Books allow us to see the world through someone else’s perspective. Reading books only by people who share a similar background negates this point. But one woman thinks that not all books need diversity in characters and settings. She apparently just wants books for and about white people.
“Can I just be controversial for a minute? I don’t want diverse books. I want realistic books,” she tweeted along with an image of a longer block of text on this really terrible take.
https://twitter.com/tauriqmoosa/status/923643730229329921
The woman has since deleted the tweet and made her account private. (If you’re wondering where she lives where neighborhoods of only white people are considered “realistic,” it’s Vermont, according to her Twitter profile.)
But also, the issue is not that specific books need to be diverse. It’s that books as a whole need to be diverse. Like… how did that go over her head?
The tweet was screenshotted before it was deleted, and people began rightly tearing it apart. The woman’s “Can I be controversial for a minute?” opening line turned into a meme.
https://twitter.com/tauriqmoosa/status/923645508253609985
CAN I BE CONTROVERSIAL FOR A MINUTE?
— Eric Smith (@ericsmithrocks) October 27, 2017
WHEN KIDS GROW UP NOT SEEING THEMSELVES IN BOOKS THEY GROW UP FEELING LIKE THEY DON’T MATTER.
Fix it.
https://twitter.com/justinaireland/status/923631840694595584
https://twitter.com/BookishFeminist/status/923725159219060736
https://twitter.com/justinaireland/status/923631253374554112
https://twitter.com/shingworks/status/923773587978199042
https://twitter.com/ShanelleLittle/status/923665899088879616
CAN I BE CONTROVERSIAL FOR A MINUTE? Unknown white writers are flashing their racism to get noticed, since their books ain’t cuttin’ it.
— Kristan Higgins is rarely on Tw!tter (@Kristan_Higgins) October 27, 2017
CAN I BE CONTROVERSIAL FOR A MINUTE?
— David AttenBruh (@AlHendiify) October 27, 2017
THE INPUT OF WHITE AMERICANS ON TOPICS LIKE DIVERSITY IS IRRELEVANT
*fixes collar*
https://twitter.com/kelsiedarko/status/923701556049879040
Do we really need more books about white people living in the suburbs?
CAN I BE CONTROVERSIAL FOR A MINUTE? BOOKS ABOUT YOUR GENTRIFIED WHITE-ASS SUBURB ARE FUCKING BORING ANYWAY.
— Kaia Sønderby (back from the dead) (@KaiaSonderby) October 26, 2017
No. No, we don’t.
