Black
people, Harry Potter won't save you. But let's start at the beginning: anyone
demanding JK Rowling and
other popular writers be more inclusive, more diverse in their works need to
step away from the keyboard and chill. I know the layer of obfuscation and
anonymity that the internet allows emboldens keyboard warriors who in turn
become intoxicated with virtual muscle when challenging the establishment.
Especially when that muscle moves the needle and goes viral like
#OscarsSoWhite,
but that's what’s so addictive and dangerous about social media. Being able to
say anything to anyone at any time feeds a cottage industry of trolls who live
for it and will tear down everything just because they can. Like the Joker in
Batman, some men just want to see the world burn.
And
while social media activism can provide value like shining a light on racial
and gender disparities in Hollywood, people in the movie industry will tell you
that one of the biggest things you can do to affect change is to go see movies
on opening night. In short, fund the change you want to see. In spite of all that activism, the publishing industry is
still predominately white at every level. And a large percentage of the chatter
can best be described as begging for a white savior to, well, you know, come
save you. Confused? How is demanding a white writer or company be more diverse
in their art to make you feel better about purchasing their wares not begging for
a white savior to rescue you? Or, at the very least, assuage your guilt?
Oh, you trippin’ off my use of the term 'white savior'? Does
'accountable' work better for you? Regardless, please explain how you can
demand that the establishment address your pleas while you offer nothing in
return is not like the Tarzan trope? I'll wait...
Still
trippin'? The Tarzan thing hurt your feelings? You think I'm hating on your boo
JK Rowling? I'm not. JK Rowling is a great writer and, from what I've read
about her, an even better person (she is also hilarious on twitter). So don't
get it twisted. This is about readers screaming for diversity while ignoring
diverse books because they're not big enough or a part of the establishment,
i.e. JK Rowling or Suzanne
Collins. And I know the argument, that it's a waste of
energy to support and make demands of said writers because they aren't as big
as JK Rowling, so they don't have the same social and cultural impact. That
thinking ensures that those writers won't ever be as big or have the cultural
impact of a JK Rowling. It's nonsensical circular logic.
Oh
wait, the problem is you're not familiar with any diverse fantasy or science
fiction books? I got you! Go to Twitter and search hashtags #WeNeedDiverseBooks
or
#DiverseBookBloggers.
Those hashtags optimize social media activism by doing two things: increasing
visibility on the disparity of diverse books in the publishing industry and
promoting diverse talent. You're welcome. And for the record, no one is above
criticism, least of all JK. But my biggest beef with her books, next to that
troubling going back in time sequence, was why Harry and crew were never able
to morph into animals like their parents. His mother and father could turn into
a deer/doe and even Pettigrew could turn into a rat. Which brings to mind
another inconsistency: why
Pettigrew
never showed up on the map? I mean, this dude is in the house, in the school,
but nada? And yeah, it would be cool if Harry had an afro and
Hermione
afro puffs.
Also,
the hashtag #IfHogwartsWasAnHBCU
is why the internet was invented. But for the most part, I’m good with the
books. What I'm not good with is people constantly chirping and making demands
of big time authors for more diversity while they look past less established
writers who publish diverse books. And there is something else, a weird
conflicting dichotomy in the black community where people will enthusiastically
support black writers on social media but won't purchase their work because
they consider it substandard. And if the Potter books are the bar which black
folks require black authors to clear, why don't they have the same requirement
for white authors? Am I bitter? I hope not. But I do get frustrated at times
when I see convos about there not being enough books with diverse protagonist
or black girl heroes. I feel like
Horshack from
Welcome Back Kotter
watching those convos.
I'm
sure that this is how a lot of less established writers feel. And for writers
who do
write diverse books, the equation is simple: if you want diverse books then
vote with your dollars. They carry more weight than your tweets. But me and my
writer friends are in this for the long haul. So when y'all get tired of
waiting for that Harry Potter train to come save you and whisk you away to a
diverse Hogwarts where the sorting hat is your grandma's church hat and they
serve shrimp and grits for breakfast, we'll be here. Divers
