In the real world, the social class we come from can have far-reaching consequences into our lives: from the jobs we hold, to the things that worry us, to our long-lasting health. Getting class, and its consequences right, can be tricky to do.
In the titular panel at WorldCon2019, Marieke Nÿkamp, Avery Delany, Caroline Hooton, and Victoria Lee discussed the ways their class upbringing compared to their current social class, and the implications inherent in that.
How The Classes Differ
Most of us are not rich. But the differences between working class and middle class can be easily missed if you’re not paying attention.
When the working class is even seen by those outside it, it’s typically through a political lens: either the lazy bums, looking for a handout. Or the poor, unfortunate who needs charity.
Working class
- Social mobility is rare
- You don’t always know where your next meal is coming from
- Your parents are more likely to need help with bills than be able to help you out in case of emergency (groceries, sudden bills, job loss, ER visits)
- One bad week is the difference between a rented home and life on the streets
- Accents and expected behaviors are different — and failure to adhere can cause people to discount you
- Attendance at events that can help your career can easily be beyond your financial means
- Health conditions, because of inadequate health care, not enough time to rest, and/or physically demanding jobs
- Transport is either public, rides from friends, or a car that isn’t in great shape
- Don’t always have hot water. Or electricity.
- Accent and speech patterns are looked down on, and seen as something to hide when not home
- Diverse
Middle Class
- Social mobility — down or up (at least as far as upper-middle class) is normal.
- When things are bad, you eat cheap non-nutritious meals
- If something goes wrong, your parents can usually help. (Car repairs, rent, bail, or at least a bag of groceries)
- Far more homogeneous
How Is Class Represented in YA?
Often, we’ll see either the aristocracy, the middle-class, or the temporarily poor. Almost always the main characters are able-bodied and cis-gendered (their gender matches what they were declared at birth).
The ending or resolution almost always involves elevating the main character out of the working class. Implying strongly that the character growth and work deserves an “improvement”. That the working class is not something to be proud of, to strive for.
And? After one or two snafus, the ‘uplifted’ character seems to fit in seamlessly. Not finishing their meals because they’re ‘stuffed’.
If there is a diverse character, they’re usually not intersectional. They’re not disabled AND working class AND a person of color. They have one token diverse trait.
Who Is Writing? And For Whom?
Books in general and YA in specific is written by those with the time and energy to do so. Books are sold by those who have the money and energy to promote their works. Leading to very few working class authors.
Publishers look at past sales and, if they don’t see any, they assume there isn’t a market and don’t buy working class author’s works. After the success of The Hate U Give, there’s been an upswing in more working class books. But, they’re seeing them as a niche, as an issues driven book. And publishers typically only acquire one book per niche per publishing cycle.
What agents and editors see as a neutral environment, in an industry run on unpaid internships and publishing companies that are a net loss, labor of love, isn’t. People without a social net don’t even have a chance.
Many of the guest speakers from working class backgrounds, only made it to WorldCon thanks to grants and school funding. Others were denied Visas, so couldn’t even be here for the discussion. Money talks, and without it, you’re left on the outside, not even able to look in.
Worldwide, there are millions of people without access to education, much less to libraries. Think of all the stories we’re missing, because those people never had the chance to share?
How Can You Help Working Class or Diverse Writers?
How can you help mitigate the class segregation inherent in the publishing industry?
- Share their work
- Promote their work
- Leave room at the table for them
- Buy their work
- Borrow from the library
- Review them on Amazon
- Contribute to their Patreon
- Donate money to con scholarships
- Read more diverse works
- Host a writing workshop for them
- More paid internships — especially remote ones
- New York and London are expensive and challenging, even for people with money and connections.
What YA stories have you read that explored class? What did they get right? And what did they get wrong?
Do you have any other suggestions on how to help encourage diverse writers?
