Elizabeth Bear had quite the brouhaha over on her LJ recently, when the subject of writing characters of color came up. Sadly, I missed the beginning, and I couldn’t locate just where it started. But in her final word on the subject, she laid out some facts with which I can’t help but agree.
I can’t possibly say it as well as she did. But I’ll say it anyway, in acknowledgement.
- I will write characters of color because leaving them out would be as foolish as writing a book with only women characters because I am not a man.
- Even though most if not all of my characters of color will be in places and settings where I can’t use “African American” or other preferred terms because no one remembers Africa and America is long forgotten, I will still get them wrong in ways both miniscule and large. When even persons of color aren’t immune to this, why would I think I could be?
- I will be criticized when I blow it.
- With the miniscule I will shrug it off.
- With the large I will make what amends I can.
- Differences will always exist (thank God). The more we understand each other, the better. As long as I am honest, informed, and sensitive, I shouldn’t be able to do much harm–and I might manage to do some good. At the very least I can hope to get people talking, yes?
Good points! I especially liked the first one.