There are so many different cultural categories, since the definition of culture goes far beyond that of race, that people belong to that everyone is an 'insider' on some topic. Plus, I believe being an 'outsider' of a cultural group can be considered as a cultural group of its own.
All in all I do not believe someone necessarily has to be an 'insider' to write about a particular group of people. As Violet Harris writes in her article, No Invitation Required to Share Multicultural Literature, she write about author Donnarae McCann who is European-American and says;
"She possess the critical consciousness that enabled her to create an excellent examination of the depiction of Native-Americans. In the column that she co-authors with Opal Moore in the Children's Literature Association Quarterly, she writes eloquently about other groups as well. I selected the authors because they are experts in literacy and/or children's literature; they are informed about the group's literature; and they possess the critical consciousness that enables them to assess literature in a forthright manner" (pg. 11).
Does it matter the culture of the author; a great piece of literature is a great piece of literature.
Going off that, however, I think it is irresponsible of an author to write about a cultural group different from their own if they have not properly educated themselves. As Rudine Sims Bishop writes in her article, A Reply to Shannon the Canon, "you have to know a culture intimately if you're going to reflect if accurately in your fiction" (pg. 6). Writing about culture in a children's book is not a task that should be taken lightly. It is important to portray people accurately as to not give children the wrong ideas.
1 comment:
Hey Lauren,
I agree with you. I don't think it should come down to ethnicity, race, color, or beliefs. I think that if you are knowledgeable on a topic and you can represent a culture with poise, accuracy, and if you can give that culture pride then you should. Everyone is looking for a positive way of looking at themselves and sometimes it takes someone from "the outside" to point it out. The people that we call outsiders can become insiders if they have a motivation to do so. It doesn't come down to blood, looks, or history it comes down to knowledge and respect. I am Irish, German, and probably a few other things but I am also White, Catholic, Brown Haired, Blue Eyed, and American. I would not be able to give you a good and accurate account of the history that is found in my blood because I've never gotten a full education on it.
I think that people have come to focus too much on the issues of what others have rights to based on ethnic background and culture that it makes people over question themselves and what they are reading in this case.
I really think we should just all be friends and share the things that we know regardless of background. If you have something to teach then teach it and others will benefit from it in some way.
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