Writing about heterosexual white men

I should start this with a disclaimer that I am one of these people.

I recently received some feedback accusing me of not dealing with my white privilege in my stories. This same person also suggested that due to my privilege I had to seriously consider writing from diverse perspectives in order to help those with less privilege than myself be heard.

I was a bit taken aback by this. My writing has mostly been motivated by self-expression. Though I have to admit, my characters to tend to fall into the same types. My goal has often been to deal with certain types of psychological states with my characters, not to address race issues. I got the vibe that this commentator though I was basically being immoral by only writing from variations of my own perspective.

Anyway, I don't know anymore. I feel like even if a story was perfect from a technical level, some readers will say it doesn't matter unless it's dealing about an issue relating to those with less privilege. It's not how I read, but is it something that you think about with your stories? Has anyone received similar feedback?

Even if we don't want to, should we force ourselves to write about these issues in the name of being progressive as well as damning past white men from controlling the canon and literary world?

 

Yeah, what Homer said. ^

 

Depends if you want to write what someone else tells you to write, or if you want to write what you want to write.

 

@Homer Potvin said a lot of gold, and ill leave that discussion at that.

In an effort to circumvent this race issue, unless it calls directly for it, i try to be as ambiguous as possible with my character's race. This isn't some means of just getting around the race issue though, but it is more for expanding readership. When you put things like race into the capital description of characters, you unintentionally narrow the viewpoints on the characters from the reader. With an MC, you can lose association by some of the readership. I try hard to write based on locale and personality, as well as background, before i come anywhere close to attaching a race.

The reader plays a huge part in the writing process after the story is out there. Your minor details guide them in how to understand a character, but shouldnt dominate. They create a lot of the character in their minds based on what you have. The less you have, the more they will formulate which engages them in the story more. There is a balance of course, but a good general rule is to include only three specific details of a character in their initial descriptions. Things that stand out and define them or how others view them. I almost never do race.

Unless, of course, the story wants to talk about the race as a theme or point. But those are the exception in writing for me.

 

I mean, you don't have to. But, you know, it's the nice thing to do.

Perhaps a more... generous interpretation would be that they were encouraging you to broaden your awareness of modern social issues? I'm not sure I'd go as far as saying your have a moral obligation to do so, but perhaps it's at least fair to say this person is justified in feeling disappointed or frustrated if you won't?

There is this adage when it comes to these issues that goes: "When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression." That is to say, for someone who has never had to really deal with social injustice and prejudice (and, probably, indirectly benefited from it), it is natural to feel intuitively defensive when someone tells you that it's insensitive for you to do something that seems perfectly natural to you. But also, that's probably something you want to be aware of and try to fight against. It's easy to rage against discrimination and bigotry if you're, say, a lesbian black woman. For us straight white dudes, it's harder to see what the big deal is, but one could argue that sorta makes it even more important that we do.

I like to think what your commentator was trying to say is that, as a storyteller, you are in the position to take responsibility and do your part in making the world a better place, and they don't want you to squander it simply because you don't feel like it's your problem.

So, say you force yourself to break out of your comfort zone and change your writing style to something that doesn't exclusively cater to those who share your genetic, cultural and/or sexual privilege. Is that really a bad thing? Just because it makes you a little bit uncomfortable? After all, virtue isn't about making it easy for yourself. And, hell, it may even make your a better writer.

They say we should "kill our darlings" if that makes the story better, and maybe that doesn't just apply to plot and character but also our own values and sensibilities. It's not a matter of whether or not you have to do it, it's a matter of whether or not you should.

 

... them. You will never, ever please all people.

Yes, it's important to raise awareness of underprivileged people, but it should not, no, I'll say it stronger, must not become the sole allowed topic. Period. That way lies dragons.

 

It sounded like @Zeppo595 felt that an accusation got levelled at him. If his critique partner had formulated differently, maybe saying something like that he/she would be glad to see more diversity in Zeppo's stories, he mightn't have become defensive. As it is, I have to agree with him when he's dismayed.

Yes, he is uncomfortable, but not because writing diverse characters would be difficult for him (I think). He's uncomfortable because his critique partner insinuated that he was a bigot for not writing a diverse set. That's a different issue, in my opinion.

 

I wonder if those same people are telling Asians they need to write about Hispanics and Eskimos? You write what you know. Politics should never take precedence over story in writing, unless it's politically motivated writing (which is what many activists want all of us to be doing all the time).

 

Writing diversity in fiction is definitely one of those touchy topics that can feel like there is no way to win. No matter what you chose to do, someone will be upset. So ultimately you should always do what you want to, when it comes to your writing. That way at least you can be happy about how it turned out.

With that said though, I do think that it is important to challenge, though not insult as in this case, writers to include more diversity in their works. Representation, even only on the surface level, can mean a lot to those who belong to minority groups. And as someone who has the kind of platform to reach out to others in this particular way, wouldn't it be the kind thing to at least attempt to do so every once in a while?

 

Others use ambiguity -- or else just don't even think to write about their characters' races. A number of years ago a friend recommended to me Dale Brown's Flight of the Old Dog. It's military fiction with a slightly futuristic slant. The author is a former Air Force pilot or bombardier (I don't recall which).

One of the important secondary characters in Flight of the Old Dog and most of the following books is an Air Force security sergeant named Hal ___. I think it wasn't until the second or third book that anything was mentioned about the fact that Hal was black. And I'm not sure why it was mentioned then -- it wasn't important to the story that he was black. All it meant was that, as I read the books, my mental image of Hal shifted slightly.

 

...Um, so?

Even if the commentator expressed themselves poorly, that doesn't mean they're wrong. This is an appeal to emotion, or a tu quoquo, or... some kind of fallacy, I'm sure. You're implying we should dismiss their concerns because they were a little bit rude.

Look, speaking as a fellow straight white man: We don't get to tell the non-whites, women and/or the LGTBQ crowd that they're over-reacting and everyone should settle down because everything is just fine. Okay? We are the oppressors here. Not necessarily on a personal level, sure, but the oppressors are our people. If we don't speak up, we're still complacent to the oppression.

It's up to us to decide if we're okay with that - we have to ask ourselves if we're on the right side, and not get all petty and emotional about it. That's our responsibility as the heirs of this world.

Is it, though? Sure, calling Zeppo here a bigot is probably over the line. But if he's not willing to even consider changing the status quo, the implication is that he's okay with whatever the status quo is, and therefore helping to maintain it. The only question is whether he's being honest or dishonest about his motives.

To paraphrase Bill Watterson: Sometimes black and white is just how thing are. You either strive to make the world to be better than it is, or you don't.

 

... woman. I am a native German speaker. During World War II, my folks were responsible for genocide. I visited the concentration camps and I do my level best to treat everyone the same, and I hope that everyone extends me the same curtesy. I don't condone genocide or killing in whatever form, nor do I ever think that my folks shouldn't make restitution to the best of our ability. I grew up with guilt, so I do understand what you are saying. However, I reject the notion that everything I say or do should have the motive to apologise. I have a life and dreams, and I can create art. I can make the world a better place. Maybe one of my characters or more will be LGBTQ or Jewish or whatever, but is art only art when I make a particular political statement? I don't think so. There are many ways to make a difference.

Let's not get personal here.

And I think I've said enough. I apologise if I've derailed the thread. Let's talk writing, not morals.

To sum up, no I don't think so that he should be required to change his story to include diverse characters if his story does not demand it.

 

I'd be surprised if anyone wants to force you to write characters you don't want to write (if your heart's not in it they'd likely turn out lousy anyway).

Having said that, try not to think of it as being 'forced', but rather consider that if you're consistently creating worlds where the only characters of depth are straight white men, then you're really not making the best use of the resources you have available to create a rich, immersive story.

Women, people of colour, LGBT people, disabled people, people of minority religions, etc. aren't just their identities. They are fully rounded human beings, with all the bredth of experience of straight white men. They get excited when a new gadget for their hobby is released. They wake up in a cold sweat from nonsensical nightmares about the dining table chasing them up the stairs. They deal with the same psychological nuances that your present characters do.

For me, the first step out of my own (white) comfort zone was hard work, but it was SO worth it. I'm about to start work on my project for that character, and I'm so excited, he's now one of my favourite characters I've ever done.

IMI learning to write fully formed characters outside of your own direct experience is not about appeasement, but about developing your skills as a writer to be the best they can be.

 

At this point in history one of the most targeted group is the white, heterosexual male. Sorry had to point that out, I do not fit in the group I am speaking from observing the push to punish for having been privileged. I think this same subject although expressed in a different way has already been posted. Do you write to be "politically correct" or do you write the story. When I read a story I'm not looking for the race of the person, it has to fit into the story for a reason. If the information isn't important then why is it there. Making characters "fit" a profile to check off the boxes to be "PC" destroys the story. How I might picture the MC in my head is going to be very different from the next person. That's the beauty of the story.
The person giving the feedback appears to have a very narrow vision, I would seek a new critic.

 

True that. Forced diversity often creates as many naysayers as having a rather non-diverse collection of characters. I've heard so so many people laughing at advertisements or shows that feature every race on their covers like they're showing an audience "Hey, look! See, we hit all the wickits! We're inclusive, therefore, we're better!" That kind of in-your-face inclusion isn't necessary to the story. The story needs to make sense and have coherency in character based on locale and background. Forcing anything in show is the same in writing. It's not good.

A little diversity is alright, if it makes sense. I grew up in a suburban Minnesota are that was almost entirely white. Five African American kids in the entire high school of some two thousand. Some Asian, mostly Chinese, and a few Somalians. That's it. It wouldn't make sense to have a super diverse cast there if I did a story based in that area. Use your locale as a base. Or just do like I said earlier, and leave it ambiguous. Hits more if it's ambiguous.

 

Sounding like Chinua Achebe when he talks about the loss of the African languages from Europeanization and the invasion of languages causing the loss of culture. Good stuff. I'll put my middle finger up to damn near anyone if I get the chance.

 

Art should never be forced. Art should be free and beautiful. In all its variety and diversity.

If we force ourselves to be progressive or anything at all, is that not against freedom? Thereby making it regressive? What do I know...


In my own work I have a very diverse group of humans, because they come from many different galaxies. I only have it that way, because to me, it makes sense. It would be odd if people from many different planets and climates would all look the same. (Maybe they could look the same through some strange technology, but oh well.) So whatever fits the story and your own wishes is what you should go for. Let people hate you, let them love you as well. You can't please everyone.

 

I think the best way to get diversity into writing is to encourage writers of all races, cultures and genders to write about what they know. And then read what they have written and incorporate what we have learned into our own understanding of the world. I think it's more important to encourage READERS to go 'outside their comfort zone' than it is to make writers feel guilty for not attempting to portray every kind of gender, cultural and racial permutation.

We all come from somewhere, don't we? None of us come from everywhere.

So let's interact and broaden our horizons, by all means. There are magnificent writers out there who will do much for diversity by writing about what they know, from a perspective they know. Let's ensure that they get read. And discussed. And invited to book festivals, and interviewed on TV and in magazines and newspapers, etc. Let's broaden our reading horizons, while encouraging writers to write what is in their hearts and in their own sphere of knowledge and experience. And stop condemning ourselves—and others—for not knowing and portraying it all.

 

That's nice. For the record, I was speaking purely from personal experience.

Awesome! So, then, you should be able to appreciate what I'm trying to communicate here.

There are people in this world who honestly, seriously don't agree with you. Do you understand? There are people out there who think the Holocaust wasn't a bad idea. People who'd gladly see the whole thing happen all over again. People who don't see anything wrong with thinking of different people as a inherently inferior to them. Right?

You don't want to make any excuses on their part. You - of all people - should be doing everything you can to fight back against them.

Making apologies is not the point. It's great that you feel that way, don't get my wrong, but nobody else really cares. Those are just words to them. I have literally met an actual person who seriously thought all Germans are still Nazis.

You need to demonstrate that you're different - prove that the sins of your father are not to be laid on you. I'm sorry if that sounds unfair, because it is, but that's just how the world works.

It's about setting an example. It's about actively refusing to play along and expecting someone else to validate your values for you.

Making art is making a political statement. Even if you say nothing needs to change, or that things where simpler before, or "Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to argue about stuff like this in the first place?" or whatever. That still says something about your personal values and what you think the world should be like. The intentions of the author is irrelevant to the reading of the text. You don't get to choose when you do or do not make a statement about the real world. I wish we could, but that's just not within our power.

Wait, no! This stuff important, dammit!

Of course we're not required. I'm saying that sometimes you should do something even if you're not forced to, simply because it's right. Because you recognize that it's about something bigger than your own feelings.

 

I'm reopening this thread very very tentatively.

There are outliers in every walk of life who argue points on every extreme. This isn't a conversation about Nazis or extremists. We don't need to account for the wild fringe voices. This is a simple conversation about readership involving a work with a heterosexual, white male MC and the reasons, if any, that can be problematic for the reader as the OP has seen. Don't go way way out to left field with it. The argument of art being a political statement can be made in a separate thread in the debate room if necessary. I'm sure there are plenty of hot takes to follow there. But that's not for here.

Gets too far off track again, we'll just close it down for good. Keep it on track.

 

This is very true also, and as an addendum to my previous post, I'd like to make the point that no one outside a given marginalised group should be trying to write a story about what it's like to be part of that marginalised group. I was more thinking of bringing in characters where that part of their life informs the character but is not central to the main story. In my case I have a paranormal investigator who is Black, and while his character is necessarily informed somewhat by experiences he's had by that, it's also informed by many other factors which have nothing to do with it, and crucially, the fundamental story is about paranormal investigation, not what it's like to be a Black man.

Even then, I'm employing the services of a sensitivity reader to help me make those elements of his character which I can't directly relate to as authentic and well rounded as possible.