One area of increasing literary debate has led to renewed interest in an age-old topic within fiction: sexuality. As British writer Luke Kennard argues in his recent essay for The Guardian, a number of straight men who have engaged in writing in the contemporary period seem less inclined to tackle sexual content in fiction.
According to Kennard, modern fiction no longer depicts scenes of physical intimacy, especially in novels authored by straight male writers. This literary debate emerges against the backdrop of ongoing discussion about consent, gender and sexuality issues in film, television, and literature.
From âbad sexâ writing to creative anxiety
Kennard pointed to the long-running legacy of awkward or controversial sex scenes in literature as one reason behind the hesitation. For years, the now-defunct âBad Sex in Fiction Awardâ became infamous for mocking poorly written intimate scenes, many of them written by male authors.
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Past winners included writers criticised for overly metaphorical, exaggerated or objectifying descriptions of sex. According to Kennard, the cultural embarrassment surrounding such writing may have contributed to a wider creative anxiety among straight male authors.
He argued that many contemporary novels now prefer to âfade to blackâ rather than directly portray intimacy. Kennard also reflected on his own work, admitting he previously avoided writing about sex in fiction by constructing narratives where characters were emotionally exhausted or physically distant.
Why sex still matters in literature
Regardless of how uncomfortable one may be with this topic, Kennard maintained that it is important when trying to analyze relationships, identity, and vulnerability.
AI Generated The author mentioned that the depiction of sexual acts could show how characters perceive themselves, their relations with other characters and the way power operates within relationships. Modern-day reluctance towards talking about sexuality was juxtaposed by Kennard with the more candid representation in novels written by women and queer authors.
The author applauded novelists like Sally Rooney and Diane Williams for showing sensitivity and emotional complexity in depicting sexual acts. He also mentioned that queer fiction writers such as Brandon Taylor and Djamel White have continued writing about sexuality candidly.
The shadow of power dynamics
One of the key points made in the essay is that heterosexual male lust has started to gain associations with power dynamics and abuse. This point was made by using examples from literature where middle-aged men engage with younger female partners, a theme which has been heavily criticised in recent literary criticism.
According to Kennard, it seems that modern authors have an idea of what not to depict sexually in their works but are unclear as to what should be depicted instead. As a result, there has been a general silence regarding issues of sexuality among straight male writers.
A wider cultural shift in storytelling
The debate reflects a larger shift in how audiences engage with intimacy in art and entertainment. While explicit content remains widespread online and in visual media, literary portrayals of sex are increasingly scrutinised for questions around consent, gaze, exploitation and authenticity. At the same time, many readers still view well-written intimacy as emotionally important rather than gratuitous.
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Ultimately, Kennard believes that fictional works still need to try and depict challenging or awkward sexual fantasies honestly and openly despite their potential failure. The authorâs new novel, Black Bag, reportedly follows his philosophy as far as depicting unconventional relationships and issues related to submission and dominance.
While discussions about representation keep changing, the article has prompted the wider debate on whether contemporary literature has become more cautious about emotions or just too ashamed of embarrassment.
