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So I'm in the very early stages of plot development on a new story. It focuses on a (nonbinary, hence the they/them pronouns) witch named Kem who recently discovered their powers and met some friendly demons. It's kind of an action-fantasy book, and it's not about any real world issues, it's about Kem navigating the world they've recently been introduced to and fighting evil and stuff like that.

The book isn't about the fact that Kem is nonbinary, it just so happens that that's who Kem is, and I'm not trying to focus on LGBT issues or nonbinary rights or activism or anything, I'm just casually including an MC that's nonbinary. So how do I prevent the story from taking a turn into political discussions? Is there a way to avoid talking about LGBT issues when my MC is LGBT? Is it smart to avoid it, and by avoiding it does it seem like I'm being lazy or trying to not offend people?

You can't.

I mean, sure, write your book matter of fact. The advice I give out a lot. It works.

But it's not just about what you say or don't say in your book, it's about the choices you make. When we've talked about diversity and racism in books we talked about how making a choice to avoid such things makes a statement. Choosing to include real-world diversity also makes a statement. And that's okay.

Embrace your choices, then write them like they're the most normal thing in the world. Because they are. But know that readers, reviewers, publishers, etc aren't dumb. They see your choices and will judge you on them. That's not a bad thing. People will always see you as the person you are based on your choices. Your actions. Your deeds.

But the book itself need not bring up any politics at all.

Within your book, make it a world where being nonbinary is a normal way of being. Where being Lavender is just something a lot of people are. It will be weird not to mention politics or bigotry if your setting is a world where these things aren't everyday. So create it as ordinary. Then talk about it matter of fact. Like you would say that one person in a couple was tall and the other one short. Or how one character spends mornings mucking out cow stalls and evenings dancing ballet on pointe.

Mostly, just write the book you want to write.

One way to keep it from taking over your story is to make it unexceptional. Quite literally. Kem is nonbinary. If Kem, other characters, and the narrator don't make a big deal out of that, don't either hide it or gawk at it, and just go about their lives, you'll convey the message that this is normal in Kem's world.

That part about not hiding it is important, though. If you introduce a nonbinary character and that fact is then invisible, you risk looking like you only threw in that detail to check off a box and score points. Kem is nonbinary and that affects how people interact with and talk about the character. That has to be present, but it doesn't need to be central. Treat Kem's gender the same way you treat other character's formative traits. A character who grew up in a broken home doesn't talk about the fights and divorce all the time; a character who's a genius doesn't only talk about being a math prodigy; a character who's of small stature doesn't always point that out. But the first one might have a strong flinch reaction to arguments, the second might always be working on some abstract problem in an ever-present notebook, and the third might be seen often stretching to reach things, preferring platform shoes, or leaving top shelves empty. Kem is nonbinary and that affects Kem; figure out how and show that.

I don't know enough about nonbinary gender to have specific advice about all the ways (beyond pronouns) that it affects the person's life. If you know, then look for ways to show it akin to what I've described with other traits. If you don't know, then try to find out before you write your story, so you can write a three-dimensional character rather than a caricature.

All writing has political elements to it, whether you like it or not.

Your question is a great demonstration of this. Some people consider LGBTQ people to inherently be (a) extremely rare, and (b) uniquely strange, fundamentally unlike cisgender, heterosexual people. Other people consider LGBTQ people to be a common, notable, substantial portion of the human population, with a wide spectrum of experiences and presentations, with nothing "unusual" about them. When writing, you cannot avoid portraying reality as one or other -- because LGBTQ people in your world, your setting, your writing, will either be present and that won't be considered a big deal, or they'll be absent and considered unusual.

Trying to write a novel -- particularly a fantasy novel of wide scope and tromping around some fun worldbuilding -- without portraying what's up with sex and gender, is kind of like trying to write a novel without portraying whether or not gravity exists. You can go with the default, but that doesn't mean you haven't made a decision.

All of which is to say: You can't write a book that doesn't express an opinion. You can't write a book that won't conflict with some peoples' worldview, opinions, expectations. Whatever you do, your book may draw criticism -- and, yes, choosing to go with a nonbinary protagonist can definitely draw more attention to your book, on this specific axis.

So:

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  Accept that your book may draw criticism. That's not a failure on your part; pleasing everybody was never an option.


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  Give serious thought to how gender and sexuality are seen in your book's world and culture. Which isn't to say your book needs to be about LGBTQ issues -- but, that you should think through this enough, just like any other aspect of worldbuilding, to be able to portray a world that feels coherent and consistent.


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  Casual, matter-of-fact queer characters can be awesome, and there's definitely readers looking specifically for that. For being able to be LGBTQ and for it not to be a big deal.
  
  
  
  
  • Writing this way can be something of a challenge, because the farther you go from the "default" straight white male, the more there's an unconscious expectation that straying from the "default" is a Chekhov's Gun.
  
  
  • The best way I know to deal with this is to figure out how being LGBTQ influences your particular character's life, as a character, as an individual. Not in terms of social oppression; just in terms of personal experience and everyday details. Make it part of character-building, rather than central conflict or major themes. See more on this in my answer here.
  
  
  
  


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  Write without fear, but then get good beta readers. Since you know this can be a sensitive (and sometimes volatile) topic, once you've finished your early drafts, be sure to get some beta readers and/or sensitivity readers who are themselves nonbinary. They're the ones who can tell you if you've done anything that really bothers them. If you've hit the "I'm nonbinary and that's no big deal" mark you're aiming for, or not.

Hope this helps. All the best!