White guy asking this.
I'm working my through Lovecraft atm and, of course, every so often his xenophobia makes itself known, and it's bothering a lot more now than when I first discovered him back in high school. Maybe it's the current state of the world politically, maybe it's that in the past couple years I've started confronting my own unconcious prejudices. I used to just shrug my shoulders, say "It was a different time" and read on. Now I find myself cringing.
I'm fully opposed to older works being edited to remove "problematic" elements (I see it no different than a textbook lying about slavery) but this is affecting my enjoyment a bit.
How do nonwhite or other marginalized readers deal with it?
by insane677
9 Comments
Honestly I have a lot more problems with modern living authors spouting horrible opinions than someone that’s been dead 100 years sounding problematic today.
It’s like a literary jump scare “Oh! … Oh, we’re going there, okay.”
Black woman – I read it, laugh, and then move on.
If my ancestors could get lit on fire, systematically left out of housing, employment and education and still make it through – I can handle the n word
And honestly? The racism hasn’t stopped? Lmao? A woman made a shit ton of money after calling a special needs black child the N word. So in the words of Samuel L Jackson “…it’s just another Tuesday for us”
Historical context is important, along with remembering that doesn’t excuse it.
I can’t speak for racism but I’m queer and homophobia is rampant in a lot of books pre-2000s.
I tend to avoid supporting living authors who bigoted beliefs extend to using their money and power to hurt people.
Otherwise I’ll read it unless it’s bad enough it outweighs my enjoyment or the positives.
I hear my old literature teachers voice explaining things like how the material was a product of their time.
Over the years it doesn’t faze me anymore reading the stuff. And sometimes it honestly helps other things make sense. Like when I watch old history clips on Youtube.
I’m white, but as a woman I’ve decided to take a pass on reading/re-reading a lot of classic sci-fi because I just get too aggravated about sexism these days. I’m just not here for the Foundation series acting like women are a non factor.
Old books or new, I ain’t got time for that. Not in my relaxation reading.
I do cringe a little but I try and I reconcile the fact that someone may be a great writer with intelligent perspectives, beautiful story crafting, and racist/sexist at the same time.
“Eat the meat, spout the bones” – don’t have to agree with 100% of the authors opinions or stances to get something out of it.
My mom was a white woman of jewish descent who’s family spent a few generations in Haiti. My dad is black, american, but grew up in africa. So, I’m african, haitian, and jewish. I am 100% against editing problematic stuff out of older texts, ( I am for content warnings though, not just as trigger warnings, but to add some context explaining why something is wrong in some texts. Some racism is more subtle or complicated).
That being said, when I read something old with something sexist or racist, I just roll my eyes and move on. If I was going to not read anything that didn’t say something anti black or antisemitic, I’d have nothing to read. Even lots of modern stuff has problems. I’m just used to it.
I just laugh it off. It’s not a big deal to me, personally.