lol I rly don't know why so many people in our industry continue to uphold Kirkus as the reviewer to hope for a star from, to celebrate if given a star. it's almost abusive. they harm marginalized communities. we feed into the idea that we need their validation. rinse & repeat.

they still haven't acknowledged their transphobic review of Felix or taken any accountability for the changes they made without transparency for making changes without noting the update.

and they continue to write dismissive, harmful reviews of marginalized people and esp BIPOC. we're taught from the beginning of our careers that Kirkus is "tough" so we should be rly proud if we get a review from them. I admit it, I fed into that, too. but with the amount...

...of harm and lack of accountability, and now this, it feels more like "oh wow, I got the school bully who usually attacks everyone else to smile at me." that's not... something to celebrate, no matter what we've been taught or if anyone in our industry holds them on a pedestal.

it's really telling that so many of us are unsurprised that they would choose to capitalize "white", that we're like "ah, yes, kirkus is at it again." why are continuing this cycle of upholding them and waiting for them to do some ignorant and harmful?

anyway, I don't send my books to them anymore.