In the spring of 2014, Twitter erupted with a cunning media campaign that got #WeNeedDiverseBooks to trend globally. Beginning with support from authors who were hoping to “raise [their] voices into
a roar that can’t be ignored”, the campaign caught like wildfire. However, almost a year later, I can’t help but fear that the movement has fallen out of attention in a fashion that is all too common for hashtag activism.
This is a sensitive issue for me to speak on. I’m a white, cisgendered, teen girl; walk into any bookstore and you will find a plethora of YA books with protagonists of exactly that demographic. The lack of diversity in books is an issue I could ignore much too easily. However, the implications of the issue are inexcusable, and they represent what seems to be a twisted idea of commonality in fiction.
Why is it that seemingly every blockbuster movie or book series features a caucasian, heterosexual, cisgendered (and often male) lead? Somehow, this character is seen as universally relatable – anybody can sympathise with the struggles of a “John Smith”, right? Okay… but would no one be able to appreciate an identical plot starring an ethnic minority? Somehow, it seems that most stories that feature a diverse cast are often automatically shelved as “niche”, regardless of how mainstream their content is.
This ties back to a common theme of minority groups being treated as, well, other. Not only does a lack of diverse books contribute to this mentality, but it is a direct result of it. Whitewashing in literature is an exclusion that mirrors the overall erasure of people of colour, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, non-binary and nonconforming people in our media, our governments, and our world. Fiction is supposed to reflect real life, and real life is a rich, culturally- and ethnically-diverse place.
A recent study by the University of Wisconsin showed that less than 8% of 2013 children’s books were written about or by people of colour, while almost half of all American kids come from a minority background. This is a startling and saddening statistic, but unique in that it accounts for more than just characters. Writer Daniel José Older commented “We need diverse agents, we need editors, we need diverse book buyers, we need diverse illustrators, and we need diverse executives and CEOs at the top, too.” With media that is produced by people of overwhelmingly one demographic (one that is usually as whitewashed as its characters), it’s unlikely that minorities’ roles will progress past minor characters, painfully outdated tropes and ignorant stereotypes. Token smart Asian friend or sassy African-American sidekick, anyone?
Systematic changes happen one step at a time. Sure, #WeNeedDiverseBooks is just an internet campaign, but in the lives of youth, internet campaigns can carry a bit of clout. I think that this is a conversation we need to keep going, don’t you?
If you’re interested in diverse YA reads, this list from WNDB is a great place to start.