Your Monster is the Wrong Colour!

[Paul Whybrow]

​

This article, in the Guardian book section, about gender bias in children's stories, set me thinking about my own adult crime novels.

Must monsters always be male? Huge gender bias revealed in children’s books

My protagonist detective is male, and of his nine regular 'sidekicks', five are male and four are female. I try to round out these supporting characters as much as possible, and, so far, the females' lives are more fully realised than the men. I've just started the fifth novel, and I realised that I need to bring a detective constable to the fore, as he's been neglected. There have been seven antagonist villains in four stories, and two of them were female murderers. This proportion is actually higher than real-life, in which it's estimated only 10% of murders are committed by women.

Political correctness is a nightmare to get right, whether it's to do with ageism, racism, sexism, sexual orientation, religion or politics itself. Trying to make a perfectly-balanced story, aimed at whatever reading age, with equal use of disadvantaged groups would probably look contrived. Think how daft classic novels would appear, should they be rewritten to conform to 21st-century politically correct standards.

Tokenism is always a risk, when attempting to do the right thing in telling a story. I have a particular problem, including characters of different ethnicities, in my Cornish Detective novels, for of the county's 556,000 population, 95.7% identified as White British at the last census. Nevertheless, I've included characters from France, Poland, Afghanistan, Australia, the U.S.A. and Serbia, and the second-in-command detective is of the Brahmin caste in India.

Even this use of different nationalities is open to criticism about bias, for half were strong and positive—detectives and a bar owner—while the rest had negative connotations, through being trafficked slaves and a serial killer. You can't get everything right all of the time: life isn't fair!

Examining my stories for imbalance and omissions, when I began Book 4 last year, I saw that I hadn't featured children very much, so I made a kidnapping victim an infant, knocked up the Indian detective's wife and had the lesbian detective get broody, looking to adopt an orphan from China. I was a busy boy!

Writing a story, especially for very young readers, where you're trying to teach lessons about how to behave decently, should rely on a pure narrative, which could be muddled by politically correct elements. A lot of fairy tales now appear politically incorrect, despite being cleaned up through history to adapt to changing attitudes, yet they still entertain and instruct children.

If you were creating a children's picture book, would the colour of the monster be a consideration? Black, brown, white, pink and yellow might be too sensitive a choice, open to misinterpretation, which maybe explains why monsters are vivid shades of blue, red, orange, green and purple!

How do you deal with bias in your stories?

Do you even think about it?

It sounds like an idealistic notion—and I'm being mischievous—but, how long before there's a literary award given for the most politically correct novel?

 

[Howard]

A story is about what a story is about and it stars who it stars. Period. End of.
If you start analysing work, making sure that every race, creed, colour, sexual orientation, political affiliation, height, weight, level of disability or preference of ice cream flavour is represented, you are not only an idiot, you will write a terrible story.
To say that something is racist because it does not include a black character, is homophobic because it has an all straight cast, or is sexist because its protagonist is male is so ignorant, I simply cannot even be bothered to argue it. That sort of thing is spouted by a mind which could never even understand the argument, or realise that demanding diversity is the highest form of racism.

That being said, I do, as a matter of course, have diverse casts in my writing. This is not a conscious decision, its just that I take the utterly irrational stance that anybody can be a hero and anybody can be a villain. I do not seek to write women well (a concept that enrages me) I just write women from the assumption that they are people. Crazy, I know.
The YA book I am currently seeking representation for, stars a young Chinese girl, and its main protagonists are also female. Not a decision, just how the story unfolded to me.
When I was writing the trilogy I self published (third part still on the way) I was actually asked by a few readers as to why I had no non-straight characters in the story. When I replied that three were gay characters, they were even more confused. I had to point out that the character's sexuality was not the point of the story so it had not come up. This appeared to baffle them entirely. I stopped responding at that point...

 

[Quillwitch]

The problem is not whether you write it or not, the problem is if you don´t do as they say, you won´t get published. AND you will be signaled out in front of the entire world for being a "penis".

 

[Quillwitch]

Not to mention that this text is just a load of "manure". There are plenty of female leads and villains in children´s stories. The Lion The Witch and The wardrobe is one example. There is also 101 Dalmatians, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz ( Off the top of my head), The Little Mermaid ( Disney Version),and in YA books today, the great majority of leading characters ( or MC´s ) are female-- Twilight, Divergent, The Hunger Games, The hate you give, I could go on. Someone needs to read more children´s / YA books. It´s been a long time since i´ve actually picked up a YA book where the MC was NOT female. Utter Tosh.

 

[Howard]

The problem is not whether you write it or not, the problem is if you don´t do as they say, you won´t get published. AND you will be signaled out in front of the entire world for being a "penis".

This will persist only as long as we give these nutters any power. It will all blow over, like everything does, and we can get back to business.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I try to make my MG stories reflect the real world. A gay couple books a room at a B&B. There's no significance to the fact they're gay--it's just part of the world. A US senator is a Latina woman--again, no plot-related reason, but female Latina senators exist. My NZ-based stories reflect the fact 1 in 5 Kiwis weren't born here, and many more have immigrated within the past couple of generations. I've talked to a fellow writer here who also uses diverse casts, and she's been asked, "Why do you write gay people into your books? Their gay-ness isn't part of the plot!" Her response is, "Because gay people exist."

My next big personal challenge, inspired by a non-binary student of mine, is to write a book including at least one non-binary kid, where the non-binary bit isn't the point of the story. There are so few stories including those kids in a way that's not focused on gender identity--they need stories portraying kids like them as 'normal'. Stories can be powerfully affirming for marginalised kids! One of the students at the school I tutor at is of black African ancestry--a small minority here in NZ. He was totally disengaged from learning and hated school until his teacher connected him with a book club for teens based in the Bronx in NYC--they read only books featuring black kids. Suddenly, this student loved school, walked taller, had confidence--a complete change because he finally saw himself portrayed in books.

So, yeah, I worry about what colour my monsters are--and their gender. The good thing is, I approach all my creatures, real or imaginary, from a biological perspective. If you know your biology and ecology, you know that in most of the animal kingdom, females rule, so it's a given that you'll have female villains and female protagonists prominent in the mix. Actually, in my book A Glint of Exoskeleton, I had to carefully chose insect species for characters so I didn't end up with an all-female cast--so easy to do when so many arthropod species are all-female or predominantly female, and when male arthropods are so tiny and insignificant compared to the females.

 

[Howard]

@Robinne Weiss I completely agree with your first paragraph above, that we write about <insert type of person> because <said type of person> exists. Your second paragraph worries me, however.
That a black kid couldn't associate with written works until they were about other black people is alarming. To imagine that people would only read about people that looked like them is saddening. I certainly don't only seek out books about - or from the perspective of - white, straight males, and I would be remiss to do so. So, why is it a good thing that someone else would do this?
I sort of see from where the argument comes, that people want to see themselves as being part of the world, but it strikes me that this kind of action is deliberately building walls, just to make people feel safe.
If its looked at as a starting point - a springboard - designed only to grab interest before moving onto broader works, then I suppose, but its still smells a bit funky.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

@Robinne Weiss I completely agree with your first paragraph above, that we write about <insert type of person> because <said type of person> exists. Your second paragraph worries me, however.
That a black kid couldn't associate with written works until they were about other black people is alarming. To imagine that people would only read about people that looked like them is saddening. I certainly don't only seek out books about - or from the perspective of - white, straight males, and I would be remiss to do so. So, why is it a good thing that someone else would do this?
I sort of see from where the argument comes, that people want to see themselves as being part of the world, but it strikes me that this kind of action is deliberately building walls, just to make people feel safe.
If its looked at as a starting point - a springboard - designed only to grab interest before moving onto broader works, then I suppose, but its still smells a bit funky.

It's not that he doesn't read about people who don't look like him, it's that he'd never seen a kid like himself in a story, and was empowered by seeing kids like himself take leading roles in adventures. If everything in your life says people like you aren't worthy of note, you begin to believe it. Books can help kids value themselves, or they can make kids believe they're not valuable. As a children's author, I take that seriously.

 

[Quillwitch]

I completely agree as well that X,Y,Z should exist in a text simply because they exist in real life. That should be a given, and in many cases it is. And I think that the UK is a lot more spot on in that sense ( maybe i´m wrong, i´ve never been). And I think movies and TV are slowly getting it right, and that there are some movies for kids who get it perfectly -- Spy Kids and Troll Hunters-- where the characters have a spanish last name, and are, maybe ( but not always) of darker skin. And it means NOTHING. It just means that these are kids who´s last name happen to be Cortez, and have a latin father. They are real people. No more No politics, just real life.. And it works! Hurray! I applaud that! I like that Alfonso Cuaron brought his own latin touch even to Harry Potter! Awesome! ( I can only speak for latinos, since that is my reality).

BUT, I grew up in the U.S. and was a voracious reader, and with every book, I became that character, whether that was a little white girl with pig tails or a cat. I never thought, oh gee, since there are no latinos in these books I guess I just won´t read. It strikes me as odd that people would feel that way, especially children, though this is something i´ve been hearing time and again lately. I confess I was more worried about seeing people of color on TV or film that in books, since you, as a reader, see what you want to see.

But that´s beside the point. The point, I think, I fear is, that, given the circumstances of today, someone will eventually call you out for something, so damned if you do, damned if you don´t. I had an indian boy in a wheelchair as my MC´s best friend and I was called out for it. Why wasn´t the indian boy the MC? Or why wasn´t the MC in the wheelchair instead? --Well, because it´s my book, my creativity, damn it. This is how I envision my story. And i´m certain that if I take out that "side-kick" others will argue that my book is too white, how dare I?
And, now that we are on the subject of side-kicks, honestly, I don´t know that I would call Ron and Hermione just sidekicks since they are pretty important to the story and are well-rounded characters. But, even JK Rowling is now being called out on social media for not having an outwardly gay character in HP. Turns out, as writers, we owe everything to everyone.
It worries me. It really does.
The other day on twitter, i mentioned how it felt to me that this idea of making all your characters now latino, seems more of a trend that something organic, and a relatively well know YA writer from the US told me that I was wrong and that I should read more before making such an accusation because I had no idea what I was talking about. Because, well, being a Mexican, what would I know, right? Sigh, I don't know how to navigate this new world anymore.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Yes, I agree, we're damned if we do, damned if we don't, and I truly believe we should all write the stories we want to write. I am moved to write a story about a non-binary kid because a kid I care about has inspired me, not because of any sense of "oh, I have to write this because it's the trend." I write about diverse people because my world is full of diverse people who I want to write about. And I write stories where the characters are all white guys from northern Minnesota, eh?, when that's what the story calls for. Don't let the grumpy-brigade get you down, @Quillwitch--write what you damn-well please.

 

[Quillwitch]

Yes, I agree, we're damned if we do, damned if we don't, and I truly believe we should all write the stories we want to write. I am moved to write a story about a non-binary kid because a kid I care about has inspired me, not because of any sense of "oh, I have to write this because it's the trend." I write about diverse people because my world is full of diverse people who I want to write about. And I write stories where the characters are all white guys from northern Minnesota, eh?, when that's what the story calls for. Don't let the grumpy-brigade get you down, @Quillwitch--write what you damn-well please.

Excuse my ignornace, but what is a non-binary kid?

 

[Howard]

Excuse my ignornace, but what is a non-binary kid?

Its another word for queer or genderqueer. Means they have decided that they "do not conform" to male/female identifiers.

 

[Quillwitch]

Its another word for queer or genderqueer. Means they have decided that they "do not conform" to male/female identifiers.

Thank you.

 

[Quillwitch]

​

This article, in the Guardian book section, about gender bias in children's stories, set me thinking about my own adult crime novels.

Must monsters always be male? Huge gender bias revealed in children’s books

My protagonist detective is male, and of his nine regular 'sidekicks', five are male and four are female. I try to round out these supporting characters as much as possible, and, so far, the females' lives are more fully realised than the men. I've just started the fifth novel, and I realised that I need to bring a detective constable to the fore, as he's been neglected. There have been seven antagonist villains in four stories, and two of them were female murderers. This proportion is actually higher than real-life, in which it's estimated only 10% of murders are committed by women.

Political correctness is a nightmare to get right, whether it's to do with ageism, racism, sexism, sexual orientation, religion or politics itself. Trying to make a perfectly-balanced story, aimed at whatever reading age, with equal use of disadvantaged groups would probably look contrived. Think how daft classic novels would appear, should they be rewritten to conform to 21st-century politically correct standards.

Tokenism is always a risk, when attempting to do the right thing in telling a story. I have a particular problem, including characters of different ethnicities, in my Cornish Detective novels, for of the county's 556,000 population, 95.7% identified as White British at the last census. Nevertheless, I've included characters from France, Poland, Afghanistan, Australia, the U.S.A. and Serbia, and the second-in-command detective is of the Brahmin caste in India.

Even this use of different nationalities is open to criticism about bias, for half were strong and positive—detectives and a bar owner—while the rest had negative connotations, through being trafficked slaves and a serial killer. You can't get everything right all of the time: life isn't fair!

Examining my stories for imbalance and omissions, when I began Book 4 last year, I saw that I hadn't featured children very much, so I made a kidnapping victim an infant, knocked up the Indian detective's wife and had the lesbian detective get broody, looking to adopt an orphan from China. I was a busy boy!

Writing a story, especially for very young readers, where you're trying to teach lessons about how to behave decently, should rely on a pure narrative, which could be muddled by politically correct elements. A lot of fairy tales now appearpolitically incorrect, despite being cleaned up through history to adapt to changing attitudes, yet they still entertain and instruct children.

If you were creating a children's picture book, would the colour of the monster be a consideration? Black, brown, white, pink and yellow might be too sensitive a choice, open to misinterpretation, which maybe explains why monsters are vivid shades of blue, red, orange, green and purple!

How do you deal with bias in your stories?

Do you even think about it?

It sounds like an idealistic notion—and I'm being mischievous—but, how long before there's a literary award given for the most politically correct novel?

About your question, LOL! Hilarious! But it seems like we are going in that direction. And while we are on the topic of monsters, have you see The Shape of Water?

 

[Howard]

have you see The Shape of Water?

Not me you are asking, but 'Ive not seen it. Slightly curious, but I don't trust the director as far as I could throw him.

I gather you have, so what did you think?

 

[Quillwitch]

A story is about what a story is about and it stars who it stars. Period. End of.
If you start analysing work, making sure that every race, creed, colour, sexual orientation, political affiliation, height, weight, level of disability or preference of ice cream flavour is represented, you are not only an idiot, you will write a terrible story.
To say that something is racist because it does not include a black character, is homophobic because it has an all straight cast, or is sexist because its protagonist is male is so ignorant, I simply cannot even be bothered to argue it. That sort of thing is spouted by a mind which could never even understand the argument, or realise that demanding diversity is the highest form of racism.

That being said, I do, as a matter of course, have diverse casts in my writing. This is not a conscious decision, its just that I take the utterly irrational stance that anybody can be a hero and anybody can be a villain. I do not seek to write women well (a concept that enrages me) I just write women from the assumption that they are people. Crazy, I know.
The YA book I am currently seeking representation for, stars a young Chinese girl, and its main protagonists are also female. Not a decision, just how the story unfolded to me.
When I was writing the trilogy I self-published (third part still on the way) I was actually asked by a few readers as to why I had no non-straight characters in the story. When I replied that three were gay characters, they were even more confused. I had to point out that the character's sexuality was not the point of the story so it had not come up. This appeared to baffle them entirely. I stopped responding at that point...

I resent that, @Howard ! There are not enough nutella flavored ice cream lovers represented in literature! Although,come to think of it, they would probably be stoned for endorsing such a ghastly product.

 

[Quillwitch]

And here´s another thing i´d like to mention...yeah I know, i´m kind of obsessed with this topic, but anyway-- with all of this talk of diversity and the likes it turns out i´m now labelled as a POC ( as well as other terms, depending on the continent) in other words a Person Of Color. What the actual **ck!? If you were trying to do me a favor, for **cks sake, please, stop! I´m just a person! I don´t need to be given a color--i´m not a crayon. This whole diversity agenda is again, catering to whites who see other as people of a certain color. And not only that but in the U.S. POC are also expected to speak a certain way, behave a certain way, eat certain types of food, and look a certain way, according to how white man perceives said people of color. So, again, i´m screwed.

 

[Howard]

And here´s another thing i´d like to mention...yeah I know, i´m kind of obsessed with this topic, but anyway-- with all of this talk of diversity and the likes it turns out i´m now labelled as a POC ( as well as other terms, depending on the continent) in other words a Person Of Color. What the actual **ck!? If you were trying to do me a favor, for **cks sake, please, stop! I´m just a person! I don´t need to be given a color--i´m not a crayon. This whole diversity agenda is again, catering to whites who see other as people of a certain color. And not only that but in the U.S. POC are also expected to speak a certain way, behave a certain way, eat certain types of food, and look a certain way, according to how white man perceives said people of color. So, again, i´m screwed.

SIlly girl! As a Person of Colour, the world must be sure that you are wrapped up tight in a nice, cozy blanket to protect you from all discrimination, and the best way to do that is for us to discriminate against you first, to make sure that you stand out. Therefore, no one else can discriminate against you, except in the official, appointed way!

We will also require you, going forward, to attend all meetings of Litopia, submit to every Open Submission session and comment on every post, to make sure that People Of Colour are getting their due representation in this community.

/s

 

[Quillwitch]

SIlly girl! As a Person of Colour, the world must be sure that you are wrapped up tight in a nice, cozy blanket to protect you from all discrimination, and the best way to do that is for us to discriminate against you first, to make sure that you stand out. Therefore, no one else can discriminate against you, except in the official, appointed way!

We will also require you, going forward, to attend all meetings of Litopia, submit to every Open Submission session and comment on every post, to make sure that People Of Colour are getting their due representation in this community.

/s

See, this is where I shout at the top of my lungs...where did the hearts go? I can´t just give this a tiny like.

 

[Kitty]

I have to admit I find this American concept of POC utterly baffling. I saw a submission call recently where an editor was looking for stories where the MC was a POC. His definition of POC included people of Spanish descent? Eh? *scratches head thinking about red haired Spanish friend*

 

[Quillwitch]

I have to admit I find this American concept of POC utterly baffling. I saw a submission call recently where an editor was looking for stories where the MC was a POC. His definition of POC included people of Spanish descent? Eh? *scratches head thinking about red haired Spanish friend*

Exactly, unfortunately the concept the U.S. of mexicans for example is dark brown skinned. I wonder if they would call Guillermo del Toro a POC?

 

[Howard]

Exactly, unfortunately the concept the U.S. of mexicans for example is dark brown skinned. I wonder if they would call Guillermo del Toro a POC?

I think they just call him a mental, like everyone else does.

 

[Quillwitch]

I think they just call him a mental, like everyone else does.[/QUOT

Mental is very close to brilliant. He is not at all mental. He is very down to earth, a very kind human being, very generous, and quite well-read. He hasn´t forgotten at all where he comes from and is quite true to himself and his vision of the world. Not one bit mental. At least not in a bad way. I mentioned him because even though he is Mexican and has a Spanish name, his skin is white and his eyes are blue.

 

[Howard]

Mental is very close to brilliant. He is not at all mental. He is very down to earth, a very kind human being, very generous, and quite well-read. He hasn´t forgotten at all where he comes from and is quite true to himself and his vision of the world. Not one bit mental. At least not in a bad way. I mentioned him because even though he is Mexican and has a Spanish name, his skin is white and his eyes are blue.

Oh, I didn't mean it in a bad way. Northern sense of Humour. I call him a mental as his stuff is crazy, but he does seem very down to earth as a person. Even more reason to call I'm a mental as there is a clearly a lot going on in that head of his!

 

[Quillwitch]

Oh, I didn't mean it in a bad way. Northern sense of Humour. I call him a mental as his stuff is crazy, but he does seem very down to earth as a person. Even more reason to call I'm a mental as there is a clearly a lot going on in that head of his!

I figured that´s what you meant. It´s hard to get the nuance when you are only reading it. But, then again, we are writers, aren´t we?

 

[John Hunt]

Not to mention that this text is just a load of "manure". There are plenty of female leads and villains in children´s stories. The Lion The Witch and The wardrobe is one example. There is also 101 Dalmatians, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz ( Off the top of my head), The Little Mermaid ( Disney Version),and in YA books today, the great majority of leading characters ( or MC´s ) are female-- Twilight, Divergent, The Hunger Games, The hate you give, I could go on. Someone needs to read more children´s / YA books. It´s been a long time since i´ve actually picked up a YA book where the MC was NOT female. Utter Tosh.

Perhaps one of the issues is not whether the MC is female, but what does that female character represent? Is she there to be saved by the Prince? On a similar topic this is an interesting article about the 'Smurfette' Principal.

 

[Quillwitch]

Perhaps one of the issues is not whether the MC is female, but what does that female character represent? Is she there to be saved by the Prince? On a similar topic this is an interesting article about the 'Smurfette' Principal.

Did you read the text? It´s talking about there not being enough female villains in children´s stories. Hollywood is a different creature. Hollywood tropes will not disappear anytime soon because it serves a certain market, and it works. Many Americans don´t understand that Hollywood´s biggest clients are outside its borders. Last I checked it was Brazil, India, China, Russia and Mexico.

 

[Jay Aitch]

I'm with the Monty Python school of political bullshit-er-correctness. Offend everyone and no-one can be offended.

Actually I am truly irritated (not outraged, I can't work up the energy) about manufactured language for manufactured problems. 'Non-binary', for example. We are all non-binary. None of us are 100% one thing or another. And we're certainly not bits of data, to be switched on and off.

Human beings are who they are. Sexuality is only one aspect of a multitudinous ever-evolving creation caused "person"... or if you want to be really PC: "per-kin".

So, in my opinionated opinion: Get over, move on and write the damn words.

[Toys hastily put back in the pram]

 

[Quillwitch]

I'm with the Monty Python school of political bullshit-er-correctness. Offend everyone and no-one can be offended.

Actually I am truly irritated (not outraged, I can't work up the energy) about manufactured language for manufactured problems. 'Non-binary', for example. We are all non-binary. None of us are 100% one thing or another. And we're certainly not bits of data, to be switched on and off.

Human beings are who they are. Sexuality is only one aspect of a multitudinous ever-evolving creation caused "person"... or if you want to be really PC: "per-kin".

So, in my opinionated opinion: Get over, move on and write the damn words.

[Toys hastily put back in the pram]

I am absolutely with you on this, the problem is that the industry doesn´t seem to think this way. So, how does one get around it? And I am in no way saying that I want to deliberately misrepresent anyone, or that I can´t wait to insult a certain group, but it scares me to think that what I write might be read this way.

 

[Howard]

I am absolutely with you on this, the problem is that the industry doesn´t seem to think this way. So, how does one get around it? And I am in no way saying that I want to deliberately misrepresent anyone, or that I can´t wait to insult a certain group, but it scares me to think that what I write might be read this way.

I don't think you do get around it. You charge right into it.
We now live in a world in which there is something to offend everyone, if they seek it. As I read the other day in a meme, I am pretty certain that if we had a zombie apocolypse, right now, there would be people demanding rights for zombies. That is the level of idiocy we are dealing with.
So, I think you just have to go for it. Anyone sane will see the difference between fiction or satire and actual intolerance, and if they can't, then you are damned no matter what you do.
So just write what you want, says I!

To that end, I was actually inspired, a few weeks ago, to write something new. A comedy, in the style of works such as Hitchhikers Guide (which always shared some ground with Python, I thought) it is a flatly daffy book about a undeniably unpleasant man and the ridiculous adventures he falls into. I have no idea if I will finish it, but if nothing else, it has been cathartic to write it.