Reading While Black

Well, are you?

Don’t Include Me

The Silence of Our Friends

Updates on the West Virginia rape and torture victim

Thoughts on the Model Minority Myth

The White Liberal Conundrum

Race and violence at Yale

There’s another race kerfluffle over at Dear Author. I came late in the discussion because I haven’t really been reading my blog roll, but I do find it better to enter the fray after the flames had died to a crackling ember. But BSA Pontif made a really good point over on Monica’s blog: “How about organizing a retreat or panel discussion of some kind on the issue of race in publishing? Just an idea, but I’m sure many authors would be willing to join in on a progressive, moderated discussion on the issue. Invite a range of panelists to participate: white authors, black authors, editors, booksellers, etc. We may be surprised at who would be willing to participate and contribute to being part of the solution. Action is needed, education is needed - talking and blogging on the issue is fine to spread awareness. Now it’s time to educate and place verbs into the resolution.“

I feel this would be healthy and proactive of the genre to engage in a panel discussion not just about race, but about sex, or feminism, or anything else that should be discussed about this genre we love to read and write. I don’t see readers or writers of the genre evolving with an overwhelming focus on “happy” or endless panels at RT or RWA on writing sex scenes or ogling male cover models. I feel the romance genre is unhealthily skewed towards sugary-sweet positivity to the point where anything that reeks of “negativity” causes the conversation to shut down because of bruised feelings, anger and finger-pointing. Many other genres encourage the discussion of certain issues that arise within them (for instance, this past spring, WisCon engaged in an albeit heated, but worthwhile discussion of race and gender, and it seems that there are a fair number of organizations off-shot from the science-fiction community that host conventions where these issues can be dealt with). All the romance genre has is RT and RWA. Two venerable and respected institutions granted, but two venerable and respected institutions that have not encouraged true introspection on the genre. Guys, we have a platform, the RWA Convention comes around once a year and since next year’s is in SF and the year after in Washington D.C.–two of America’s most culturally inclusive areas (I know this, having resided in both!)–Geez louise, we can do this.

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I blogged about Phylicia Moore five months ago. In the meantime, her father accepted her diploma in July and the FBI are supposedly investigating her death.

We’ll see what happens.

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And again