Gay-Book-Dar

Just yesterday someone asked me whether it's easy finding gay-themed novels in Malaysia.

An unusual and surprising question since I - obviously wrongly - assumed that the gay readers here number only 5 at the most. After all even Charming Calvin takes almost a month to finish a good-sized bestseller.

Me, I have an obsession bordering on mania. My friends would certainly attest to the fact that I'm usually the first to jump on any particularly queer sounding novel in the new booklist. While sniffing through a pile of dusty paperbacks, even the faintest tinge of the rainbow has me picking it out. Some have gay-dar, I have a better gay-book-dar.


Come follow me, I know where they hide all the good stuff...
Those books certainly aren't easy to find though.

For one thing unlike other more tolerant countries, it's nearly impossible to find specialized sections for gay-themed novels. Not that I'm a particular fan of clumping all gay-themed literature ( does that make every other book straight-themed lit? ) in a separate ghettoized section but it does make easier browsing. Some time back, one of the larger chain bookstores even had a small niche set aside surprisingly but that area has since faded into obscurity leaving the pink novels tossed helter skelter amongst the rest of the unfabulous hoi polloi.

So it's a bitter near-futile struggle through a mindless haystack for that particular pink feather. And a really rare feather too. Let's face it, a large number of our disco-dancing queer brethren wouldn't dream of spending their time reading when they'd prefer spending the night rubbing up against thirty other sweaty, half-naked studs on the glittery dancefloor. Hence gay novels probably get a limited publication with obscure publishers which reduces the chances of them ever appearing on our shelves.

And these days its getting even harder. Not that gay-themed novels are banned precisely - or at least I don't think it is - but these days booksellers are a little more cautious about bringing them in. Same goes for regional online bookstores ( oh the betrayal! ) unfortunately as they apply a blanket censorship for all. No need to rock the boat with the scissor-happy censors after all. Only the more... straight-acting novels make it through. Glossy book covers that are a bit too explicit with barechested Adonises going at each other with full abandon are a no-no in this puritanical state. Same goes for book titles that are overly suggestive such as Nasty : Erotic Tales of Hunk-humping and Man-loving.

Even certain notorious authors ( and publishers ) receive an automatic shake of the head at the information counter.

Paul : Do you have Patricia Nell Warren?
Salesperson : One moment... let me check, sir.
Paul : Yes?
Salesperson : Umm.. I'm sorry, sir but we can't bring those titles in.
Paul : Because it would cause widespread havoc and mayhem in the nation as previously heterosexual men start getting jiggy with each other?

Censorship seriously pisses me off.

Talk about a serious deterrent to budding readers. Not sure how it is but I assume there's a tenacious homophobic fellow up there ( certainly my lifelong nemesis ) hiding in the censorship bureau who goes through all the upcoming booklists feverishly searching for the slightest taint of homosexuality hoping to stop the following from infecting the innocent masses by setting up pink warning flags.


I sense an evil gay presence out there...
Perhaps some of these deeply conservative Victorian prudes imagine that merely browsing through a book about rapacious man-sex would inevitably turn the highly suggestible readers gay. If only it were that simple. Hell, I've been reading frothy chick-lit romances with overenthusiastic muff-diving scenes followed by the relentless search for the elusive G-spot - and yet I haven't been tempted to journey where no dedicated gay man has gone before.

Still as gay novels slowly sashay into the mainstream runway even making sporadic appearances in mystery and fantasy, it's getting a bit harder for that determined fellow to track their furtive movements so every once in a while some books slip through the cracks. Search slowly and patiently through the racks of books with a keen eye and you might find a gem. There are always subtle tell-tale signs about a novel ( or even a hot guy come to think about it ), certain key words and fey expressions, that particular distinguishing look on the cover...

And that's where the gay-book-dar comes in :)

Perhaps even find that the hot target Jules Cassidy has finally done the near impossible ( a Force of Nature really :) ) by scoring with the elusive Robin Chadwick.