Underage mention in the past

[Bicurious_77]

I have a Gay Male\Incest story where the Gay Son will seduce his father but there is a brief mention of the son having a gay relationship with a middle school teacher. The son is currently in college so the relationship happened in the past. The son lost his virginity to said teacher when son was 14 so it does have some relevance to the story. Would the story go through or be rejected? There are currently warnings at the beginning that there is a reference to that relationship, but nothing is ever described.

 

[mirafrida]

Personally, I would anticipate that being rejected. My impression is that as soon as you have "< 18" intersect with "anything to do with sex," you're sort of asking for it to be sent back.

My guess is that if you really think this particular detail adds a lot to the story, you might make it fly by, at point A in the story saying "X was my teacher back in middle school" and at point B in the story saying "I lost my virginity with X" and make sure A and B aren't too close together. That vagueness would leave the moderators some wiggle room to let it slide - the two could have met up again for shenanigans after 18

 

[gunhilltrain]

Try it here if you wish, but it's very likely (95%?) to get rejected. Even descriptions of the past usually get flagged. Rather than wrangle with Lit, I just go to other sites for "coming of age" stories. I just published one about a sixteen-year-old female high school student, and it went through without any problem.

 

[ElectricBlue]

A single sentence would pass, but I'd expect close scrutiny of your content. Whatever you do, don't describe any detail, and keep the nearest sex scene five hundred words away, and make it clear it's between adults.

I'd also add a Note to the Editor specifically drawing attention to the age reference. The age mention alone will get flagged by a word bot, so you need to pre-empt that and provide context.

Contrary to what others have said, references to under-eighteen sex are allowed, provided they're not salacious. A simple statement will pass, detail will not.

I suspect, though, that you might take more flak from the Incest category readers than you will from the site - I'm not sure GM sits the best with their more "traditional" mores of mom/son.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I included a paragraph that stated my MC recalled having had lustful thoughts at 16, in a story that was kicked back for the 18 rule. If your story includes anything racier than that, take it on faith that it won't be published in that form.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Whenever this comes up, I offer the same quote as an acceptable example.

For Chapter 2 of My Fall and Rise:

In a small town fifteen miles from the nearest movie theater, thirty miles from the nearest shopping mall, there were only a few means by which I could appease my restlessness. By the time I graduated from high school, I was well acquainted with liquor, with marijuana and with men.

It makes the point clear without any prurient details, and went through without any issues.

 

[Djmac1031]

It can be done, as long as it's tasteful and no graphic detail.

Here's a for instance:

The character speaking is a 19 year old female, talking to the main male character about her past:

"I was a bit of a late bloomer," she began, "I was always the freckled little mousy girl none of the boys ever paid attention to. I didn't start dating until I was a junior in high school. The guy I lost my virginity to dumped me the next day, told me I was a 'lousy lay,' can you imagine that? My first time, and...well, I'm sure you can understand what that did to my self esteem."

No age referenced. No graphic details. Got through the screening process just fine.

 

[KeithD]

I have a Gay Male\Incest story where the Gay Son will seduce his father but there is a brief mention of the son having a gay relationship with a middle school teacher. The son is currently in college so the relationship happened in the past. The son lost his virginity to said teacher when son was 14 so it does have some relevance to the story. Would the story go through or be rejected? There are currently warnings at the beginning that there is a reference to that relationship, but nothing is ever described.

I write GM here. I wouldn't try to include that in a story I submitted here. There are certain issues I don't go near to have smooth sailing into the collection here.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I included a paragraph that stated my MC recalled having had lustful thoughts at 16, in a story that was kicked back for the 18 rule. If your story includes anything racier than that, take it on faith that it won't be published in that form.

I had the same thing happen. I had a story rejected for 'underage sexual thoughts.' So, I've got a feeling that him even mentioning under age sex might get your story rejected.

 

[jaF0]

In the ten thousand or more threads on this topic, I keep wondering why the obsession with numbers? Why even consider mentioning a specific number rather than more obscure references to earlier, or in the past?

 

[Euphony]

In the ten thousand or more threads on this topic, I keep wondering why the obsession with numbers? Why even consider mentioning a specific number rather than more obscure references to earlier, or in the past?

Numbers are getting away with something. Not every person using numbers is trying to do that, but those who are almost exclusively use specific numbers.

If we made mentions of Mr. Pibb a violation, a TON of characters and narratives would supposedly rely on multilayered soda choice.

 

[Bamagan]

If we made mentions of Mr. Pibb a violation, a TON of characters and narratives would supposedly rely on multilayered soda choice.

Watch out @Altissimus, the list of acceptable soft drinks grows thin.
Fanta
Mr. Pibb
What next?

 

[JaxRhapsody]

If you put it literally like that in the context, it might fly. Then again... I had a story rejected for mentioning an adult of 40something had the mind of whatever under18 age I said. Because of a car wreck. Who had a 20something year old son. Meh. If it's that big a deal, you can publish elsewhere to retain artistic integrity.

 

[Altissimus]

Watch out @Altissimus, the list of acceptable soft drinks grows thin.
Fanta
Mr. Pibb
What next?

Orangina?
Ting?
Iron bru?

 

[onehitwanda]

Iron bru?

A million Scots just screamed in rage and started fighting their arch-enemies the Scots again.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Mentioning "I'd lost my virginity to my male/female teacher when I was 14" is probably OK, particularly if the character mentions it not being their choice or that it wasn't a great idea, and how it affects them later.

What isn't allowed is any mention of sexual thoughts: "I was so excited to finally have sex when I was 15" or "when I was 15 I had a hot teacher", or describing the character in any sexual way, "I was 14 but already had 34C breasts".

Portraying ongoing sex with a 14yo as 'a relationship' rather than 'ongoing taking advantage of a child unable to legally consent' would likely fall in the latter category. If it needs mentioning, stating the facts in totally dispassionate terms would be needed.

 

[AchtungNight]

I feel that a brief reference to a flashback where the character lost their virginity as a teenager should be allowed, positive or negative. But don’t get overly detailed depicting it. It’s ultimately up to Laurel what Lit will allow. Not every author can get away with mentioning a character started experimenting with their sexuality while working as a dancer on the Mickey Mouse Club during their youth.

 

[AchtungNight]

A million Scots just screamed in rage and started fighting their arch-enemies the Scots again.

Gosh darn you blooming Scots! You’re ruining Scotland! You’re Clan Douglas, aren’t ye? Surely you aren’t Clan Ramsay? Ack!

 

[MillieDynamite]

Don't hold up your story with a detail that will cause a flag. Also, how important is it to the plot? If it isn't critical, steer clear, if it is critical, tell it in another way.

 

[Djmac1031]

I think there's a huge difference in an adult (18+) character referencing a sexual experience that happened to them pre-18 with another pre-18 individual in a non graphic way... "we lost our virginity together at 16"... and the OP wanting to state clearly that a 14 year old had sex with an ADULT.

That to me is the Red Flag.

It doesn't matter if the 14 year old in question "consented" to the relationship or not.

Doesn't matter how much "detail" it goes into or not.

Doesn't matter if the purpose of it is to "glorify" it, or to deride it as a bad thing that shouldn't have happened

Its a clear cut and dry reference to an adult having sex with a minor. And it's gonna get flagged.

That's the site rule. Whether one agrees with it or not.

 

[AchtungNight]

Yeah, one thing I’ve never done is an adult having sex with a minor. A minor reflecting on losing their virginity with another minor- that I’ve done on multiple occasions. But adult with minor, no. And in all cases of referencing a minor’s sexuality I’ve kept it consensual, vague, and brief.

My advice- have your gay male virgin character meet up with his teacher on the night of his high school graduation after his eighteenth birthday in a state where the age of consent for sex and alcohol is over 18, get them both drinking and reminiscing about middle school days, have one thing lead to another. This would pass my censors. I can’t guarantee it will pass Lit’s, but there’s a better chance it would than doing an underage thing.

There are stories on Lit that challenge the underage restrictions, but for defense of the authors I’m not going to point them out. The site may have increased its strict guidelines since clearing those stories. You’re more likely to get cleared if you avoid the issue. But it’s ultimately up to Laurel, not anyone else.

 

[jaF0]

The site may have increased its strict guidelines since clearing those stories.

Things have gotten tighter and will continue to do so, if for no other reason than Lit is based and hosted in the US. And that's as far as we can go unless someone wants to start a companion thread on the Politics Board.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I don't think any state in the United States has alcohol consumption legal before 21. I don't believe its been where anyone between 18 and 21 can booze for over 30 years. You can always use the Wayback machine and set it in the 70s.

Yeah, one thing I’ve never done is an adult having sex with a minor. A minor reflecting on losing their virginity with another minor- that I’ve done on multiple occasions. But adult with minor, no. And in all cases of referencing a minor’s sexuality I’ve kept it consensual, vague, and brief.

My advice- have your gay male virgin character meet up with his teacher on the night of his high school graduation after his eighteenth birthday in a state where the age of consent for sex and alcohol is over 18, get them both drinking and reminiscing about middle school days, have one thing lead to another. This would pass my censors. I can’t guarantee it will pass Lit’s, but there’s a better chance it would than doing an underage thing.

There are stories on Lit that challenge the underage restrictions, but for defense of the authors I’m not going to point them out. The site may have increased its strict guidelines since clearing those stories. You’re more likely to get cleared if you avoid the issue. But it’s ultimately up to Laurel, not anyone else.

 

[Djmac1031]

I don't think any state in the United States has alcohol consumption legal before 21. I don't believe its been where anyone between 18 and 21 can booze for over 30 years. You can always use the Wayback machine and set it in the 70s.

I think the way around that is simple; have the over 21 party buy the alcohol and have them drinking in a private residence.

Illegal? Yes. But not against LE rules.

 

[Euphony]

I don't think any state in the United States has alcohol consumption legal before 21. I don't believe its been where anyone between 18 and 21 can booze for over 30 years. You can always use the Wayback machine and set it in the 70s.

This is true.

'84 was the federal statute IIRC.

I think some locales fazed it in but '84 (in the US) is the common division point for many.