Facebook Convo: #weneeddiversebooks

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Below is a Facebook conversation I had with a few friends about the #weneeddiversebooks hashtag last May 2. Yesterday, the topic was brought up again on Twitter with a different set of people. A friend mentioned this conversation, and someone who wasn't in it originally asked what we talked about.

Now since I really hate that discussions like these get buried on Facebook, I'm posting it here so that it's easy for me (or anyone who's interested) to find it. To minimally protect the privacy of the people originally in the discussion, I've only left their initials.

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Posted by Honey de Peralta, May 2, 2014

I have what might seem like a really stupid question, seeing as how I've also been promoting the hashtag, but who exactly is the "We" in the "WeNeedDiverseBooks" hashtag?

Because it originated as a reaction to the BookCon all-male, all-white panel for kidlit writers. So I get it why US and Western readers and writers say they need diverse books.

But when we Asians use it, what do we mean? Specifically, when we Filipinos, who are so immersed in Western culture, use it, what exactly do we mean?


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  • P---- I read it as We = The World. The world needs a more diverse selection of books - which I read to mean works of fiction given a push in the mainstream, whether by a publisher or not -- by a more diverse selection of authors.
    May 2 at 2:26pm · Like · 6
  • T--- It is an American movement, but I like what Paolo said: It can mean the whole world. The whole world certainly needs diverse books.
    May 2 at 2:35pm · Like
  • P----- Honestly, regardless of where it started or who started it (or even their intent), to treat it as solely an American/Western thing undermines the whole effort since most diverse books and authors are OUTSIDE America. One of the reasons why I felt I needed to participate even with the site launch consuming my attention
    May 2 at 2:37pm · Like · 3
  • C----- As a Filipino reader reading a lot of books published in the US, true, I will use it as a demand for more books other than the white, middle-class experience. But I will use it to demand diversity for our own local bookshelves as well. I think our local kidlit stories are very rich and diverse and yes, props to the industry. I don't see the hashtag merely an endgoal -- yay, we have reached a proper diversity index, we can stop now! -- but as a challenge for everyone to constantly seek other experiences and other struggles and new voices to tell them.
    May 2 at 2:48pm · Like · 4
  • Honey de Peralta P---- - What constitutes a "diverse selection"? The reason I'm asking about this and about the "we" is when I joined in, it was really thinking like, "Yeah, we readers need more diverse books!" regardless of who I am and where I'm from.

    But then, I'm from the Philippines. When Americans clamor for diverse books, they want more representation from different races and genders within their country. When I say, "I want more diverse books," what stories am I looking for? 

    Because I've also found myself thinking, "Yes, we (the whole mankind) need diverse books! So check out titles from our region and our country!" And this is now speaking as someone who'd like our titles to break into the world market.
    May 2 at 2:50pm · Like · 2
  • T----- C-----, I miss you!
    May 2 at 2:52pm · Like
  • P----- Honey - I don't think the American clamor is necessarily "from different races and genders WITHIN their country." Regardless though I simply see it as some sectors are using it to mean they want to READ diverse books, and others to mean we HAVE these stories and want to SHARE them with the world, particularly those who can see themselves in us.
    May 2 at 2:53pm · Like · 1
  • Honey de Peralta I think I'm interested in finding out what subject-position we occupy when we say #WeNeedDiverseBooks. I saw one Asian writer tweet, "We already have diverse books.
    May 2 at 2:53pm · Like
  • R------ Truth be told, we plain need more books. And readers. hehe
    May 2 at 2:54pm · Edited · Like
  • T----- Whoa, I don't agree with that Asian author.
    May 2 at 2:55pm · Like
  • P----- Honey - But that's the thing - why parse it out as anything but an individual interpretation? I think everyone should interpret that hashtag for themselves, and participate to represent that interpretation. The hashtag as a whole will benefit diverse books and authors with a spike in attention regardless of the nuances of the individual interpretations. 

    Not saying it's not worth discussing, but our position in the discussion is personal I think, even if we use "We" to represent more than ourselves. It's our personal view of that "we" that we use when we speak out here.
    May 2 at 2:58pm · Like · 4
  • H------ There's a lot of interesting point on here. But I think the "we" refers to a perspective, where we are coming from. Its possible if we are part of a minority, may it be in gender, race, situations, etc, that we feel we are under represented in the world of literature. For example, having just read a few LGBTQ books one realizes that there is this wide spectrum within this group that have yet to be written about.....
    May 2 at 3:04pm · Like · 1
  • P----- Honey - And from H-----'s point, to counter asian author who believes they have diversity -- maybe she means her country has a lot of books about her own race? Which is great, but I don't think a nation on the planet has enough diversity in terms of good LGBTQ or mental condition representations.
    May 2 at 3:07pm · Like · 2
  • Honey de Peralta P----- - Really? Because most of the original tweets I saw have to do with addressing the lack of content to offer to the different people within the US. Nevertheless, yes, it spans the globe, and can therefore be subject to any interpretation you wish.

    The reason I problematize it is, as with many viral things, I wonder what its objective is and how it's supposed to attain it. Sure, we mean different "we's." Who do we want to listen? What exactly are we asking for? I like the hashtag. I agree that we need diverse books, and when I say that, I actually mean that I want more open exchange of content across cultures, East to West and vice-versa, and within regions. Is this what most of us mean? Do we now work to get more of our titles noticed by international readers and publishers or do we look for more varied content locally? What do we prioritize and by how much?

    I'm not sure if I'm asking too much from a hashtag, seeing as it's just a hashtag. I think what I'm looking for is a more thoughtful participation and action after it. It's easy to post pictures of people holding up a #WeNeedDiverseBooks sign. A lot of people are going to like it and agree with it. 

    How do you know the ones who didn't agree with it before actually changed their minds because of the hashtag and the promotion? How do you push the actual gatekeepers to enact this?

    Tarie - I think what she meant was that because she's from Singapore, to Westerners, their books will be considered diverse. So it's a matter of getting those different books to the readers.
    May 2 at 3:08pm · Like · 2
  • C----- Lucky for that Asian author! This is my diverse selection, Honey: bookshelves where I can see a YA fantasy book like Janus Silang right next to a contemporary coming-of-age written in Cebuano. I'd be happy if someone can prove me wrong and say that yes, we already have all the diversity we'll need.
    May 2 at 3:09pm · Edited · Like · 1
  • P----- Honey - "How do you know the ones who didn't agree with it before actually changed their minds because of the hashtag and the promotion? How do you push the actual gatekeepers to enact this?"

    You can't. Even if they eventually do something tangible, you'll never know if it was really because of the groundswell of voices, or one lone power player who changed his/her mind.

    Hashtag activism sometimes results in change, but it's primarily a way to give voice to concerns, and raise awareness. So the tangible benefit will be maybe people who are looking for diverse books will see diverse books or authors they weren't aware of before.
    May 2 at 3:13pm · Like · 2
  • Honey de Peralta H-----, C-----, T----- - Uh, in fairness to that Asian author (sorry, can't find the original tweet as it's buried in all the other tweets), she was speaking from the perspective of someone writing in English in Asia, and who has been vocal about the lack of diversity in Western books. Which is why she said "We already have diverse books." because she meant that other countries need only to expand their gaze and find diverse content ready and available from non-Western based writers. 

    Again, not to say that this diversity is enough. But that kind of content is there, waiting to be discovered.
    May 2 at 3:13pm · Like · 2
  • Z----- Define "diverse" and "diversity" - joining in the convo while nursing a day old flu. No virus can stop me from chiming in.
    May 2 at 4:01pm · Like
  • Honey de Peralta Hi, Z-----! That's a good question. I'm thinking what constitutes a diverse set of books would depend on which society and location one is in.
    May 3 at 9:24am · Like · 1
  • Z----- While it is beneficial for writers, readers and people in the YA and kids lit industry to look globally at diverse books and diversity in general, I feel it is essential that we look inward first. When I read this WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign over at Twitter and FB, I immediately thought of the book titles I know that have the voice of chidlren from our ethnic groups and teens in the LGBT group. Or books that speak of our different religions. On the top of my head, I can say that we have very few. So yes, WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS.
    May 3 at 9:32am · Unlike · 1
  • Honey de Peralta I think most everyone agrees that we do need diverse books. And I really like that you point out that we have to look inward first, bec. we have a lot of unrepresented populations in our literature. 

    I just read the PW article on the campaign, and once again, it covers the origin and is very West-centric. And that's ok, bec it did originate from there. And it's ok, too, that voices from other parts of the world have taken it up. But again, what I'm hoping for is that we who are not them can define what this campaign means for us exactly and what kind of diversity we're looking for. 

    Which you did, so thank you.

    Now how do we get diverse books?
    May 3 at 9:44am · Like
  • Z----- Now how do we get diverse books? - I think that's where libraries come in. Regardless of what kind of library the librarian is affiliated with, he/she must cull and curate a list or a bibliography of books that reflect diversity. And yes, the librarian in me is thinking about the coverage and the limitation of the word diversity as a way to start a subject list. This would be a basis for categorizing and organizing books on diversity (gah, whatever this word means! hahaha!). Publishers can also look at their products/books and make catalogs.
    May 3 at 9:52am · Unlike · 1
  • Z----- It would be cool to revive the International Chidlren's Digital Library, but librarian friends I met last time I went abroad for a conference told me that ICDL has no more funds to continue the project.
    May 3 at 9:53am · Like
  • Honey de Peralta Yeah, that's the sad thing about a lot of good initiatives: unless it's sustainable or gets consistent funding, it'll die out. 

    Agreed abt libraries, but I think the onus is also on the publishers. There are writers writing abt varied subjects. Publishers have to find them AND publish them.
    May 3 at 10:01am · Like
  • Z----- Again, this is something that can be done collaboratively. And we have to start somewhere. In a recent Bibliotherapy Conference I attended last week, librarians discussed an online bibliography of books for developmental bibliotherapy. I'm thinking, it's a project that this group of librarians can do. PagingJoseph Marmol Yap, Ann Grace Bansig Roderick Ramos Darrel Marco we should have coffee one of these days.
    May 3 at 10:04am · Unlike · 1
  • Z-----like this online bibliography can cover books about kids and teens with special needs, or having friends with kids in different ethnic groups and backgrounds, LGBT, etc.

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