I have noticed in the bookstore where I work as well as in my local libraries in Palo Alto there is a drastic inequality, and literature injustice in regards to the amount of fiction books for books that focus on non-white non-Anglo Saxon (non-WAS) protagonists especially for the younger grades. I recently did a survey of a little over 1/2 of Linden Tree bookstore's 8-12 year old books and found that only 10% of our titles are about non-WAS protagonists.
Think that even if the number was at 20% it would still be a little disproportionate to the Los Altos demographics, according to a the 2010 national survey showed that at least 30% of Los Altos residents (non including kids) are self identified as non WAS. This disparity, this huge gap between demographics and the diversity in the literature in our mainstream libraries and most bookstores is a shame.
The fact that online videos like the one we viewed for this class are happy examples, but are far too rare. Celebrating diversity is important as long as we celebrate with equal respect, equal love, equal pride for all cultures.
We need to allow our diversity to show in our bookstores and libraries! Publishers need to allow authors of diverse and non-WAS backgrounds to get mass publicity and get their books prominently on the shelves. Librarians and booksellers need to read and promote books by non-WAS authors and books!!
The Cultural influences on perception that Chen and Starosta talk about, is one possible explanation for this egregious disconnect between population demographics and diversity in literature. I remember as a kid going to an upper middle class suburban elementary school and seeing a few non WAS people. I remember my vast naiveté thinking that all the kids going to my elementary school must be in the same socioeconomic boat as me, going to a school called whose motto was friends around the world, but I digress. The point is, my limited mindset was a product of the cultural assimilation that was going on around me through out most of my early education. This assimilation/homogenization, has created a false sense of security in false identities for some people. To identify as an American some would argue would say is saying “I am a proud to be ambiguous in my identity and I take more pride in where I live more than in who I really am.” This cultural influence. can create immediate stereotypes or even lasting prejudice.
Whether there is active and acute prejudice (physical avoidance or selective exposure) is happening at the publishing, inventory, or display levels is almost certainly not the case anymore in most of the United States, but I wonder if there is some more subtle forms of cultural distance and dissonance is happening around the book world, not just in the United States. Can we really ever entirely rid our culture, our nation of prejudice in all its sinister forms? Lets hope so, maybe the racists just haven’t read the right book yet.
In libraries we can remedy this in many ways, advocate for diverse titles for inventory, display them prominently, and promote them when ever possible!
Chen, G.-M. (2005). Foundations of intercultural communication. Lanham, Md: University Press of America.
yet there is a growing concern for this completely insane discrepancy.
for just a few examples of the outrage
here are some recent government statistics and estimates that prove the gap
So basically if you are to remain unprejudiced while appealing to a mass market you need to know the demographics of your population and what percentage share of the market is and be accurate or at least not racist with who you publish. Or else many people of all races will be upset at your publishing company and the underrepresented hence further marginalized races will probably read less and you might well lose considerable money/market share, over the coming years until equality is served. Unless our expert government demographers are all wrong and people are being dishonest in their surveys, which I guess is a possibility.
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