How do you choose the books you read?
Are you drawn to beautiful or unique cover art? Synopses that hook into your imagination? Drawn in by compelling reviews or friend recommendations?
My own books are often chosen from a variety of methods. Lists of new horror on various reader sites, favorite reviewers raving about their recent reads, and recommendation lists (especially ones that say “If you liked THIS book, you should read THAT book next”). I also have a few autobuy authors — authors whose books I’ve read in the past and loved so much that I have faith in anything else they put out.
More and more, I’m also looking for my next reads from diversity reading lists. Lists that share BIPOC, queer, and disabled horror authors in particular. Since doing this, I’ve loved the direction my reading is going. So much so, that I highly recommend all readers do the same.
Meritocracy as Oppression
I was talking to a friend about reading diversely and he said he just wanted to read good books. That he didn’t care who wrote them. I explained that this was akin to claiming to be color blind regarding people and, like that same claim, does more harm than good.
Sure, being color blind and only picking out what’s good to read sounds like a great concept. It’s based on the idea of meritocracy — a system in which people are rewarded and advanced based on ability and the work they put forth. Without getting into the ableism inherent in meritocracy, let’s focus on why this doesn’t work to make the playing field fair to minorities.
Ignoring race, gender, sexuality, and ability when looking at authors to read from relies on the concept of not making those in power “uncomfortable.” It allows them to be “nice” without doing anything to actually help minority authors.
At worst, it’s a tool of White Supremacy, Patriarchy, and Ableism to cover up the voices of those authors and the people they represent.
That probably sounds preachy and I’ve probably lost a few readers already. That’s ok. If the tone is more important to you than the message, you didn’t care about the message.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Publishing has a diversity problem. According to the Lee and Low 2023 Diversity Baseline Survey, over 72% of the publishing industry is white and over 91% cis-gendered, 68.7% heterosexual, and 83.5% non-disabled.
This is not because BIPOC, queer, and disabled people aren’t interested in publishing. It’s because the industry is full of gatekeeping.
At the time this was written, St. Martin’s Press was under an advertising boycott for Zionism and racism in part because they would not send ARCs of books to BIPOC reviewers.
So how are you going to find good books if many of them aren’t even allowed through the doors because of prejudice against the author?
What Can You Do?
Educate yourself on diverse reading. Go out of your way to find books by diverse authors. Check out diverse book reviewers and indie publishing companies that prioritize diverse books.
You don’t have to toss out books by old white men, but it’s worth questioning the chokehold they have on the industry and why.
Since focusing on reading diversely, I’ve found new favorite books I would never have encountered otherwise. Reading diversely has leveled up my experience with horror — weirder body horror, deeper grief horror, and far more intense psychological terror.