July might be drawing to a close but I still wanted to highlight the importance of this month. July is the anniversary month of the Black Lives Matter movement, it is also Disability Pride month and it’s the month that I almost reached my Goodreads goal, which I see as an absolute win given last year’s performance, but I digress.
Of late I have been seeking out a range of diverse perspectives in fiction and other forms of literature and if the endeavour has shown me anything, it’s that far too much effort is required to unearth these stories. The representation of different minorities, be it black, person-of-colour, disabled, bisexual, asexual and transgender etc is sorely lacking from mainstream publishing.
It is on this basis that I wanted to share something that features the recent books I have enjoyed that give voice to generally underrepresented groups and to express my desire to continue searching for books that marginalised communities can identify with, far beyond the end of this distinguished month.
LATEST BOOK REVIEWS;
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“This book, when read with humility is key in understanding the complexities of sexuality and gender identity.” Trans Like Me: A Journey For All Of Us by C N Lester
“Simply put, The Hate U Give is crucial, thoughtful and inciting! A book everyone must read and be attentive to.” The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
“Queenie is an essential piece of modern contemporary for our day that combines chick flick witticisms with the seriousness of mental instability and politically tantamount themes.” Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
“PET is a deeply thoughtful, uplifting story that bravely imagines a world of unconditional acceptance, whilst also exploring the harm that can result from forgetting the past, however troubled.” PET by Akwaeke Emezi
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The books featured primarily represent the black and transgender communities. I enjoyed each of them for different reasons but they all share a relatable narrative that many readers will be able to empathise with. This is significant because it challenges the messages that can be derived from mainstream fiction as a whole, that of whiteness being the default.
It’s almost the end of July, but it’s not too late to enjoy one of the books highlighted above nor is it too late to support causes in favour of Black Lives Matter and trans and gender identity rights. Please follow the links below to see how you can help.
https://trans–rights.carrd.co/
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
LochanReads 