Really though, unless it's a flowery romance novel where even the dimples of the hero/ine's buttcheeks are likened to the thumbprints of angels upon velvety mounds of cookie dough,
YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING ME SHOWER.
Really though, unless it's a flowery romance novel where even the dimples of the hero/ine's buttcheeks are likened to the thumbprints of angels upon velvety mounds of cookie dough,
Judging A Book By Its Cover Gives Birth To Racism
By Victoria Foyt
I would like to address the recent accusations of racism that have been aimed at my YA novel, Revealing Eden, Save The Pearls Part One.
Some have taken offense at the cover photo on the dust jacket of a blond, blue-eyed girl with her white face half covered in dark. Without reading the novel or understanding the premise, some believe that the photo shows the girl in “blackface.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
<snip>
Seriously? You don't think that using the word "coal" to describe one set of people and using "pearl" to describe another set of people is a problem? It's an implied insult.
It doesn't matter if it wasn't previously used as a racial or ethnic slur. And the argument that one person wasn't offended by it when a cousin's sister's aunt's next door neighbor wasn't offended by it is invalid as well as insensitive.
Gotta ask you the reverse question to play devil's advocate here.
Do you feel the same need to be specific when it comes to describing a white character's skin tone?
Without turning to the dictionary, I have no idea what kohl is. Probably the same as using the term "jet black."
not what I said.
Uh. It does if my discussion was about whether or not it's a previously used ethnic slur....
I don't need to. White is the default. I write minimally in that I only note that which is notable. Stating a character with red hair and green eyes has white skin is not notable. If she has deep bronze skin, that is certainly notable. If I had a white character with tightly curled black hair, I'd describe her skin color. That said, I write YA, so any non-white character's description is indeed notable.
I'm also not opposed to other indicators. That, to me, is part of a complete character profile. So ethnic last names, discussions of culture, all of that goes in as well. Ethnicity and culture aren't always simple (especially since I tend to write mixed race characters).To give a complete and thorough understanding, it sometimes requires a little more than black hair and the last name "Chang."
Um, sorry, no, Ms Foyd. You're applying your White Privilege blinkers again. When we ask if any of your beta-readers or reviewers were POC, it's because we believe that White Privilege just might make a person blind for certain aspects of a story that are troubling and disrespectful, and actually reinforce racist attitudes.And if you ask if all these reviewers are white then consider that you have a racist point of view.
Coal has energy, fire, and real value. It is durable and strong, not easily crushed like a pearl.
Not to your readers.Pearl is a pejorative term here. Coals are admired.
Kohl's is the first thing that pops up in my head...and on Google.
From savethepearls.com:“The Heat” (basically, skin cancer)
This is not "basically skin cancer." Skin cancer doesn't burn someone alive from the inside out in a week or two.The Heat is caused by deadly, toxic levels of solar radiation. Its effects are horrific, resulting in a painful, tortuous death—imagine burning alive, from the inside out, for a week or two.
Um, have you ever actually handled coal? It is very easily crushed to dust.
Why are whites called Pearls, while blacks are called Coals? Imagine a gritty, post-apocalyptic world where all that matters is survival. What good will a pearl do you when luxury items have no use? Coal has energy, fire, and real value. It is durable and strong, not easily crushed like a pearl. Pearl is a pejorative term here. Coals are admired. Coals oppress Pearls because they fear that those with light skin will add to a population unable to survive The Heat, and drain meager resources.
The use of blackface presents a mockery or travesty of African Americans’ lives. Eden Newman wishes to “Great Earth” that she had dark skin, not because she wants to make fun of people with dark skin, but because she admires their status and is jealous of the genetic advantage they offer against “The Heat.”
Pearl is a pejorative term here. Coals are admired.
Not to your readers.
You'd be hard pressed to find anyone over here who knows "nought" means zero.
Eden also constantly refers to the ruling class as "them". Turning up her nose and calling a coworker "haughty" (another word for "uppity"). Does this sound like someone who admires and is in awe of the beauty of that ruling class that she so very much wants to be like?
This could have been thought out better before she self-published it.
To say the least.
Don't you guys play the game noughts and crosses? I know you say zero instead of nought, but don't you know the word? I wonder why the US publisher changed it?