The Formation of the Mutual Support Group ............................................................................. 149 Building Collective Force ........................................................................................... 152 Disrupting the School’s Heterosexual Space of Power .............................................. 157 Chapter 4 .......................................................................................................................... 168 Christian-Based Homophobia ........................................................................................ 168 The Manifestation of Christian-Based Homophobia ................................................................. 177 Encountering Christian-Based Homophobia .............................................................. 182 Violence and Christian-Based Homophobia .............................................................