Bi-lingual or Bi-sexual, Part 3

Danya Simkus completes her 3-part piece, Bi-lingual or Bi-sexual?

Continued from part 2

It’s just that this bi-sexual bent – the sexuality you actually engage in privately aside – this ability to easily write from either sex is a great gift; and one I’m forever squashing so that I don’t offend my readers – I’ll reach for a metaphor, and one is staring me in the face, and I Dont’ Use It, because I know that it will likely put off someone trying to read my work – I’m a liberal gal – I say what I mean and mean what I say – but here, I am careful – too damn careful for my own comfort. I sacrifice my own words and desire for the sake of propriety. Not something I’d easily admit to if I hadn’t just been smacked in the face with it.  I’ll write these for myself, and keep them in my own files, but when it comes to submission, I shy away. I therefore encourage you, reader, to let your freak flag fly (if you are legitimately able) and do what I so often silence myself from doing – write from both sides of the box – crawl into the skin of the opposite sex; of the opposite sexuality – (again, only if you can) If you can’t – if it is even a little bit hard for you – give up. The world is too full already of books by people trying to ’stretch it’. Lesbians can write their own books and do not need Ned Fred to try to get into their minds (and bed sheets) to do it for them. But if you have this special knack – this unique ability to genuinely abandon your own prescribed sexuality (or even better, use your sexuality if it is malieable) to make writing that is unique, fresh and exciting; by all means, please do so.

If enough of you do; perhaps I will someday soon, find the courage to do it myself.

Danya Simkus is an excellent writer and a good friend.

Her novel, Botanica Toxica is nearing completion.

[Via http://uphillwriting.org]