Lesbian Fiction's Hot New Stars: Secret Service Agents

Security more desirable than love: Thomas

By Ambreen Ali, Newser User

Posted Jan 22, 2009 2:32 PM CST

(Newser) – Secret Service agents have become popular protagonists in lesbian romance mysteries because they embody traits readers covet, June Thomas writes for Slate. "They are the ultimate strong, silent type—they fade into the background without hiding, they keep their mouths shut, and they have your back," she observes. "Since our relationships aren't recognized by the state, we aren't always able to shield our partners from hardship."

The heroines of lesbian fiction have evolved over the years—in the 1950s, they had jobs that allowed them to wear trousers—and the contemporary incarnation is a telling one. "Braver, fitter, and more sensitive than a cop, more honorable than a PI, the Secret Service agent is the perfect romance paragon, particularly for lesbian readers," Thomas writes.

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During Tuesday's inauguration, June Thomas was focusing on the Secret Service agents in the background. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

As U.S. Secret Service agents keep a close watch, Sarah Palin holds her son Trig as she walks with her husband, Todd, Sept. 3, 2008. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Secret Service agents are both strong and silent, Slate foreign editor June Thomas observes. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Secret service agents are the perfect romance paragon for contemporary lesbians, June Thomas writes. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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A scene from "In the Line of Fire," which stars Clint Eastwood as a Secret Service agent. (funkytv77)

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Everyone admires a civil servant who will take a bullet in the line of duty, but one section of the population may feel the attraction more strongly than others.
- June Thomas

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Lesbian Fiction's Hot New Stars: Secret Service Agents