80% of young people suffer from acne, but it’s not something you spot very often in the world of young adult fiction. Why is this, asks author Juno Dawson?
Can we talk about acne? To say it’s something that 80% of 11-30 year olds suffer from, it’s not something that you’d spot very often in the world of young adult fiction. Why is this? I’d argue that authors (and I totally include myself in this), in much the same way as TV and movie casting directors, are perpetuating the myth of physical perfection.
It might be that we do it unconsciously, but I’ve been told that my characters should be ‘aspirational’ – whatever that means. In YA, both male and female characters, if they are imperfect, often have ‘adorable’ physical flaws because this makes them relatable. So we’re talking about ‘boyish figures’, ‘lopsided smiles’, ‘unruly hair’ and the like.
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