The Trouble with Rainbow Boys

Few pieces of GLBTQ fiction have received the popular and scholarly acclaim awarded to Alex Sanchez’s Rainbow Boys series. Although ‘‘problem novels’’ are rarely taken seriously as literature, the books—the first novel in particular—have joined the few pieces of GLBTQ literature incorporated into educational discourse and curriculum. In this article, the author suggests that although the positive nature and surface construction appeals to those seeking ‘‘affirmative’’ representations of GLBTQ youth, the contributions made by the series may be overshadowed by its reliance on heteronormative gender stereotypes that may actually work to perpetuate homophobic attitudes toward gay sexuality