Not every book is written with you in mind, and that’s OK! You may wonder why I’m stating this, and the answer is pretty complex. I’ve seen some online discussions in recent days that prompted this post. If you feel like I’m calling you out, I probably am. If that fact makes you uncomfortable, sit with your discomfort for a while and ask yourself why it bothers you. Ask yourself why books that allow others to see themselves represented in fiction cause you to react negatively.

Retellings and remixes are pretty popular these days. Authors have begun taking classic literature, mixing it up a bit, adding diverse characters and more inclusive situations to the text. By and large, these remixes are received positively. They give members of marginalized communities a chance to see themselves represented in literature, something we all crave whether we realize it or not. As someone who belongs to a couple of marginalized groups, I am always glad to see positive representations of myself and others in what I read.

If you are someone who has grown up constantly seeing yourself in popular media, you may not understand how alienating it can feel never to encounter characters who look, act, think, and live as you do. So, before you declare the next remix or retelling you see to be nothing but trash, ask yourself whether you are the intended audience. If not, and if the book does not appeal to you, move on without trying to rain on someone else’s parade. More representation takes nothing away from you. Instead, it brings joy to so many of us, and how can more joy be a bad thing?

I’d love to hear your opinion on the matter. Drop me a comment below.