#OwnVoices

#OwnVoices was created 2015 by author Corinne Duyvis to promote marginalized authors writing about their own communities—a disabled author writing disabled characters, LGBTQ+ authors writing queer stories, etc.

Intent

The hashtag addressed publishing’s pattern of privileging majority authors writing marginalized experiences (often poorly) while actual marginalized voices went unpublished. #OwnVoices gave readers a way to find authentic representation and publishers a framework for acquisitions.

Successes & Problems

#OwnVoices books increased 2016-2020, centering marginalized authors. But issues emerged: Authors felt pressured to out themselves (outing closeted LGBTQ+ authors, revealing disabilities/trauma), reducing them to identity markers. Gatekeeping debates erupted—who’s “authentic enough”? Can mixed-race authors write certain experiences?

2020-2021 Decline

By 2021, many authors and publishers abandoned the term, arguing it pigeonholed writers, created purity tests, and ignored intersectionality. The goal (publish diverse authors) remained, but the hashtag faded, deemed reductive and problematic.

Sources: https://www.publishersweekly.com/