Write Diversity

Rubber Stamping and how to avoid it.

As a writer and a person of color, I noticed that some questions I and my peers receive about race and ethnicity tend to be from people looking for the "POC" Stamp of approval. You know, "I have this specific friend who grew up in my community with the same nurturing factors as me, but they're this race, and they're not offended, so it's okay." 

Yeah... it's not. And this chapter is going to touch a little on that. 

What is Rubber-Stamping?

Rubber-stamping is approve automatically without proper consideration. It's the practice of seeking an endorsement without questioning or seeking to alter the status quo. Including myself, one person can not speak for all other non-white people which is why for this book I did research and crowd sourced information (Outside my friend group, it doesn't count if everyone you speak to is your friend that's bias information). Yes, there are people of color who don't mind assisting on certain topics, but we are not here to approve your writing choices. Nor would it be fair to other PoC if you took a minority response as a reason to dismiss the perspectives of other PoC (An unfortunately common phenomenon).  

How To Avoid This?

First and foremost do not assume that a person or a group is here to answer your questions. Google is free. Guides like this are all about the internet and once you have done your research which includes, consuming content made by that race, looking up cultural norms outside your own and reading the material given you are ready for sensitivity questions. 

Who is this for, as discussed in the previous chapters, you write a person and have them happen to be this race. It's not on you to tell a group's struggle, their character shouldn't be a caricature of a group. They should be a person and should be more than a diversity filler. Why did you write this person? What are they about? Once you know this and there's no other motive you're ready to engage. 

Fixing Rubber Stamp questions:

Be specific.

Instead of Can I/ May I, try "How can I" or "When can I" or "What can I"?

Example, instead of: "I'm Christian. May I create a Jewish character seeking to become an actress in 1920s Hollywood?" 

Ask: "How do I, as a Christian, create a  Jewish character while being mindful of the interplay between my own intrinsic bias and historical accounts of prominent Jewish figures in early Hollywood?"

Instead of: "I want to write a story with a person of color as my main character but is this problematic? 

Ask: "I would like to write a person of color, but I am aware this is a voice outside my own, what are some tropes I should avoid?"

The goal is improved understanding, not approval.
Sometimes, you really just want to know why you can't use a particular concept, and that curiosity is good! Questions that ask "Why?" in good faith are often how you can learn a lot about your own intrinsic biases and the limits of your own knowledge.

Instead of: If I write about [controversial topic], am I a bad person? 

Ask:  Why is it better for someone like me to not write about [controversial topic]?

This approach has the bonus effect of making us feel like you actually care about what we think.

3. Write your question as a draft:

Edit your question at least once or twice to provide as much information as possible while being concise. Going through your question a day or two after you wrote it, so it's not fresh in will help you narrow down what you really want to know and how you're coming across.

You all have free will and can write whatever you please. 

I don't assume anyone here is reading this book looking for a stamp of approval. I assume you have some sort of awareness and want to know how to write an honest character. Be sure that when looking for information you want answers and not yes men and everything will be okay.