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I'm seeing some stuff going around so I do want to follow up my previous ownvoices thread with this:
Asking if a book is ownvoices is not "forcing people to come out" but there are people who *do* pressure authors to come out. These aren't mutually exclusive.
Asking if a book is ownvoices is not "forcing people to come out" but there are people who *do* pressure authors to come out. These aren't mutually exclusive.
If someone asked me "Is MEET CUTE DIARY ownvoices", I'd have a choice. I can say "yes, it is" and reap those rewards while accepting those drawbacks,
Or, if I was closeted, I could say "It doesn't fit that label, no" and reap *those* rewards instead. It's still my choice.
Or, if I was closeted, I could say "It doesn't fit that label, no" and reap *those* rewards instead. It's still my choice.
Note how I said "it doesn't fit that label" as an excuse to not have to say "I'm not trans" if I felt uncomfortable having to say that.
Saying it doesn't fit the label allows me to avoid being outted without blatantly lying about my identity. Bc labels are flexible.
Saying it doesn't fit the label allows me to avoid being outted without blatantly lying about my identity. Bc labels are flexible.
When I'm talking about "forcing someone to come out", I'm talking about harassing people, sending them hate mail, trying to get their book canceled, etc.
on the basis of the book not being ov. Ie. "This book is trash bc the author isn't gay." This is where there's a problem.
on the basis of the book not being ov. Ie. "This book is trash bc the author isn't gay." This is where there's a problem.
Look, if a book is harmful, it's harmful. You don't need to reference the author's lack of queerness to say it's queerphobic.
And authors who come out as an excuse to dismiss criticism aren't being "forced out". They're making a choice, and frankly, a bad one...
And authors who come out as an excuse to dismiss criticism aren't being "forced out". They're making a choice, and frankly, a bad one...
Because whether they're queer or not, their book is still open to critique, so this action means nothing.
The issue is authors whose books are facing unfair attack purely on the basis of "the author isn't queer". Then, coming out is the *only* way to end the attack.
The issue is authors whose books are facing unfair attack purely on the basis of "the author isn't queer". Then, coming out is the *only* way to end the attack.
*That's* what I'm referring to, and yeah, it's garbage.
Also adding, this doesn't work the same for race representation because PoC do not *decide* our racial identity or when we get to "come out".
Appropriating culturally/racially is a completely different thing.
Also adding, this doesn't work the same for race representation because PoC do not *decide* our racial identity or when we get to "come out".
Appropriating culturally/racially is a completely different thing.
Finally, the FOMO you get knowing there are some readers who won't read your book if you don't label it ov is *not* "forcing you to come out".
There are pros to being public and there are pros to being closeted. You get to *choose* which work better for you.
There are pros to being public and there are pros to being closeted. You get to *choose* which work better for you.
I chose to be public bc I want to build that trust with my readers and bc it's safe for me to do so at home, but I lose *a lot* by being openly queer.
The nature of oppression is either choice comes with drawbacks. That's not readers' or the ov label's fault. It just is.
The nature of oppression is either choice comes with drawbacks. That's not readers' or the ov label's fault. It just is.
