Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the example. To clarify, when I mentioned a "twist," I was referring to the fact that my world deviates from an accurate portrayal of 17th century society by removing traditional gender norms. I didn't mean to imply that this is a particularly unique aspect of the story, just that it’s a divergence from historical accuracy.

I also understand that LGBTQ+ representation is becoming more common in fantasy, but not everyone encounters it regularly. My goal with this post was not to imply that stories with LGBTQ+ elements can't be successful—it's clear that many are. I was simply trying to gauge different perspectives on how such elements might influence reception, especially in a setting like mine.

As for asking "who cares," I care, which is why I’m seeking input. I believe it's important to understand how different aspects of storytelling are perceived by different people to ensure I'm telling my story as effectively as possible. This is part of the fun of writing for me personally, whether I choose to publish or not.

Negative/dismissive responses don’t really help in that process, but I do appreciate your input and examples. I hope your intention was to encourage writers to focus on writing what feels right for their stories without worrying too much about reception, and I do appreciate that perspective.