Insiders/Outsiders Debate

When thinking about the debate over who should write multicultural or diverse literature, I think that it ultimately comes down to credibility, accuracy, and authenticity. While many people can see outside qualities from a diverse group or a certain culture and then write about it, only those who are insiders to that group can write a piece of literature that is sensitive and portrays that group in a way that they approve of. I would define an insider as a person who is origionally from a particular group or someone who later becomes a member of this group by gaining a sufficent amount of information about them.

For a piece of literature to be credible, accurate, and authentic, I believe it is important for it to be written by an insider of that group. However, they are some exceptions to this. For example, the book that my group read during class about Native Americans was written and illustrated by people who supposedly had insider information having lived on a reservation later in their life. This piece of literature had rabbits on each page wearing blankets from different tribes. In the back of the book each blanket was identified and information was given about this tribe. After reading the review of this book, we realized that some of the information was inacurate. Also, the book was not authentic by having rabbits dressed up as Native Americans. As the article from last Tuesday's reading stated, this gives people the impression that all that has to be done to become Native American is to dress up like they think they dress. When an insider writes a piece of literature it is usually credible, accurate, and authentic.