Why We Need Diverse Books #DiverseYA

"We need diversity in YA books as books themselves represented life, they reflect our worlds around us whether the setting is dystopian, fantastical, historical or real-life through the characters, their emotions and their choices. Books that choose to ignore diversity despite relevance to their story do not reflect life but a diluted, unrealistic and forced perspective that limits characters and their choices not allowing the characters the chance to fulfil their potential. Instead the story becomes secondary to the authors own personal beliefs and attitudes. It becomes a sermon rather than a story allowing neither reader nor author to develop from the book. As reflecting diversity can be challenging and challenging books are not always popular, high-grossing or beloved it’s not always the obvious choice to reflect diversity even though it is the right choice.

Books that do embrace diversity allow their characters a rich character arc and emotional connection, whilst also bringing to light issues that affect the world and society. They allow us to empathise, learn and understand the characters and their situation and develop from an experience we may otherwise have little understanding of. Diversity allows books to reflect the world and from that we can understand the world embracing the differences that make us great and increasing our understanding of this complex and beautiful world."

Sarah Nuttall (@CapturingSarah)

 

 

"Diversity is about representing our generation. There's strength in all of us and we deserve to see that in characters that we will love but ones that will also challenge our perceptions of the world we live in. I deserve to be represented; you deserve to be represented; we all deserve to be represented. Race, age, sexuality, gender, taboo issues (rape, suicide, depression etc.) should all be talked about. They are real issues, often real problems, and they need to be highlighted. Without diversity, we will be left with husk stories and vapid characters. We not only need diverse books, we DESERVE diverse books. The most important thing is that, you, YES YOU, reading this: if you want to see diverse books then you need champion and support them.

 

Christopher Moore (@yablooker)



 

 

"I think it's important to have #DiverseYA so that people from all races, sexualities, genders etc. can feel represented and confident in themselves that they are accepted. Diverse books help diverse people to realise that, despite what anyone says, they are normal. And that it's okay to be who you are. I think without diverse books, particularly in YA, where teens struggling with various problems will look for comfort, the social situation would be very much worse. Books help us to understand one another and without them, I really don't know where we'd be."

 

Georgina Howlett (@thereaderrunt)