So, this whole thing started in an online brainstorming session where the topic
of hookers was broached. (Not that we're into hookers, or anything, but
sometimes these issues come up.) Anyway, there we were, discussing the role of
hookers in a YA futuristic western dystopian (Cool, right?) when someone
mentioned they'd heard that it wasn't kosher to have hookers in a YA.
"No hookers in a YA?" I exclaimed. "Why on earth not?"
"It's inappropriate," someone countered.
"Bad role modeling," another explained.
"I think it's fine," a fellow progressive soul chimed in. "There's hookers in
real life. If I was in that situation, I might turn a trick or two."
"I'm telling your mom you said that," I added helpfully.
"OMG, how can you think it's okay to have hookers in YA?" PantyBunch#1 said. "If
kids read about hookers, they'll identify with hookers, then they'll think it's
okay to be a hooker. Plus no school library would stock that."
"I don't think it's okay to be a hooker," ProgressiveSoul clarified.
"Let's make a t-shirt that says that," I suggested.
"But I do think it's okay to write them in YA," she finished, glaring at
me cybertechnologically. "I mean, libraries stock books about murderers. Look at
Hunger Games."
"That's different," PantyBunch#2 said. "Katniss only killed bad guys. Plus this
is sex. People get weird uber sex."
At this point, there was a long pause while we all visualized what kind of weird
uber-sex PantyBunch#2 was talking about. Well, that's what I was visualizing
anyway. Everybody else was probably reviewing their grocery lists.
"Weird over sex, I meant," she finally clarified. "Typo."
"Of course," I said. "That's what I figured."
ProgressiveSoul took up the cause. "But what about sluts? Are sluts okay for YA?
Like trashy, thong-wearing, self-esteem-defective sluts?"
"If they're not getting paid, maybe," I ventured.
"No, only purposeful sluts are allowed," PantyBunch#1 insisted. "Like in Kody
Keplinger's The DUFF. We have to understand the character's sluttishness.
She has to have depth. The reader needs to fully get why she has no other
recourse than to slut it up. Oh, and she has to be redeemed at the end."
"Yeah, totally. Redeemable sluts are the bomb," I agreed, pausing to muse on
what a ‘redeemable slut' would look like. Micro-miniskirt? Addiction to German
poetry? Bar-coded underpants that say, Actual value is 1/100 of a cent?
"What about bitches?" Progressive Soul pressed. "There's gobs of bitchy girls
who end up getting guys. How are we not telling our readers it's okay to be a
bitch?"
"It is okay to be a bitch," PantyBunch#2 said, "so long as you're clever
about it."
"At least we have standards," I commented.
So to summarize:
Sluts- Yes... assuming depth, solid motivation, and an appreciation for
the redemptive character arc.
Bitches- Absolutely... unless they lack verbal finesse.
Hookers- A tentative no... with the caveat that if it happens to be a
dystopian/apocalyptic western, some harmless trick-turning here and there will
be tolerated.
Personally, I'm not quite convinced. Where do y'all stand on hookers, sluts, and
bitches in YA?
(And do we need to talk about pimps?)
What do you think? One commenter will win an e-book copy of PROPHECY GIRL
I think it is OK to have hookers and pimps in YA as long as the story line is not too graphic. Of course it is better to have good role models in the book but hookers are part of real life.
(Kathleen Yohanna 3:13am April 24, 2013)
Hookers I think can be appropriate given certain circumstances, if regency novels can have them why not YA. Even some classics have them Moll Flanders for instance.
Sluts can be understood as they search for themselves or the lack of love and affection that they have recieved.
Bitches - please, they are on youtube and national news - the bitches and mean girls seem to be getting their 15 minutes of fame, they definitely have a place in a book (and a ring of hell).
Pimps - they might be the guy that starts off nice, then a bit abusive, then controlling, -- yes, I think getting a pimp in a book and allowing the deterioration of a character under his control is acceptable and a life lesson for girls about the cycle of abuse, from physical, emotional, to the sexual. This might be taboo but it is happening and a discussion should be raised.
(Carla Carlson 11:27am April 24, 2013)
I have not read any books of this type, so can't say, but it will be interesting to read one and then I can give you an accurate comment.
(Cynthia Blain 1:27pm April 24, 2013)
I think YA is much like a PG rating on a movie. There is going to be some that have more grit and/or hookers, bitches sluts, killing or not so pure things. Just as there are some with fairies, love, honesty, integrity, etc... Some days I want the darkness and others I want the light. Anything goes!
(Tracie Travis 2:06pm April 24, 2013)
I definitely feel it is okay to have hookers, sluts, etc in YA after all they exist in real life
(Shirley Younger 7:25pm April 24, 2013)
As a librarian, I come down on the side of keeping YA clean--mostly because so many parents object when books intended for that age group contain stronger issues or language. While more controversial material including abuse and the sex trade may be appropriate for older teens, most libraries have 9 and 10 yr olds prowling the YA shelves, and then their parents come in hopping mad because the unsupervised littlies come home with books about drugs, suicide, sex, etc. It's about the same for the bookstore shelves.
(Janet Martin 7:33am April 29, 2013)
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