Hints with handling a lesbian relationship

Hm? Which story might that be?

Or how they don't, if you're going for angst.

Seriously, though, the kind of sex a couple is having can really be used to shape their relationship and add characterisation. Is one of them especially selfish in bed? Why? Is one more dominant and the other submissive? How does that relate to the other aspects of their time together? Is it a role-reversal? Meaningful, or meaningless-but-one-of-them-thinks-it's-meaningful-and-is-weirded-out-by-it? They're young and inexperienced, so there are lots of things that can go wrong in the bedroom, ranging from the sex just not being so great for either of them to something hideously, embarrassingly spectacular that hans over them for days afterwards. How would that impact their relationship?

edited 20th Jan '11 6:49:45 PM by Iaculus

That's pretty much how Sex should always be treated in a story.

I'd be interested in reading this story that Cygan is talking about. Often I avoid showing sex unless I deem it absolutely critical to the story, since I fear audiences may only enjoy my work for well, the sex appeal. Does anyone know which story Cygan is referring to?

Back on topic though, I agree with how sex can be a way to characterize. That is a very interesting way of looking at it.

edited 20th Jan '11 8:25:05 PM by darkclaw

I can't actually find the story I'm talking about. It has een nearly two years since I read it.

The title is something along the lines of 'Histeress', though. Or something along those lines.

And sex can be used to characterise. But again... There are always other ways to achieve this. Want to show a dominant-submissive relationship? Show the submissive one pretty much always doing what the dominant one says. A sadism/masochism thing? Show them engaging in other physical activity- belting the masochistic one in the stomach, and then the masochistic one cuddling up against the sadistic one.

Sex isn't the only way you can characterize them.

edited 21st Jan '11 1:14:16 AM by CyganAngel

"The high school they attend carries a Catholic flavour."

That might set them up for more stigma. Catholics, on average, seem more inclined to homophobia than secular types.

^ — While I believe there exist Catholic schools with more sensible LGBT attitudes, the school in this story dedicates itself to having its students pure and clean — including outright condemning discouraging homosexuality.

^^ — Google search comes up with nada on that title. Anyways, I don't imagine their relationship as being the dominating/submissive sort. As I've said before, I think it is a discovering relationship; Irene piques shy Clare out of her shell, and as they inch towards intimacy, Clare too allows Irene to let her true self show beneath the effervescent surface.

edited 21st Jan '11 9:38:30 PM by QQQQQ

Check, but even if the overall shape of the relationship isn't dom/sub, it's entirely possible that one of them might take the lead in bed. Who it is, and whether it changes sometimes, could present some interesting characterisation indicators. Not least in how they react to the changes - happy acceptance, or worry about the loss of control?

Given how emotionally-charged it tends to be, sex can be a very important part of a relationship... although, admittedly, its importance can be overrated, which can also present some interesting conflict and characterisation opportunities if it's the characters doing the overrating and being far too serious about their bedroom activities.

edited 21st Jan '11 11:49:05 PM by Iaculus

But I wasn't just talking about a dom/sub relationship. I was talking about how you can show these types of relatioships in ways other than sex.

And if sex is the only place where the trait is visible... Well then, is it really all that important to the story? And if so, isn't there a way you can slip it in without slipping into erotica?

Not that I particularly care. I'mm just pointing this out.

^^ Damn it. Sorry. Guess I can't remember the title, then :/ I should go check that the others from back then are still correct in my head too.

Since Clare is shy girl who is just discovering her sexuality, I think it would be appropriate for her to immediately avert her eyes when she realizes she's turned on by Irene changing. (That's from personal expirience, btw.) Also, if she had no idea up to this point that she was attracted to girls, I think it would take a little more than one night for her to work up the courage to ask Irene out. I suggest having them hang out a little more before that. Also, I would never ask a girl out if I didn't know if she was gay or not.