Why NO ONE Should Object to ‘Clean Teen’ Fiction

Just this week I stumbled across a trending article called: “SJW YA Authors Object to ‘Clean Teen’ Fiction.”  Obviously the title caught my attention because my clean teen Lost Princesses series just recently released. So I was rather intrigued to discover that other YA authors are opposed to the kind of YA fiction that I write.

To be honest, I had to google the meaning of SJW. I know I’m
showing my age here, but I’d never heard of SJW. I discovered it stands for “Social
Justice Warrior” which is the term applied in a derogatory manner toward those who
are simply jumping on a current social issue bandwagon because that’s the popular
thing to do or because they’re seeking self-promotion.

Anyway, the article speaks to a current debate over whether to
categorize teen books. For example, some websites now offer a  “Clean Teen” books section, particularly for
parents and teens who don’t want to be exposed to the objectionable and mature
content that is continuing to flood its way into the Young Adult (YA) genre.

Interestingly, the American Library Association (ALA) as well as some YA authors are opposed to such categorizing, likening it to censorship. There was even some mocking of the category “Clean Teen Reads” over on Twitter.

In a culture that touts “tolerance,” such attitudes aren’t so tolerant. And as I thought about the issue, here are a few reasons why everyone (including ALA and MSJ Authors) should not only tolerate but embrace clean novels for our youth:

1. Clean reads respect diversity.

Let’s be very clear. There
are still a large majority of parents (and even teens) who actually like and
prefer clean YA novels that promote modesty and
sexual abstinence including, but not limited to Muslims, Jews, Mormons,
Evangelical Christians, and other people of faith.

To truly have diversity in
literature, we can’t give preference to the social agendas of groups who shout
the loudest while demeaning (and mocking on Twitter!) books that adhere to
traditional values.

2. Clean reads give hope.

You only need to look at the covers of many current YA books to realize how dark and depressing so many of them are. Reading the book blurbs only confirms that.

Some might say that this downward spiral into increasingly
oppressive material is reflective of our teen culture, that authors are merely
giving teens stories they can relate to, stories that represent their struggles
realistically.

However, I can’t help but ask if such stories only
contribute to teenage angst rather than help it? If someone is drowning, do we
jump in the water and wallow with them. Or would we be better off throwing  out a life ring and offering them hope.

While there is a place for realistic stories that portray real issues, perhaps teen literature has gone to the extreme in trying to “meet teens where they’re at” by immersing them all too often in the gritty and often bleak reality of life.

Perhaps it’s time to shift the balance and also gladly offer our teens wholesome reads that inspire and encourage them to rise above their circumstances.

3. Clean reads provide a safe reading haven.

I think we can all agree that the nature of YA fiction has
changed in recent years, delving into increasingly more adult-like content. The
above article cites a spokesperson from Simon & Schuster as saying that
because of the increasing popularity of the YA genre among adults, the content
of YA books has “scooched up toward that adult audience.”

The S&S spokesperson says she hears from many parents that
their kids “already feel so much pressure from the world around them—from
current events, social media, the school environment—that they look to fiction
as a real escape, a place where the stakes can be low and the consequences can
be gentle. I think there are many teen readers out there looking for the
experience that ‘clean teen’ can offer.”

Instead of exposing teens prematurely
to sexual behaviors, vulgarity, and other situations that are more adult-like,
clean reads provide a safe and “real escape” from a turbulent culture.

To find out more about my clean teen novels (especially my newest Lost Princesses series), visit my website here: http://jodyhedlund.com/series/the-lost-princesses/

So what about YOU? What thoughts do you have about the importance of clean teen reads?