Identity, who or what does your character identify as? Disabled, LGBTQ+, Marginalised, undead and Alien?
Undead and Aliens don't have representation, as of yet, we've never met them, so we don't have any knowledge of who or what their culture is like. For them it is all made up. There is a school of thought that says you shouldn't write what you don't know, or haven't lived. While in some cases that might be true, in others if we didn't attempt to do it, then certain representations would not be out there. Writers who write characters today, that they have little knowledge off, will run their work passed what is called sensitivity readers. These individuals read the work that the author has created and will pinpoint inaccuracies or insensitive areas back to the writer in order to be corrected.
As writers and authors we have a duty to marginalised individuals and people of colour to get right who they are and what they do. How life affects them, and how they cope with all the prejudices and pitfalls that are thrown at them. So using stereotypes and language that is demeaning is not on. Also make sure that any websites you visit to do your research are bonafide and not prejudicial.
I personally identify as disabled, lone parent (once upon a time), mother, bi-sensual (sexual), Witch, Northern Irish, Fur - Baby Mom. From this list I already have a good many profiles that I can write about, but I've never let not knowing stop me. I research subjects until I feel that I know enough to write about them from a point of knowledge, and when I write about marginalised individuals and individuals of colour I seek out sensitivity readers to ensure that I am not insulting individuals.
In my novels I have divorcees, single parent families, lesbians, Transgender individuals (one of the Queens of hell), Irish heroes and heroines (and not the stereotypical ones) and fur - baby moms (well book 7).
Readers today are a lot luckier than those of the past, representation across the board has gone up. people are seeing themselves and their culture in novels, in movies and on our tv screens. It's about time.
Disabled people can be heroes, detectives and superhero's. LGBTQ+ can be warriors, in committed relationships, raising families. Travellers are well educated, family orientated, and gender equal. People of color are not their stereotypes, or any of the horrible prejudicial and racist things that others have said about them or call them.
No matter how you identify today, you can find representation of yourself and if you haven't yet, you will soon. As authors we have a duty of care to those we write about to make sure that we get it right and not increase the misrepresentations, and stereotypical mockeries that have existed in the past.
So when you are choosing the identities of your characters, just make sure that you do it wisely and that you seek help with anything you don't know or are unsure about. Double check those websites, and seek out sensitivity readers. Maybe offer to become one yourself so that we can get it right.
If I have offended anyone, let me know, I'll be glad to amend the post.
TWW
Thanks for this. I'm sick of reading novels where every character is white, cisgender, middle class, and heterosexual -- even though all of those are part of my identity. So, I'm working to make sure that's not true in the novel that I'm working on. But it's scary to know that I'll likely do it wrong because I'm not writing what I know. I'm glad to learn that there are sensitivity readers who can help.
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