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On diversity in the publishing industry, JK Rowling and echo chambers

38 replies

ChristinaXYZ · 07/05/2021 15:26

"there is one area in which the political left appears to have an absolute clean sweep of the profession. In the book publishing industry 100% of respondents in the survey identify as being on the left, the sort of echo chamber that even academia can only look at with envy"

An essay on the publishing industry open letter that claims “transphobia is still perfectly acceptable in the British book industry”.

unherd.com/2021/05/publishing-is-now-a-leftist-bubble/

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pollyhemlock · 08/05/2021 15:22

This article on the Bookseller letter is very powerful.
wildwomanwritingclub.wordpress.com/2021/05/05/on-transphobia-in-the-book-industry/
I don’t completely agree with all their points ( can’t get especially exercised about a trans woman being longlisted for the Women’s Prize) but in general I think it’s spot on. I am completely astonished that the children’s author Onjali Q Rauf has been attacked in this way. Her books, which I have read, are not only very readable but kind and inclusive. It is as the article says like a religious cult.

Helmetbymidnight · 08/05/2021 14:39

it must make it even more difficult for a child to desist, should it wish to.
Absolutely.

PurgatoryOfPotholes · 08/05/2021 12:28

And sets self against the spousal exit clause. Angry

People should have the right to end relationships!

FightingtheFoo · 08/05/2021 10:59

That document makes for horrifying reading btw.

The utter cheek of writing this about a male bodied person when it is exactly what women fear is just too much:

"I would be frightened for my daughter if she could not access women-only spaces (for instance toilets and changing rooms): this would put her in the unacceptable position of either withdrawing from public spaces and life, or facing the potential dangers of men- only spaces."

FightingtheFoo · 08/05/2021 10:55

Thanks. I've never heard of either of the, but children who walk into a profession by riding their parents' coattails always get my back up. I hate nepotism.

A quick Google brought up this https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/17764/pdf/

IvyTwines2 · 08/05/2021 10:27

@Helmetbymidnight

all of the authors are- its led by their children and their love for their children. this makes it hard for friends/others to reject the ideology publicly because they think you are attacking their child.
But when a parent builds such a public persona for herself on this platform, with all the 'likes' and adulation from the fashionable, it must make it even more difficult for a child to desist, should it wish to. It's like being one of those high-profile religious converts in the 2000s.
SmallPug · 08/05/2021 09:59

It's also endemic in children's publishing generally. Which is deeply concerning.

Helmetbymidnight · 08/05/2021 09:38

all of the authors are- its led by their children and their love for their children.
this makes it hard for friends/others to reject the ideology publicly because they think you are attacking their child.

endofthelinefinally · 08/05/2021 09:38

A few seconds google and it is easy to work out. Just looked at the twitter. Ugh.

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 08/05/2021 09:35

Isn't the daughter an excellent example of your average, run of the mill, middle aged woman? Why is she so invested in queer theory claptrap?

SmallPug · 08/05/2021 09:28

Dotty Detective.

NoSquirrels · 08/05/2021 08:54

@FightingtheFoo

I still can't figure out who it is!
Google Kate Greenaway winners.
FightingtheFoo · 08/05/2021 08:53

I still can't figure out who it is!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/05/2021 08:41

@SmallPug

Also, there's supporting your child, and then there's bullying everyone else.
Exactly. I find her behaviour towards Rachel Rooney absolutely unforgivable.
GlassBoxSpectacular · 08/05/2021 07:31

Thank you, got it now. Huge fan of the mother, but only know one of the daughter’s books, and my children are past her age range now so I’m unlikely to buy anymore of them.

NoSquirrels · 08/05/2021 03:13

The famous mother is a veritable grand dame of British picture books, with several iconic series familiar to all kids of 70s onwards. She’s in her 90s but still publishing (with the help of said daughter). One book, her most famous, has an unfortunate name nowadays for the main character Grin and its central theme is ‘be kind’ - it’s absolutely timeless. It won the Kate Greenaway ‘most loved’.
I still love her. As said, she has a close trans family member. Her daughter really does not come across well on this however, despite her vested interest, so I feel much less charitable there.

GlassBoxSpectacular · 08/05/2021 01:54

Damnit! That will explain why I couldn’t find anything. How cowardly of them. Hmm

Though I’ve just spotted that it was anonymous. That’ll teach me to try to speed read Blush

Might there be a clue available regarding the “prominent children's illustrator/author with a much more famous and talented mother”? I’ve wracked my brains and I’m hoping it’s not someone I’m a fan of. Sad

NoSquirrels · 07/05/2021 22:39

@GlassBoxSpectacular

Where might an interested person find details of the signatories? I’ve tried searching online but I’m drawing a blank.
There were none! The signatories chose to remain anonymous Confused
pollyhemlock · 07/05/2021 21:26

@GlassBoxSpectacular I don’t think you’ll be able to because the letter was published anonymously .

GlassBoxSpectacular · 07/05/2021 21:14

Where might an interested person find details of the signatories? I’ve tried searching online but I’m drawing a blank.

Helmetbymidnight · 07/05/2021 19:58

I don't think so.

The most fervent TRA authors I know - and I know a few - have trans teenagers and absolutely feel the JKR is out to get them. :(

IvyTwines2 · 07/05/2021 18:47

How much of this is driven by jealousy towards J K Rowling? She is such a huge figure, and I did get the impression from the tweets of a couple of far less well known writers I used to follow, who hadn't hitherto shown signs of being 'TWAW', that they were seizing on any chance to give her a kick.

Ifyourefeelingsinister · 07/05/2021 18:37

There's another YA author who at one point was criticising any author who didn't have pronouns in their bio, so holier than thou. Pretty sure they will be connected with this letter in some way.

SmallPug · 07/05/2021 18:15

Also, there's supporting your child, and then there's bullying everyone else.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 07/05/2021 17:54

Author mentioned is extremely handy with the block button too, so I hadn't seen that drumming up on Twitter. I did see the rather wincemaking tweet on her mother's account, which I know is run for her.