We live in a culture where we want everything. We used to be socially conscious. That’s understandable. No one wants to support brands which are outwardly cruel brands to different population segments.

Sounds simple, right? If something you use comes out with some adverse views, you just stop using that product, right? There are other companies out there. You can use one of them. The struggle for me is with authors. 

Separating the Work

It’s no secret Harry Potter fans had a decision to make a few years ago when J.K. Rowling made her views about the trans community publicly known on social media.  Readers won’t continue supporting Rowling’s future work, but won’t give up on her previous series They simply separate the work from the author.  This seems impossible. An author puts a little piece of themselves into every story they write. Even characters with different personalities connect with the writer. How can you separate this? 

Each person has their own set of unique experiences, leading them to craft their characters. Tropes exist, but even the dark-haired, brooding characters that are popular in subgenres of romance have slight differences. The differences are based on the level of defense for their loved ones.  Only that writer could bring that precise character to life and portray them in their distinct manner. 

It’s why fanfiction is so interesting. It enables the writer and the reader to delve into topics that the author cannot cover in the storyline. Fanfiction lets you engage in the world without backing the novelist, resolving moral doubts.

Setting Personal Benchmarks

Normally, in these discussions, people say, “You have to decide what you are comfortable with. Otherwise, you won’t have many options.”  This makes sense. Everyone has different value systems. 

How does a person stop themselves from feeling guilty? Awareness is a big part of it. Everyone makes mistakes. They pave the road to hell with good intentions, after all. To be aware of your favorite authors’ shortcomings is important.

Nobody is perfect. Educating yourself is the only way to improve bias. One solution is to find other authors who handle the topic differently. For example, your favorite author doesn’t take race or LGBTQIA+ representation well. Find example-filled books and read a few.  Your reading list becomes more diverse, and you may discover a new favorite.

Social issues are hard to navigate. It’s important to support marginalized communities, but it should never detract from something that you enjoy. Use this as an opportunity to find new ways to support underrepresented communities. You are not a terrible person for reading a book that you love. Allow yourself to be open to different authors to help support underserved communities. It could open your world in unexpected ways.