Issues Facing LGBTQ Writers

Perception by publishers that LGBTQ material limits the potential audience.
Perception that heterosexuals have no interest in books written by LGBT authors.
Outright discrimination against writers who are transgender. Editors and agents usually donʹt want to work with transgender writers.
Gay and lesbian publications pay poorly and often treat writers poorly, expecting all work and no pay “for the movementʹs sake.”
Payment of gay writers is not comparable to what straight writers are paid, and the pay for lesbians is not comparable to what men, straight or gay, receive. Only a few periodicals publish non‐pornographic, gay fiction. Lesbian publishing houses are too small to give large advances.
NEA grant requests are turned down if writing includes explicit LGBT sex.