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I mean this with the utmost respect, love, and appreciation for the hard work that engaged readers, influencers, and authors bring to the table to change and improve the publishing industry for the better:
What you see and hear is only the tiny tip of the iceberg.
What you see and hear is only the tiny tip of the iceberg.
As readers and authors, what you see and receive is very much a special treatment from publishers. Publishers go out of their way to treat you in a kind, respectful manner because you are too important ($$$) to them (even though we can agree they often suck at showing you this).
With the above in mind, I can see how for someone on the outside without clear visibility into the daily behind-the-scenes, it may seem like maybe yt publishing just needs to be educated and told how to fix things. Maybe if we tell them how to work with minorities they will learn
And to be fair, sure maybe there are some people who listen. But the reality is that for every single thing that escapes and makes it out into the public there is always 50 more behind the scenes being hidden from you. White publishing doesn't truly care, in my experience/opinion
For every one issue you speak up about, please trust me when I say that there are people on the inside - often in underpaid overworked junior positions - who have been speaking up and fighting before anything is even made public for a very long time.
By the time you on the outside hear something, a minority employee has already bared themselves raw in the name of change. A minority employee has put their job, livelihood, career growth, mental health, and reputation, even their safety on the line in hopes of change.
Allies do exist but they are also very few and often also do not have the power to enact any meaningful change. The allies conversation is a whole 'nother thread.
My point for this thread though is to hopefully just kindly ask that people take a second before asking and demanding action from queer, bipoc, and disabled folks inside the industry. We are few and as loud as our voices are, without true access to power we do the best we can.
When you speak up please remember that most of us are truly exhausted. Please remember that sometimes it may seem like we don't care - "how could this get past so many people?" - but in reality we have screamed from the top of our lungs but have still been cast aside.
when things come out and you ask yourself "who approved this? who came up with this idea?" please remember that we're often siloed or dismissed in rooms surrounded by oppressing voices with more power than us. we often don't even get to enter these rooms.
It is important for people on the outside to speak up. Speak vocally on socials, speak with your dollars, speak with where you shop. Support the authors you love, if not monetarily, show up for their free online events, shout out their books, engage with their content!
The reality is that publishing still majorly focuses on marketing and selling to the cis middle aged straight able bodied white woman. Positions and jobs inside publishing companies reflect that. It's time for publishing to start shifting its focus to reach every reader.
Publishing wants minorities to dilute their stories and voices so the cis middle aged straight white abled woman can feel comfortable in spending her money. Publishing works to make this woman happy. But I know, and you know, that readers come in every shape and colour and size.
As minority employees continue to fight for both authors and readers from the inside, please know we appreciate and urge you to stay with us in this fight from the outside. The dream and hope of an inclusive and equitable industry is not in vain. This is for all of us!
White racist sexist homophobic inaccessible books and authors are deemed ~classics for a reason. BIPOC, queer and disabled stories are given very few chances or confidence. For every diverse book you see and hold today, please know a fight took place for it behind the scenes
While we're on this spicy thread, people need to learn what censorship and freedom of speech really are. They're not what you think it is.
Anyway this thread is long but I reserve the right to add to it later, thanks!
Anyway this thread is long but I reserve the right to add to it later, thanks!
