Young readers need more healthy depictions of queer love. So it’s a good thing Jonny Garza Villa wrote the timely, queer YA romance novel fix we’ve been needing. Their Ander & Santi Were Here explores building a “home” within a romantic relationship by showing two young adults who offer each other a safe space amidst the harsh realities of ICE raids and the struggles of undocumented immigrants. The existence of this novel is important in many ways and I’m particularly grateful that it provides hope for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults.
The External Threats
Latine members of the LGBTQ+ communities within the United States not only face threats against our queer identities. We also weather the impacts and ongoing threats posed by ICE raids and deportation policies for undocumented immigrants, subject to the dangers of ICE even if we are natural-born or legally immigrated citizens. LGBTQ+ youth, particularly those who are undocumented, face unique challenges that affect their ability to build a sense of home and safety. It’s hard enough being young trying to figure “it” all out; when the stress of deportation is added into the equation, finding and feeling safe becomes a herculean task.
During our chat, author Jonny Garza brought up a great point when they said young adults, like the main characters of this book, feel so “grown” but still do not know much about the world. Young adults are uniquely positioned in a kind of middle ground, not children but not grow-ups either. It’s hard for young adults to find their footing, but equally important for them to know they have power and can make real change in their communities. Which was important to Jonny to get across when writing this book. Santi’s character, a darker-skinned, undocumented, Mexican immigrant is the spark of hope in the novel, that even miles away from your home, under constant threat in a foreign land, being young and queer, love and safety are gifts you have every right to.
Healthy Queer Love as Resistance
My favorite part about reading this book was the giddiness I felt flipping the pages. Jonny wrote at the perfect cadence for a deliciously sweet, slow burn from a crush to a great love. A grazed pinky finger, a lingering look, a playful double entendre. I melted. Having a novel that explores those tender nuances of falling in love, especially for the first time, with a young, queer, Latine couple is an overlooked method of resistance.
Building on these tender moments, Ander and Santi create a safe space in their romantic relationship by slowly peeling back each other’s layers and developing an emotional “home” where each other could be free from the dangers outside. Ander, a Chicane non-binary muralist, allows Santi into their space and artistic process and Santi sees into their art, into them, like no one ever had before.
Representing healthy queer relationships in media and literature is so important, as Jonny and I discussed because a lot of queer kids are not able to have open and honest conversations with their parents or caregivers about their love interests and desires. So, they turn to media and many of those sources depict queer love in unsafe, raunchy, and at times downright perverse or illegal ways. All of which keeps queer kids from seeing love as a sanctuary.
They aren’t seeing romantic refuge and LGBTQ+ safe spaces, but rather, they see pain, secrecy, and danger. Jonny spoke on the perils of some mainstream queer content depicting kids using queer dating apps like Grindr and not warning about the risks of using these apps and then setting up secret, in-person meetings. Media and literature can be sex-positive without encouraging unsafe practices so Jonny not-so-joked about staying busy by writing three good examples of queer love and/or sex for every one horrible example they see or read.
Saying No To Tragedy
Queer representation in media and literature often ends in heartache or worse. Jonny said “No, thank you” to that ending! Though they did try, Jonny just could not find it in their heart to write a sad ending for Ander and Santi. I love this choice so dearly and it made me an even stronger fan of the book! Dealing with immigration and queerness in the U.S. is grim enough so their happy ending is a real gift.
Though they did not shy away from the harshness of the characters’ situations, Jonny’s committed to the characters’ joy. When I started the book, I found myself cringing at certain parts, scared to turn the page and read what was next, just as mainstream queer representation has trained me. Much to my delighted surprise, though, the story allows the characters to be young and in love. Ander’s family never misgenders them, accept Santi with open arms, and generally are accepting in ways we’ve been taught traditional Latine families are not.
It was a refreshing change and I quickly learned I could trust the book and stop waiting for the other chancla to drop. So, in a way, Jonny taught me to trust the safe space of the book as a reader, at the same time Ander and Santi learn to build and trust the safe space between them, which is why this award-winning novel is at the top of the list for hopeful queer love stories.
Why Ander & Santi Were Here is Crucial
The scarcity of queer Latine representation in YA books is disheartening, but books like Ander & Santi Were Here help to fill that gap by offering complex, multidimensional queer Latine characters. It’s Jonny’s mission to inspire new generations of queer BIPOC writers to create characters that resonate with them and their identities. Showing queer BIPOC writers they do not need to write white characters to get their work published or for it to have value. As Jonny said, “You can skip that step!”
While it is encouraging that we do have more Latine representation, queer representation, and BIPOC representation in YA books, it is very rare to have all three of these identities represented in one, let alone two, main characters and that makes Ander & Santi Were Here all the more special. These representations, coupled with the gorgeous cover art of the book, let queer youth within marginalized communities know they are seen and valued.
Building a Safe “Home” This Valentine’s Day
Ander & Santi Were Here offers a wonderful counter-narrative to tragic endings for LBGTQ+ love. The book teaches us that love should be sweet and inviting, protected and protecting, resilient, and most of all, safe. Through their writing, Jonny Garza Villa teaches us we can trust tenderness, and we all are worthy of a happy ending. Make it a point to support books that portray positive, healthy queer love, especially on Valentine’s Day, and to embrace the safe spaces created by these stories. The best way to ensure more queer YA books on healthy love come out is to buy the ones that are here now. So do yourself a favor and find a copy of Ander & Santi Were Here this Valentine’s Day!
