WASTED ALL DAY KILLING ALL THE CAPULETS

Nobody’s outlawing stories of heroic straight white males. Nobody’s censoring what you’re allowed to write about. Asking for greater representation doesn’t limit the possibilities of the genre; it expands them. More characters, more cultures, more stories. With that comes more hope; more possibility; more empathy.

Yes, if the only thing you ever write is the Continuing Adventures of WhiteMan McBulgingtrousers, you’ll probably catch some flack. Not because you’re not allowed to write about that guy, but because it’s boring. Because with so much diversity out there, you’re still telling that same old story, and people want more.

—

@jimhines on Representation and the Seeds of Possibility over at Suvudu

Another choice excerpt:

“As writers, we make choices. Our characters don’t just happen—we choose who to include in our work, and who to exclude. Maybe we don’t do it deliberately, but when we default again and again to characters who are white, straight, male, neurotypical, physically abled, and so forth, we send a clear message about who does and doesn’t belong in the world. We also betray our own narrow-mindedness about humanity.”

(via penguinrandomhouse)