5 Responses

  1. Sunne
    Sunne at |

    Of course you are absolutely right. A close friend of mine lives with the problem that “obviously” a small man from Indonesia must be a bottom…well, no, ne musn’t. So…stereotypical assumptions much?
    I want to point out that there is one problem, you haven’t mentioned, though. It’s fear. The fear of not doing it right. I’m not a writer. I’m a reader. But I have been flabbergasted by the online hate and criticizm to white authors who dared to write a black character – despite sensitivity readers. There was always one hate group (yes, I call them that) who pointed out how “wrong” the character was. The black sensitivity readers got slashed in the discussion, too. So I defintely understand, why authors shy away from writing other ethnicities than their own.
    So let’s hope more writers will come forward with all kind of ethnic backgrounds. I’m looking forward to reading and learning.

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  2. Helena Stone
    Helena Stone at |

    Great post, Tim. Then again, aren’t they always?

    I have many, many thoughts on this subject, which I’m not going to get into here and now other than to say that I fully agree that all of us are part of one glorious and diverse human race and that I live for the day when the fast majority of people will recognise all that connects us rather than focus on the minor details that (only) appear to separate us.

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  3. Purple Reader
    Purple Reader at |

    I totally agree and appreciate the attention you draw to this issue. And I’ll add that I’ve learned discrimination can also be so subtle that even people who “don’t intend to be racist” don’t see what they’ve done and to them it seems innocent and innocuous to those who don’t understand it’s insipid effect on the abused, culturally and individually. However I will counter with another comment – I think authors write all the time about things they don’t know. It’s impossible not to, starting with gender, crime, professions, and going on from there. So please I don’t believe you can only write about your own race. The good writers do their research, write with understanding, sensitivity and respect for their characters. Yes, sometimes it’s a miss, but we must learn from our mistakes, look for the good intentions, and educate.

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  4. fefeeley412
    fefeeley412 at |

    The problem is exacerbated when publishers refuse to put BAME (using your term) on their covers or in their book and when they get busted for being shady talk about hiring ‘sensitivity readers.” You don’t need a sensitivity reader unless you’ve A) not done your research or B) you’re a down-low bigot and the publishing house has to make sure that doesn’t come out.
    Along with characters of color that should be written, there are readers and writers of color out there who are entering inside the lgbtq literary world (m/m included) and they need all the space they would like to create books about their lives from their points of view.

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