My new friend in the other writer's group has made me realize that the writer's group I was in was trash. I'm glad I made this stink, because now I'm out of there and onto another group, who I hope will be be better because its founder supports what I was doing.
I would think a general rule of thumb is, never join any group with an "Education Officer."
Thank you for your support, OldLady, we finally have something we agree on.
What's really weird is that I was defending my right to be inclusive and diverse in my writing, against people who told me I had no right to do that unless I gave them leave to review my stuff to make sure it didn't "offend" anyone.
I never anticipated that I, a hard-core conservative, would be fighting this battle. But I didn't plan how my story turned out, I'm a "seat of my pants" writer and the thing just wrote itself, including all these LGBT characters who insisted on being in the story, and not on the sidelines, but as the main action going.
The thing is, I expected my devout Catholic father to hate my story, but I never would have suspected that the attack would come from the left. I assumed, because I didn't know any better, that my LGBT story would win me all kinds of friends and allies on the left, and they would read my story and thoroughly enjoy it.
But I forgot the main thing that defines the left, they don't enjoy anything. They ruin absolutely everything, including stories written by people who are trying to be inclusive and diverse. There is no winning with these people, don't ever forget that fact.