Representation Matters

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    With society growing increasingly more diverse racially and sexually, more than ever before there is a need for diverse representation in literature. People need to read about characters who look, feel, act, and love in the same ways that they do. Becky Albertalli's novel, Simon vs the Homosapien Agenda, is a perfect example of diverse representation in literature. Throughout the novel, Simon continuously questions the concept of sexuality and racial norms.   

    As Simon struggles with opening up about his sexuality with those closest to him he is constantly calling into question the concept of societal norms defaulting at straight. For example, Simon states “As a side note, don’t you think everyone should have to come out? Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it should be this big awkward thing whether you’re straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I’m just saying” (Albertalli, 146). Simon brings attention to just how unfair it is that if a person identifies as anything other than straight, the person has to go through the whole ordeal of making everyone aware that they are indeed not straight. Addressing issues like the assumption that everyone is straight until proven otherwise helps to highlight real-world issues faced by so many people. It helps for people to see issues that are relevant to their personal life addressed in literature. 

    Simon vs the Homosapien Agenda also calls attention to the struggle of coming to terms with sexuality. For example, Simon states “Honestly, though? I think the real reason I had girlfriends was because I didn’t one hundred percent believe I was gay. Or maybe I didn’t think it was permanent” (Albertalli, 16). Coming to terms with identifying with a sexuality other than straight is difficult for a lot of people, especially when living in a world where the default sexuality is straight. The need for diverse representation in literature is important so that readers are able to read about experiences that they are experiencing in their real lives. Simon is a fictional character but he embodies the struggles so many readers go through and experience with their sexuality. 

    By illuminating so many issues faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community, the novel gives representation to those members of the community. The novel also gives nonmembers of the LGBTQ+ community a window to look through into the lives of the members of the LGBTQ+ community. Nonmembers of the LGBTQ+ have no clue all the struggles, both emotionally and physically, that members of the LGBTQ+ community go through. Literature can help open doors and allow nonmembers of the LGBTQ+ community an idea of the challenges that are often associated with being "different" than societal norms. That is one reason why diverse representation in literature is so important. Diverse representation helps to avoid the issue of literature sharing the same single-sided story of straight, white, cis-gendered people. Simon vs the Homosapien Agenda is a perfect example of a novel that breaks the straight, white mold for literature. 

    Simon vs the Homosapien Agenda breaks the white mold for literature by addressing racial norms in the novel. Simon realizes that “White shouldn’t be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn’t even be a default” (Albertalli, 269). Simon makes this realization after he feeds into societal assumptions by assuming that Blue would be white. It is a powerful realization that Simon makes when he realizes that he is just as guilty at making assumptions about people as others are about making assumptions about him. The realization that Simon makes about his assumption not only incorporates even more diverse representation into the novel but allows readers to learn from his mistakes. Through Simon's mistake, readers can begin to call into question what societal norms they make assumptions about.

Comments

  1. Mikayla TaylorSeptember 22, 2020 at 7:55 AM

    Olivia, I think you make really good points about why it is important to represent all groups of people throughout literature. I think that it is important, especially for teachers, to consider the differences that students have and offer all types of literature in our classroom. I also like when you say that the novel "breaks the white mold for literature." I think that is a really interesting point and one that I definitely agree with. I think it is important that we offer students books that break societal norms and offer a different perspective than the ones that are so engrained in our culture.

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  2. Kels SalernoSeptember 23, 2020 at 8:54 PM

    Olivia, I agree with your comment ".......breaks the white mold for literature by addressing racial norms in the novel." and I think as teachers it is important to have books like this in our classrooms. I also believe that, as you said, literature can open doors for people who may not understand what it's like to not fit that "mold"

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  3. Candace BeebeSeptember 24, 2020 at 10:28 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. Candace BeebeSeptember 24, 2020 at 10:40 AM

    Olivia, I like your point that literature can give voices to the people who may not get to share their story otherwise. I like the idea of getting to see a day in the life of someone else. Reading literature from other people’s perspectives can help students have understanding and empathy. Some lessons that we can learn from Simon can transfer and relate to many more people.

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