In the Netherlands, there was an outcry when Marieke Lucas Rijneveld was chosen to translate - they had the completely wrong background. Can't a white person translate the work of a person of color? Can't an ethnic Norwegian author include a Pakistani character in their books? Can't a cis man include a lesbian couple in their story? Most authors are sometimes little of what they present, and it becomes strange literature if the author only writes from their starting point and background. What is gained if heterosexual, white men only write about heterosexual, white men?
But of course: the further away you write from yourself, the better research you should do. As long as the characters are believable and the translation preserves the original voice - isn't that good enough?
Literature, and society, are best served by a diversity of voices and characters. Representation is important, and children's literature can never be too inclusive. All children should be able to find a book they can relate to - without exception.
But if you are going to read books in the worst sense, and remove everything that can feel controversial on behalf of others, you are left with toothless literature. No one benefits from that. There are many pitfalls if you start relying on sensitivity readers. It can quickly be determined what is acceptable and what is not - thus censorship of literature.
Art must be free
At the same time, it is arrogant not to listen to those who have experiences in the area you are writing about, whether it be a different orientation, nationality, disability, or the like. It's just good research. A sensitivity read can, as a British editor states, help make the manuscript better by bringing new insights to the author. The author is likely to appreciate such feedback and not feel censored. The author is also free to choose to accept the comments and change the manuscript (but well aware that the publisher will never publish anything that the target audience will find offensive).
The author should do good research and be aware of the literary choices they make. At the same time, art must be free. The author must be allowed to write without being afraid of offending some reader out there. And the reader must understand that just because they themselves are offended, it doesn't mean that the content is offensive."
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