UMVA has learned that a storm is brewing around Elle Kennedy, the author of the romance book series Off Campus, which inspired the new Amazon Prime Video series. Kennedy has been accused of lesbophobia, sparking a heated debate among fans and critics alike.
The Off Campus series, which earned instant ‘hit’ status on the streaming platform, has now turned attention to the book series on which it was based. Some fans have been raising their eyebrows at the way Kennedy has depicted lesbians, with many criticizing her portrayal as fetishized and demeaning.
BookTok creator Alyssa, known as alyssaslibrary, posted a video calling Kennedy out for “fetishisation of lesbian relationships” in her Off Campus series. Alyssa highlighted how Kennedy responded to a message from a reader asking her when she could expect to dabble in WLW, or sapphic, college romance.
Kennedy's response, made in a post dated 15 May 2019, was blunt: “Unfortunately F/F really isn’t something I’m interested in writing, sorry!” This statement has sparked outrage among fans, who point to instances in the Off Campus series where women making out with women are depicted as a way to gain male attention or attraction.
Alyssa shared a quote from Kennedy’s book The Mistake, which features a scene where two girls are making out while a male character films them with his iPhone. The quote reads: “I glance around the room again. My gaze lands in the corner, where two girls in jeans and bras are making out while one of the Omega Phi guys films the passionate display with his iPhone. The sight makes me stifle a groan. Ten bucks says that video will end up on one of those free porn sites.”
Alyssa was scathing in her criticism, saying: “One, that’s absolutely disgusting. Two, I cannot. That’s actually disgusting.” She also shared excerpts from other Kennedy books, including The Score, which feature male characters watching or thinking about women making out with each other.
The video has gained over 375,000 views, with many TikTok users responding to the accusations in the comments. Some have defended Kennedy, saying she doesn’t have to write about something she’s not interested in, while others have expressed outrage and disappointment.
Other BookTok creators have also spoken out about Kennedy's portrayal of WLW relationships. Amivi, known as diariesofafemme, posted a video citing excerpts from Kennedy’s books to back up their claims of lesbophobia. They argued that Kennedy's depiction of sapphic relationships is fetishized and demeaning, and that it's disgusting that the series is being made into a TV show while other sapphic books remain unadapted.
The controversy has sparked a wider conversation about representation and diversity in literature and media. As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: Elle Kennedy's portrayal of lesbians has struck a nerve, and fans are demanding better.
