I was always raised to know that if I were gay, it would be fine, and that gay people weren't "freaks," but as several of my lesbian friends have confirmed, a lo of families aren't like that. Coming of age novels are essential to young adult literature already, as adolescence is precisely the time to know that people can get through what you're going through. But for gay and lesbian teenagers, it's often even more vital to know that kids like them exist, and their feelings are universal. Relatable, funny characters like H.F. can serve as role models or at least examples.
I think that, similarly to parents who feared that Harry Potter would turn their children into witches and wizards, some parents may fear that a book with a lesbian character will inspire their children to try to be gay. However, sexuality is a hard thing to fake. I'd be hard-pressed to find a straight person who could really pretend to be gay for a major length of time.
The characters in Finding H.F. go through similar problems and uncertainties as any other character in a coming of age novel, yet the causes of those problems are so controversial to many. I feel that not only is H.F. a great coming of age novel for gay and lesbian teenagers, it is also a good book for heterosexual teenagers to read and relate to the characters.
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