I told myself I wouldn’t talk about #OwnVoices because I end up ranting in circles, but, fuck it, I got ticked off lately. Now here I am, prepare yourselves for a rant!

For those that are unaware of what #OwnVoices is, I googled for ya because I found the first search result to be as simple and easy to understand as you can imagine; #OwnVoices refers to an author from a marginalized or under-represented group writing about their own experiences/from their own perspective, rather than someone from an outside perspective writing as a character from an underrepresented group.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. #OwnVoices is a wonderful way for people to get out their stories, the ones they wished they had when they were younger and hope to give to society today to, potentially, make some lives a bit better. Maybe only to let others know they aren’t alone. To create a community for those that have been underrepresented, used and abused by mainstream media or fucked over by life in general.

100% a message that is meant to empower those that have been stepped on all their lives. It’s meant to allow us to rise, to give us a space at the publishing table or movie studio, show our faces and our stories in mainstream media so that, hopefully, we won’t be seen as lesser anymore. We’ll have communities and friends and something to maybe share with others so they can better themselves and learn that there’s so much to the world. That is meant to be the purpose.

However, (oooooh, there’s always a but, isn’t there?!) no one can deny that #OwnVoices has brought about some issues as well (and/or amplified issues that have been here from the get-go.) I would first like to clarify that I am only speaking from the queer perspective as I am very fucking white, pale as a god damn corpse, and I am in no way saying not to support #OwnVoices or trying to invalidate the movement. But we got some shit we need to discuss.

I sometimes read about those that don’t want to discuss the issues that have arisen because “it takes away from the good message,” or “sets aside the true meaning of the movement.” I obviously strongly disagree because these issues are arising more and more from this movement and they need to be addressed. We need to pinpoint the problems, educate others on that problem, and figure out what can/should be fixed in order to move forward. Simply put, we can appreciate the message, appreciate the movement and what it’s brought about, but if we really give a damn, then we also need to admit to what is wrong and fix it.

SHOCKING, ISN’T IT?! WE CAN HAVE MULTIPLE OPINIONS AND FEELINGS, OHMYGOD, WHO FUCKING KNEW?!

Admittedly, I have a complicated relationship with #OwnVoices. I am a relatively private person that never planned to share their sexuality with the internet (although, lately, I’ve been sharing more and more. This blog is a fine example lol.) It simply isn’t anyone’s business what my sexuality is, and yet, because of what I write I am deemed “straight” by the masses and part of the problem of straight people taking over queer spaces. Our community is hypocritical on this as well; straight shouldn’t be the norm, but unless you state your sexuality then your stories are invalid or problematic because we’re assuming you’re straight.

*screams into the abyss*

Hi. I’m here to drop a hard truth; not everyone comes out when they’re a teenager. Not everyone is in a safe enough environment to come out (which we all fucking know so why the fuck are people like this?) Not everyone is even aware of their own sexuality. Many hide this truth, especially the older generation that was not as privileged as we are. That’s right, we’re fucking privileged. We have access to one another all the time, communities literally in our pocket, more queer content than ever before (although there should be much, much more.)

Do you know how many people are likely in their forties to their god damn eighties that are probably queer and either hid it their whole lives or refuse to accept themselves? Do you know how many creators have probably made some form of queer art that have been attacked for that art because they’re “straight” or “cis” but they actually...aren’t? :DDDD

Bitch, we are the problem. We expect everyone to be “loud and proud,” but that’s bullshit. Some people aren’t in a safe space. Some people haven’t realized it themselves. Some people are still figuring themselves out, keeping this to themselves either because they want to or they aren’t ready to tell a bunch of fucking strangers yet.

We never fucking know what is really going on with a person so, please, STOP MAKING FUCKING ASSUMPTIONS!

If the story is bad then it is bad. If a story is good then it is good. The author’s sexuality or gender identity is fucking void because we, the audience, have no fucking clue who they actually are and we, the audience, have no fucking right to attack or force them to come out. We, the audience, have one right and it’s to form an opinion on the book based on its content.

I was hit particularly hard when I began sending queries to agents. Many forms that I filled out asked if my story was #OwnVoices. There are also many that promote their stories as #OwnVoices in hopes to bring in the target audience they’re writing for. I have no qualm with that. It’s great that so many agents are looking for #OwnVoices content, however, it was...eye opening.

Suddenly, I felt lesser...like I wasn’t queer enough, like I wasn’t proud of who I am because not only did I not want to share my sexuality, but I sure as hell don’t want to use it to market my book, nor do I want to be known as “the asexual author” nor do I even want to write about my sexuality.

Whoa, *gasp*! There are queer individuals that don’t want to specifically write about their sexuality or gender identity or (likely very traumatic) experiences? There are queer individuals that don’t want to write thought invoking pieces, like, they just want some happy, queer love story or some queer bad ass fighting monsters that everyone else has been getting since the dawn of time? There are queer individuals that don’t want to be defined by their sexuality and would very much appreciate it if they were referred to as “an author” because they wrote a fucking book and not “an asexual author” because somehow their sexuality is more important than the occupation they work very fucking hard on? WOW, I NEVER KNEW THAT WAS POSSIBLE!!!!

I’m very sassy this blog post, I am not apologizing.

Anywho’s, #OwnVoices definitely didn’t mean for this to come about. That isn’t the message and I’m definitely not saying that people even mean for it to be, but it has accidentally become a part of the message. There are those that will tell you to “stay in your lane,” write from your experience, and do not try to take the space of others, or that those that write outside of their experiences shouldn’t be and their stories are part of the issue. Some don’t even want a queer individual writing outside of their own sexuality or gender identity, which is...utter fucking nonsense. Fight me.

*deep breath* not to beat a dead horse, but also, have y’all fucking read any of Rick Riordan’s books? HAVE YOU READY THE PERCY JACKSON SERIES?! Probably one of the most inclusive series I’ve ever read with a plethora of characters that are absolutely outside of Rick Riordan’s experiences because, as a writer, that’s kind of our fucking job. We research. We learn. We write.

I am 100% of the belief that if you are gatekeeping in general, you’re invalidating the feelings of everyone that has ever read those stories and felt seen, heard, loved, and appreciated...and you can go fuck yourself ^_^ Setting aside the PoJ series, here’s another piece that I can give; just because you are queer, that does not mean you will write a good book in general, let alone a good queer story.

*drops the mic* Yep, I said that and I mean it :D

#OwnVoices does not equate to “this is a good book” or “this story is not problematic.” We all spend a shit ton of time online and have likely read PLENTY of stories by creators that are likely #OwnVoices and have found very troubling topics or problematic tales. We still need to do research. We still need to ask questions. We need to realize that our experiences may not be the same as other’s. You can’t write about “the queer experience” and expect every queer individual to go, omg yes I love this it’s the best it’s a perfect piece of literature and I am finally seen! Sure, there will probably be some, but there will be others that do not relate because even “the queer experience” is a pretty fucking broad spectrum.

Are we not going to discuss how some authors have come out as queer after writing their books due to the immense hate they got for HAVING THE AUDACITY to write a queer book while “straight” or “cis gendered”? Are we not going to discuss how creators are made to feel obligated to come out to avoid that hate? To earn a spot on the bookshelves? To market their fucking privacy in order to prove their story is valid? Are we not going to point out what one of the biggest fucking issues is, which are the studios and publishing houses that limit our spaces, hmm?

I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten my point across by now and I don’t wanna rant too much so I’ll leave off with a few notes.

After reading this, I hope you continue to support #OwnVoices because the actual meaning behind it is honestly good. I did not make this so people think #OwnVoices is bad or that you shouldn’t support the movement, no, quite the opposite. I hope you support it while also recognizing the issues. Check yourselves, and others, when you see these issues arise. Support queer stories in general. Perhaps the person creating that story is straight or cis gendered, but remember, they may not be out and, even if they aren’t queer--if the story is good, if it was done with love and care, if it does bring good into the world then, who fucking cares? It did its purpose.

Don’t get mad at the author. Get mad at the fucking publishing houses, at the media, at those in power that deem there is only “so much space” to give our stories. They are the ones cutting us off. They are the ones saying that our stories are not marketable to the masses, although we’ve proven plenty that they definitely fucking are. Fight for more #OwnVoices, but make sure that you aren’t seriously harming and disrespecting others along the way.

You really don’t know what’s going on in a person’s life and no one, absolutely fucking no one, is obligated to come out in order to be seen as valid.

Until next times, toodles~