Comments on: Writing about race in fantasy novels, part 2 http://www.malindalo.com/2008/12/writing-about-race-in-fantasy-novels-part-2/ Author of ASH Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:25:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Martine http://www.malindalo.com/2008/12/writing-about-race-in-fantasy-novels-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1153 Martine Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:32:33 +0000 http://malindalo.com/blog/2008/12/10/writing-about-race-in-fantasy-novels-part-2/#comment-1153 Hey Malinda- I'm wondering about your hesitantcy to draw attention to race/orientation etc. I agree with the poster you referenced that it is an opportunity to address the default and challenge the seeming good intentions of " I don't see color" that plagues the PC status quo right now. Seeing/naming difference isn't the issue but the meaning we give that naming in our behavior and relationships. In YA fiction I find it especially important to name differences because you control how you draw attention in a way that empowers that is different than attention for objectification's sake. I can't think of a hit YA series off the top of my head that is multicultural and I try my best to keep up with the world. It's put in that special "mulitcultural + diversity shelf" and the authors of color in YA write/seem to be pitched for a matching audience. I think this is really sad because what would be truly celebratory and impressive would be a mirror twin in the pages of the diversity in the world with all the fantastical elements of the world you/any writer creates. Ahh..I'm up far too late to think/write critically...My main point is a worry when people say that don't see differences because it doesn't actually affirm an individual but the (well meaning) ideology that not seeing equals samness equals standards of good being white. I'm not saying that's what you wrote/mean just - rock on! Write what world you experience - don't hesitate - we need your voice and seeing and young people, especially of color need to see themselves fluidly represented in narrative. I don't know if its the crowd on the web but I go to the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators comunity and people are pretty touchy there about race and sexuality there. Which leads me to believe the crowd writing in the field there is prodominently older and white, which is cool but then things become theoretical in wanting to change the norms. I want to hear from the voices that are not getting a platform. Sparkles from your late night kidlit fan (who is a biracial lesbian so maybe a bit biased about the importance of writing in the intersections) Hey Malinda-
I’m wondering about your hesitantcy to draw attention to race/orientation etc. I agree with the poster you referenced that it is an opportunity to address the default and challenge the seeming good intentions of ” I don’t see color” that plagues the PC status quo right now. Seeing/naming difference isn’t the issue but the meaning we give that naming in our behavior and relationships. In YA fiction I find it especially important to name differences because you control how you draw attention in a way that empowers that is different than attention for objectification’s sake.

I can’t think of a hit YA series off the top of my head that is multicultural and I try my best to keep up with the world. It’s put in that special “mulitcultural + diversity shelf” and the authors of color in YA write/seem to be pitched for a matching audience. I think this is really sad because what would be truly celebratory and impressive would be a mirror twin in the pages of the diversity in the world with all the fantastical elements of the world you/any writer creates.

Ahh..I’m up far too late to think/write critically…My main point is a worry when people say that don’t see differences because it doesn’t actually affirm an individual but the (well meaning) ideology that not seeing equals samness equals standards of good being white. I’m not saying that’s what you wrote/mean just – rock on! Write what world you experience – don’t hesitate – we need your voice and seeing and young people, especially of color need to see themselves fluidly represented in narrative.

I don’t know if its the crowd on the web but I go to the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators comunity and people are pretty touchy there about race and sexuality there. Which leads me to believe the crowd writing in the field there is prodominently older and white, which is cool but then things become theoretical in wanting to change the norms.
I want to hear from the voices that are not getting a platform.

Sparkles from your late night kidlit fan (who is a biracial lesbian so maybe a bit biased about the importance of writing in the intersections)

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