Name of the Hermann-Wilmarth, J. M., & Ryan, C. L. (2016).

Queering chapter books with

source (full LGBT characters for young readers: recognizing and complicating
citation) representations of homonormativity. Discourse, 37(6), 846–866.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2014.940234
Main In this qualitative study, Hermann-Wilmarth and Ryan focuses on
Argument/Main deconstructing homonormative representations of LGBT characters in
Claims/Summar chapter books for young readers. They argue that while there are more LGBT
y characters in children’s literature now, this representation is mostly still
normative and silences other facets of being queer.
This study explores 10 texts that has one or more LGBT characters published
between 2004-2014. The authors categorised these characters based on how
they appear in the novel in relation to the protagonist: parents of
protagonists, adults in the protagonist's life, and the protagonists themselves.
The authors identified homonormative notions in these books, such as the
overly domestic parents in The Accidental Adventures of India McAllister
(Agell, 2010).
The authors also note that bringing a queer lens to these works also yielded
contrasting results. In these works, they looked at queerness revolving
around gender, family, and spaces. They found that some works break the
mould somewhat by allowing some queer characters to break free from
homonormativity. In the case of Joe in Totally Joe (Howe, 2005), the title
character is both a jock and gay, challenging the idea that masculine men are
attracted to feminine women (Butler, 1996).

Key Quotes with Context: main concern for the study

page numbers “…these texts do little to interrupt the “single story” (Adichie, 2009) of who
LGBT people and families are, what they look like, who is included, and how
they live, thereby adding to what could be considered a homonormative
picture of queer communities…”(847)
Context: on homonormativity
“Homonormativity…particularly when they co- occur as the sexual politics of
a larger neoliberal perspective in economic and political spheres. Based on a
“domesticated, depoliticized privacy” (Duggan, 2002, p. 179), homo-
normativity results in “conventional gays” (849)
Context: importance of criticizing queer representation
“By acknowledging the kinds of work that having LGBT-identified characters
both does and does not do, we provide a deeper understanding of the
windows and mirrors (Bishop, 1990) with regard to these identities and pre-
YA texts” (862)
Notes and This study provides a framework to examine portrayals of queer characters
Observations for a future study that I have in mind.