Insider/Outsider Debate

The insider/outsider debate is one in which I feel is very hard to make a decision one way or another on. I feel that anyone who has done a great deal of research or experienced being part of a certain culture should be able to write or illustrate stories about specific cultures. Someone who knows nothing about, for example being gay would have a hard time writing a story about it. The story would be nothing but stereotypes and assumptions. It is very possible for someone who is an outsider to write and illustrate about a culture that they are not part of as long as they have concrete facts and have done some work to gain an understanding of that specific culture. I also feel it is very possible for someone who is an insider to write and illustrate about their culture. Someone who is an insider may have an easier time writing and their writing could potentially be more interesting. This is only because they have gone through the experience and lived in the moment. If they were treated differently either in a good or bad way they can express that in the writing, probably differently than someone who has not actually had the experience.
I feel both works would be authentic as long as both parties had concrete information that expressed the feelings and desires of the characters in the story correctly. It is very easy for people to write based on stereotypes and think that they know what it is like to be someone else. This is something that would have to be avoided. It would be hard to detect, especially if you have not experienced the culture that is focused on in the book. I do believe with enough research and possibly experience it would be very possible to write an authentic book being an outsider.
Some questions to explore in class would be to discuss what really makes a piece authentic and why that would make it authentic. I would also like to know who decides what is authentic. Is it just someone from that specific culture or simply anyone. This debate is something that is very hard to make one concrete decision on. There are many great writers and illustrators who have won awards for their writing and some of them not from the specific culture discussed in the book. But who is to say if they are “authentic” or not, and if they are not then should they put in school libraries and be read to young children?

My name is Jami McDonald and I am a senior at Michigan State University. I am majoring in Language Arts and Elementary Education. Diverse literature is something that is very important in the field of education and is something that every child should be exposed to.
When I was a child I was not exposed to much diverse literature. It was just something that we were not taught in school. We had diverse books in our library, but no one really pushed me to read them and explore what they had to offer. Growing up in a predominately white neighborhood, I was not exposed to much diversity. It was not until college, when I was able to see and experience many people of different races and cultures. At first I was very naive to different cultures and didn’t know much about anyone who was different from me. I learned quite a bit through reading various types of literature and meeting people who were able to open me up to new ways of thinking. I think it is very important for children to be exposed to this so they are aware of what else is in the world. Diverse literature helps children to understand different cultures and helps them to understand why some people celebrate certain holidays. I feel this is the best way to get this across to children. They are excited to read and can most easily relate to and understand something they read in a book.