Adding Color to Fictional Characters

Yes. I am referring to skin color. For just a few minutes, I ask you to tuck all discomfort of the subject of race safely into your pocket. This is a safe place of learning, and today the lesson is on diversity and how the omission of racial diversity among characters is whitewashing literature.

Are you still reading? Good. Tuck that discomfort in a little more, because things will get rough.

On pages of white covered in black ink, fiction is used to paint elaborate landscapes, intricate stories, and complex characters. However, even the most successful media outlets hold a bland lack of diversity. The omission of racial diversity among fictional characters is whitewashing literature.

As a new writer, I struggled with the recent industry call for #OwnVoices (a literary movement promoting authors who belong to the same marginalized group as their main character, giving a voice to that group). These feelings do not stem from being left out of those contests and submission calls, but rather the realization of the privilege I already have in the literary world as a white person. Consider walking into a bookstore. Where would you find the shelves labeled “Black History” or “Native American Culture”? Until recently, if they are not still there, these shelves were located in the back corner of the bookstore. Bookstores assume either minorities are not their target market, or the selection and awareness of these categories are considered less desirable to the majority.

I used to be terrified to describe characters in my writing as black, Asian, Hispanic, Arab, Native American, or otherwise for fear of getting the culture of that demographic wrong and inadvertently offending an entire ethnic group. However, the longer I spent skirting the identification of a character’s race by describing tight black curls or narrow eyes, the more their stereotypical physical features only made matters worse. Consider what Gina Ruxton says on stereotypes in the textbook Understanding and Managing Diversity: “While commonalities may exist amongst members of groups, each individual member of that group has characteristics that make him unique. The problem is that stereotypes about groups of people are over-generalizations and either are inaccurate or do not apply to the individual group member in question.” This is why I challenge writers to boldly name their character’s ethnicity and celebrate the heritage they research.

There are a couple stances people take to skirt the subject of acknowledging racial differences: one applies to writers, the other to a large chunk of society. One might say, “I make it a point to describe my characters in a way that allows the reader to draw their own conclusions on their ethnicity or racial background.” Another excuse is, “I do not see the color of people’s skin. I see a human, and we are all the same.” Consider a story where the characters are all the same; that would be a very boring book.

I live in a Denver suburban neighborhood, and I’m surrounded by diversity. For example, within a group of six houses around me are the following: a Mormon couple with an adult son, an older black couple, a white couple who raises show dogs instead of children, two homes with young, white families, and a family from India who speak Hindi as their first language. When these families are listed without the mention of race, a reader might imagine them all to be white. This assumption might be caused by the mention of a large city suburb with a majority of white families, or because the reader is conditioned to assume all characters are white if not specifically described otherwise. Regardless of the reason, the omission of ethnicity in literature, intentional or otherwise, creates an illusion of exclusion.

Claiming to be colorblind shows a disinterest in learning about other cultures. The stance sends a message that every other heritage, upbringing, tradition, and ancestry are insignificant. A person with this opinion only recognizes the things in a person that are like them. This is passive ignorance, indirect racism, or whitewashing–which has served nothing but hatred and misunderstanding throughout history.
Verna Myers challenges her audience in a TED Talk to not avoid an unfamiliar culture, but rather stare at it, study it, and ask questions. Attempt to understand the struggles of marginalized people in this country or in a single neighborhood. If authors practice this exercise, we can write characters based on our learning so others can share the experience of not just acknowledging a physical characteristic, but gaining a new understanding of a culture they might never have had the courage to approach.

Much like writers utilizing critique partners, sensitivity readers are another resource to seek out when portraying a demographic for the first time. This can easily be the person or people we sought out to broaden our horizons in the first place. A sensitivity reader can make sure we depict specific topics with respect. “If you write a story from the perspective of a trans person, for example, you want to make sure you are getting it right and not just assuming how they would feel or react in specific situations,” says author Kaitlyn Abdou from Much Abdou About Nothing. “So you get sensitivity readers, in this case trans readers, to read what you have written or help you write it out to make sure you are representing them with respect and sensitivity.”

When we identify differences in race and acknowledge variances in heritage, upbringing, traditions, and ancestry, we and our readers are truly able to celebrate humanity. Giving depth to characters and, in turn, educating readers to the world outside their own front door can further encourage inclusion on all levels of media. Boldly naming races and celebrating the different cultures within fiction will end the whitewashing of popular literature and show the world the depth and value in diversity.

What are your thoughts on specific character description? If left to your own deduction, do you assume a common ethnicity when reading if one is not mentioned? Let me know in the comments.