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Q&A Need advice about changing character's gender

So, you are concerned about representing a minority in your story, because you do not belong to that minority. Following the same logic, men shouldn't write about women, WASP Americans shouldn't wr...

posted 6y ago by Galastel‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-12T21:57:29Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/39759
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T10:03:42Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/39759
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T10:03:42Z (almost 5 years ago)
So, **you are concerned about representing a minority in your story, because you do not belong to that minority**. Following the same logic, men shouldn't write about women, WASP Americans shouldn't write about anyone of different religion or skin colour, and only people with disabilities should write about people with disabilities, preferably with their particular disability. That's not right, is it? **We want diversity. If we follow the above logic, we appear to be getting the opposite.**

**Do not be afraid to give people representation**. Indeed, consider the example of _Les Misérables_: Victor Hugo was neither an illiterate worker condemned to hard labour for stealing a loaf of bread, nor an ex-convict whom society wouldn't let rebuild his life, nor a young woman with an illegitimate child. He was a rich and famous, privileged, white male writer. But his book made a real difference, in public awareness and in legislature.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-10-31T16:25:32Z (about 6 years ago)
Original score: 17