Unheard voices: what we lose when we don't prioritize diversity
Yesterday I read a blog post by a well-respected and published author where he railed against diversity for diversity's sake at the expense of quality cis white male authors such as himself. The post was overall tone deaf about the issue of diversity and – as you can imagine – the comments in reply ranged from 'amen, brother' to 'how dare you'?
I came down on the fence, politely pointing out that the drive behind diversity in writing, science, etc. is not equal numbers at the expense of quality, but a realization that the system we've developed excludes many voices that have quality ideas that can enrich our overall experience.
The reality is that there is only one person who can win an award or a handful that can be nominated. So, yeah, maybe if a person from an under-represented group wins an award it means that the old, white, guy who was also nominated loses. Is that really a problem?
No one is advocating that minority status entitled anyone to a free pass. We are in a moment where numerous entertainment and academic avenues are taking a serious look at their lack of diversity and asking why?
In the case of fiction publishing or science, the lack of diversity in the fields stems from a lack of opportunity at the entry levels. Institutions and organizations are taking a hard look at their representation because it reflects a lack of open doors and support at the most fundamental entry points.
A friend asked me how I – a white cis woman – can write gay erotica. I expressed my reservations about writing from a view point outside of my own experience. I struggled with it when I published Wolf Creek and Spar. A gay man would be better able write about their own experiences, but they wouldn't be writing my stories. They would be writing their own.
A cis white male has every right to write a romance with a female main character. But how much more could a woman bring to that story? An African-American woman? An illegal immigrant woman fleeing gang violence with her children in search of a better life?
While the skill of a writer can allow them to get into the shoes of their characters – whoever they are – the story written will not be the same as one written by an author with different life experiences.
The whole blog post and subsequent debate really struck me as mirroring a powerful discussion we are having in the USA about the value of immigrants, diversity and race. A diverse population brings forth new ideas, challenges and experiences to the betterment of all. And yes, that means fewer white male everythings. But if their work is truly that good, it will not be pushed aside for the sake of diversity but honored as another voice in our rich tapestry.
