the personal is sure as hell political

[manifesta]

Catherynne M. Valente on the intersection of politics and books:

"My story is political.

"I can write from the heart--and seriously, where else would I be writing from? I'm such a commercial sellout with my popcorn novels and my stacks of cash that I have to dig down to my Grinchy literary heart with both hands and even then I might not find anything but hot sparkly vampires? I'm all heart, baby. But I can write from my ventricles and still be political, because I am a woman and a feminist and queer and there is no telling my story, no matter how cloaked in fiction, without bringing all my uncomfortable politics in. That is telling my story. It means I worry about colonial issues, it means I worry about portrayals of gay sex, it means I consider the race and gender balance of a cast of characters, it means I think long and hard before committing narrative. Because my politics are the politics of thinking long and hard about things."

This is the reason why I dedicate a large part of this journal to the intersectionality of books, publishing, and social justice. When I criticize specific romance novels for ignoring the laws of consent or modern urban fantasy for only portraying women as strong when they're overly sexualized or the lack of strong female characters and woman writers in epic fantasy or the recent trend in YA promoting domestic violence as socially-acceptable and makes caricatures out of young women in comparison to their male paranormal counterparts-- THIS is why. Because books are the dark mirror to our reality and they reflect the subtle truths of our thoughts and beliefs and attitudes that the privilege inherent to belonging in an advantaged group disguises.

Comments

[velvetblue74.livejournal.com]

"Because books are the dark mirror to our reality and they reflect the subtle truths of our thoughts and beliefs and attitudes that the privilege inherent to belonging in an advantaged group disguises."

So true. This is something that took me forever to grasp.

This is another reason I like to read your blog--besides reading about your writing updates--I admire your ability to voice your opinions and what you stand for. I sometimes have trouble myself.

And--congratulationss on getting halfway through BWW!!! I haven't commented in forever, but I'll catch up soon.

[manifesta]

It's something that took me forever to grasp, too. Which is why I try to be so vocal about it, now that I know, in hopes that others don't have to fumble through the process like I did/do (I like to think it's on-going...).

Thank you, on both counts! I hope you've been well. :)

[velvetblue74.livejournal.com]

I don't think learning ever stops, yeah. :)

You're welcome! I've been well, except for a mild cold and school drama, but I had a good respite during the holidays. As for writing, I'm slowly easing back into it after burning out. Hope all's well with you, too.