User:Hails.ak/Lesbian pulp fiction

Literary scholar Yvonne Keller recognizes a small group of writers whose work formed the sub-genre of "pro-lesbian" pulp fiction, including Bannon, Meaker, Smith, Taylor, as well as Sloane Britain, Paula Christian, Joan Ellis, March Hastings, Marjorie Lee, Della Martin, Rea Michaels, Claire Morgan, Randy Salem, and Shirley Verel. According to Keller the sub-genre includes approximately 100 novels whose authors, often lesbians themselves, refused to acknowledge the conventional voyeurism of the rest of the genre. These authors focused their novels on female perspectives, and usually focused on strong character development and romantic stories instead of sexual ones, opting to omit graphic and/or violent sex scenes. By giving lesbian characters the chance to live happy, romantic lives, pro-lesbian authors avoided the male-centric, sexually graphic voyeuristic themes that other lesbian pulp novels (called virile adventures by Keller) used to reinforce negative and hyper-sexualized views on lesbianism. Initially, pro-lesbian novels faced backlash for immorality, but as the genre grew in the late 1950's, publishers began to step away from morality concerns, giving pro-lesbian authors the ability to thrive.