From twitter, now in more than 140 characters!

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:31:51 GMT

90% of books for kids in the U.S. written by white authors about white protagonists.

I articulated some of my thoughts on twitter, but I wanted to do so in more than 140 characters, so here goes.

Back when the #GayinYA discussions came about, particularly from this post and suggestions were being given as to how to make YA more "diverse", I came across quotes like this:

If You’re A Reader: Please vote with your pocketbooks and blogs by buying, reading, reviewing, and asking libraries to buy existing YA fantasy/sf with LGBTQ protagonists or major characters. If those books succeed financially, more like them will be written, represented, and sold.

And, frankly, it made me very uncomfortable as well as dubious about how successful such a strategy could ever be at achieving real and meaningful inclusivity for young adult readers.

( Talk of strategies re: inclusivity in YA. Feedback appreciated, especially from actual YA's who have oppressed identities )

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megwrites

From twitter, now in more than 140 characters!