Meant to celebrate Black History Month, writers say a black Frankenstein does not count as representation
Barnes and Noble, America’s largest bookseller, is withdrawing a new series of classic book covers aimed at promoting diversity less than 24-hours after its launch, following a backlash from writers who say simply changing the skin color of characters like Romeo and Juliet or Frankenstein does nothing to address the publishing industry’s underlying diversity problems.
The new “Diverse Editions” series was announced on Tuesday to honor Black History Month and due to hit shelves on Wednesday. The project saw 12 classic young adult novels receive new covers, the protagonists now “culturally diverse”. Frankenstein has brown skin, not green, while a kissing Romeo and Juliet have darker skin tones and kinky hair textures. “For the first time ever, all parents will be able to pick up a book and see themselves in a story,” the company explains on the back cover of the books.
Related: 'It's unprecedented': how bookstores are handling the American Dirt controversy
Us: Hey, it’d be great if you could publish writers of color—
Publishing industry: Black Frankenstein https://t.co/QF3iWmfvBK
Okay, real talk: here is why the whole Barnes and Noble and Random Penguin #DiverseEditions fundamentally doesn’t not work.
In their own words: pic.twitter.com/R9c9CXeyMs
0 comments:
Post a Comment