Whitewashing Discussion (and a giveaway)

I still haven't seen The Hunger Games, but I have seen so many different reactions. This one caught me off guard. Call me crazy, but I find it shocking that people who have obviously read the books are angry that Rue is portrayed by someone with dark skin. She looks exactly the way that Collins described her. In fact, when I saw the first preview, I knew her immediately. She's hiding, and she looks way too young. I thought, Wow, she's perfect.


I almost didn't write this post because Adam Heine beat me to it: "If we want to fix racism, we do need to point these things out, but we need to keep our anger in check. If we don't, then we're as much a part of the problem as they are. Racism isn't killing us. Hate is." 


No one is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses that are part of who we are, and racism is something that can be unlearned. I've seen it happen. But it's the kind of lesson you have to learn through love. Love. Education. We have to be aware.


For some time it's bothered me that most of the covers in the YA section feature skinny white girls. Seriously, most of them look like they have eating disorders. I suppose the vampires and zombies do. And where picture books, middle-grade, and adult sections have a beautiful variety of skin tones, the teen section looks pasty. I don't think editors are doing this on purpose. At least, I hope they're not. But those of us who care could say we'd like to see more variety reflected on the covers.


Ahem. I'd like to see more cultural diversity reflected on YA covers, please. Thank you. 


If this is not something that has ever bothered you, please read this post, by Ellen Oh. Or if it does bother you, you could read it anyway and tell her you agree and maybe continue this discussion in another time and place.


To celebrate the YA covers that DO reflect cultural diversity, I would like to give away a signed paperback of BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS, by Shannon Hale. 

Dashti is one of my favorite characters, not because she's beautiful, but because she's clever and loyal and honest, even when she's pretending to be someone she's not. "I'm right aware of the red birth splotches on my face and arm, not to mention my dull hair and lips thinner than the edge of a leaf." But as a reader, you fall in love with Dashti's character and you think she's beautiful in spite of the way she's described herself. 


Is that not how we should fight racism? Once you love someone, you see past the differences between you to how beautiful they were all along. 


To enter, all you have to do is comment (no hate or spoilers, please). If you tweet, FB, or blog about the contest, I'll give an extra entry for each. You have until midnight on Wednesday, April 4th, to enter. 


Thanks for reading my longish post!