
Gay For You or Bi-Awakening
(click here to skip down to some of my favorite GFY/Bi-Awakening romances)
As cishet, I tend to stay out of arguments about LGBTQIA labels because I don’t feel like it’s my place to advocate one way or another and try to respect those who adopt the labels as their own. However, in this case – there doesn’t seem to be a firm consensus from either authors or readers. Some have argued that labeling books as Gay For You (oft abbreviated GFY) is bi-erasure. Others have stated that if an MC is honestly only gay for a particular other person, then that is GFY and not bi-awakening. Bi-awakening being defined as a realization (or accepting) that one is attracted to both sexes. This, of course, leaves out even further discourse that there are many nuances and attractions – or not – beyond this.
Sooooo… I’ve opted to use both tags. Then, generally in the review I’ve mentioned further if the author makes a point of distinguishing that a character feels that this is only for a certain person or the attraction has opened up a new gender of interest. Bearing in mind that I’ve read thousands of books prior to writing reviews and then starting the blog so the tag may not be consistent or accurate before I became aware of additional descriptives.
Some of my favorite books/series I’ve tagged as GFY/Bi-Awakening:
(alphabetical by title)
Nothing Special series by A.E. Via – M/M romantic suspense, several books in the series feature GFY/Bi-Awakening themes, starting with book 1, Nothing Special.
Semper Fi by Keira Andrews – M/M stand alone historical military romance
Without You by Marley Valentine – M/M stand alone romance
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