Okay, I'm not coming up with a ton, but here's three:
* Hellspark, by Janet Kagan, has a very cute lesbian couple. It's definitely heavier vocab-wise than the Pierce - though lighter emotionally (it's a fluffy book) - but I don't think it's going to scare anyone too bad.
* Ethan of Athos, by Lois McMaster Bujold, maybe. Again, the language might be a little challenging. Also, I feel Ethan's characterization is a little skeevy in a couple places towards the beginning.
* Kitchen, by Yoshimoto Banana, has a transsexual character. There are telepathic dreams, so I refuse to call this anything other than fantasy.
I can think of more stuff with positive gay characters, it's just I'd be uncomfortable suggesting it to high-school students with whose debauchery levels I am unfamiliar.
no subject
* Hellspark, by Janet Kagan, has a very cute lesbian couple. It's definitely heavier vocab-wise than the Pierce - though lighter emotionally (it's a fluffy book) - but I don't think it's going to scare anyone too bad.
* Ethan of Athos, by Lois McMaster Bujold, maybe. Again, the language might be a little challenging. Also, I feel Ethan's characterization is a little skeevy in a couple places towards the beginning.
* Kitchen, by Yoshimoto Banana, has a transsexual character. There are telepathic dreams, so I refuse to call this anything other than fantasy.
I can think of more stuff with positive gay characters, it's just I'd be uncomfortable suggesting it to high-school students with whose debauchery levels I am unfamiliar.