Arianne and I are so excited to bring you this new feature!
One Window, Two Views will be a weekly meme where we will discuss a topic from
each of our points of view. Please join
the discussion!
Arianne: When it comes to diversity -
whether it's to do with creed, culture, race or sexuality - YA is not where it
should be. Yes, there are some fantastic examples of books where diversity is
key - but we still need more of it.
Liza: I agree. Since I’m originally from Puerto Rico, I
enjoy books about other cultures and I can really identify with Hispanic
(Spanish speaking) characters.
Arianne: I know that when I read YA, I just
want to read about characters who feel real to me. When I look at my favourite
books, there's a pretty even split between what I would consider to be 'diverse
books' and 'not so diverse books'. (And of course, there are the 'OMG why did I
read this it's so badly written' books, or the 'there are plot holes everywhere
HELP ME!' books that fit into both categories, because let's face it, whether
you've created a diverse book or not, there's still the chance that it's just a
terrible read.) The main characteristic
of all these books, however, is that they are good stories - stories that
are fantastically written, totally unique and refreshing to read.
Liza: You couldn’t be more right, it doesn’t matter what the topic of
the book is, as long as it’s a good story.
However, there is nothing wrong with writing a great story that includes
diversity. I also have to confess that I
don’t read as many divers books as I could, or rather that I don’t seek them
out, it seems to be a happy coincidence when I read one.
Arianne:
One great example - and this is a
story I've always wanted to tell - of my personal experience of diversity in YA
is the story of the first time I read Ash by Malinda Lo. (For those who don't
know, Ash is a Cinderella retelling where Cinderella doesn't fall for the
Prince, but for a Huntress named Kaisa.) I was reading young adult way before I
was an actual young adult, and by the time I read Ash, the fact that the
central romance was between two girls didn't even cross my mind as unusual. I
saw it as something different and challenging and memorable. I was actually
disappointed that there weren't more books like Ash on the shelf when I
returned it to the library. I was hungry for books that showed me different
worlds, different sides to life. I didn't know it then, but I was hungry for
diversity.
Liza: Following your suit, let me
give you two really good examples of cultural diversity that I love – Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles and The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah
Ockler. The first is about a Mexican-American teen and what he has to go
through to get ahead in life as a minority.
Of course, it’s also a love story, but what I liked most about it is the
sense of family that is always present among Hispanics. The
Book of Broken hearts is a book that I read (listen to, really) due to your
suggestion when I posted my rambling about authors using foreign languages in
their books (see it here.) I’m SO glad that I listen to you Arianne,
because I loved it (I still have to review it, but I promise to do it soon!) Again, the sense of family is such an
intricate part of the story. I also
loved that Ockler didn’t feel compelled to make the Hispanic community one of
gangs or criminals, as it is often a stereotype that I dread in literature and
movies/TV.
Arianne: For me, lack of diversity in YA just isn't acceptable. I actually get
really heat up about it! The teen imagination is as vast as an ocean,
filled with the potential for racing currents, thrilling danger and incredible
creatures. YA books have the capacity to
tell stories you would never see on the adult shelf, because we're open to new
ideas and new ways of thinking. We're open to what others see as impossible -
vampires, witches, ghosts, gods, monsters, parallel worlds and bizarre
dystopian futures. But why, if YA authors are so willing to write about these
fantastical impossibilities, are they unwilling to make their characters more
diverse in real ways? Why are the shelves filled with book covers featuring
pretty blonde rich girls and their super-hot boyfriends? Where are the ethnic
minorities, the characters questioning their sexuality, the books where we
aren't told the hero is straight and white on the first page and we should all
just move on and assume that's how it's supposed to be?
Liza: I’m not sure I know the reasons either.
Maybe it is because authors and publishers might be afraid, not only
that it will not sell their book, but that their work (their babies, really)
will be shunned, criticized and even banned. Another reason might be that since the young
adult books are really designed for an age group that starts at around ages
10-12, parents get involved as well. It is my humble opinion as a mother that banning
a book for its content is never the answer.
Just as I supervise what my kids watch on TV or at the movies, I also
supervise their reading. It is up to me,
as a parent, to shape their minds and make sure that the content is age
appropriate.
Arianne: I get that certain types of young
adult books sell, I do. Publishing is a business, not a fairytale. Authors,
editors, agents, designers, PR departments and all the people in the between -
they have to make a living. I don't want my favourite authors to have to work
three jobs and sleep in their car because their books were 'difficult to
market' or 'didn't acquire a large audience'. But without change, the YA
sections are going to get smaller and smaller, because, eventually, teenagers
will get tired of reading the same stories over and over again. Our
expectations of the books we read are getting higher, and I know this makes us
a demanding bunch, but you know what? I think YA can meet that demand, because
YA does good books better than any other category I know.
Liza: I think that what ‘sells’ varies from year to year. Once a book or series becomes a ‘hit’
bestseller, which was the case with The
Hunger Games and the Twilight Saga
for example, it seems like everyone wants to jump in the same wagon. This is understandable and not isolated to
the publishing industry, the same happens with movies, fashion and even
food. However, I think that YA readers
also appreciate the unique and the different.
Every reader wants to discover that
one story that makes them feel, that story that they can identify with,
even if it’s not wrapped with a pink bow. Not writing about important topics such as
creed, sexuality or cultural diversity doesn’t in any way change the reality
that surrounds us, on the contrary it feels like we are trying to bury our
heads in the sand or look the other way.
Arianne: Personally, I think 2014 is
definitely going to be a big year for diversity in YA. 2015 and 2016, too, have
already been slated as the years for a landslide change in the shape and look
of the YA bookshelf.
People are starting to realize that diversity shouldn't be regarded as an
obstacle, but as an asset - and the norm. I'm really hopeful that as the year
goes on we'll see more books from diverse perspectives. This year, and beyond,
I want to read more about characters whose experiences have thus far been
pushed aside by the industry. Publishers are getting braver, and I love that,
because YA fiction is supposed to be a place where anything can happen, and we
can never afford to forget it.
Liza: Like with everything else in life, as years
go by, we (as in ‘people’) get more open minded. Things that we see and hear
now would have appalled and scandalized my grandmother, but they are common occurrences
now, and thus it will get better for each generation. I think you’re right as we will soon see an
increase in these topic for YA in years to come.
Arianne: For anyone who's interested in
finding out more about the kind of LCBTQ diversity I've spoken about today, I
highly recommend checking out Malinda Lo and Cindy Pon's diversity project -
aptly named Diversity in YA! From there, you'll find a whole new world full
of stats, trends, blog posts and interactive discussion on this topic and more.
What are your thoughts about diversity in YA? Are you open to read more of these books? Do you care either way as long is it is a good story? Any book recommendations for us?
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