Who Can Write Whom?

As we become more educated, we grow into individuals with deeper feelings, deeper thoughts. Some say that people now gets offended by everything; we are too sensitive even if the issues are not related to us. Of course, this affects the writing industry because writing is a form of expression. With the positive increase of people of colour becoming published authors and books including more diversity, comes several issues. Most commonly: cultural appropriation.

Disclaimer: I'm not a scholar nor am I an expert in this field. I'm just a very tiny person in this huge world expressing my very tiny thoughts. 

Writing is a passion, it's a form of escapism, it's an art. I believe that anyone can write anything they are interested in writing. Saying no to someone's interest is like me waving my baby cousin's favourite fruit (strawberries) in front of her without giving it to her. I don't think we have the power or the right to suppress someone else's interest.

Back when the market was saturated with stories set in the Western world, I read a fantasy duology inspired by Chinese zodiac signs. It featured a full cast of Asian characters with sexual and gender diversity. I remembered being so entranced by it because finally I'm reading about something I grew up with; a fantasy story with customs and tales I grew up learning. It was refreshing to see my culture being represented. I was happy that someone took an aspect of my culture that I had thought was too boring and general to make it into the fiction world and spun a tale full of adventure, suspense, and complexity. I was proud that we made it.

And the duology was written by a white Australian author. 

I don't see a huge problem with author's writing outside their zone, I thought it was brilliant how the Australian author wrote an Asian inspired story. However, we should take in account of the author's intention. I know it's a hard thing to measure because we will never truly know the truth, but if an author is including marginalised characters or a different setting because they know that's the selling point now, then it would definitely be wrong. Same goes to an author who adds in a diverse cast because of demand and not because they are genuinely interested and understand the importance of diversity. 

I would love to see more representations in novels whether i's under 'own voices' or just someone who's interested in different cultures/genders/sexuality. I personally feel happy when someone outside my culture shows an interest. So, why not? It's only wrong when the author claims the racial, sexual or gender diversity as their own and not give any credits to those in that area who had inspired them. The culture was not theirs to begin with, and the fact that they could just horde the success is disrespectful and most likely a form of exploitation.

But there are authors who use their success to shine light on marginalised authors, to help them be heard, to let them speak. And that is the one of the most beautiful intersection in the path of diversity.