- 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.