A Seat at the Table: Thoughts About Turmoil at RWA

Posted on by Cheri Allan

It’s likely many of you have gotten wind of the turmoil going on within Romance Writers of America (RWA). I won’t go into details, as there are plenty of summaries and reports out there.  If I seem silent (or relatively so) it is because I am listening to voices too long spoken over and pushed to the side. I am also sitting in the uncomfortable space of recognizing that I have often been oblivious to others’ exclusion and pain and have benefited from my own privilege of being a white cishet Christian woman writing stories that largely reflect that lived experience. Sitting at the table has been a privilege I too long took for granted, and I have to come to terms with that truth.

However, if you’ve met me or read my books it should come as no surprise that I believe in and value inclusivity. Period. No qualifications. No discussions. I have been warned in the past few days to be careful about what I say and do. I have been chided that social media isn’t the “place” for this discussion. I have been told, ironically, that inclusivity is divisive.

Friends, this is MY table. You are ALL invited to sit here. If sharing this table with those who look different than you, love differently than you, or hold different beliefs or experiences than you makes you uncomfortable, I invite you to sit here for a while anyway. Listen. Share this table even if it places you in a seat which challenges you. There will be those who do not choose to sit in this space with me. That is their choice. Their seat remains open.

What happens next? I will continue to write books in the genre I love, and I look forward to building and supporting a community of like-minded souls. Whether that takes place within or outside of RWA remains to be seen. I’m at peace with that. This blog post isn’t meant to induce discussion or divert attention from the important revelations taking place elsewhere, but to share my thoughts, as I believe that honesty, transparency, and love should guide my every action, even professionally. So here we are.

I don’t know how this post will sit with folks, and I am accepting of that discomfort, too. It’s how I grow and become a better person. I hope you’ll join me.

Everyone Deserves an HEA: Racism & Bigotry in Romancelandia

Everyone Deserves an HEA: Racism & Bigotry in Romancelandia

Posted on by Cheri Allan

If you’ve been on social media the last few days, you’ll know Romancelandia is facing some hard truths. RWA, an organization whose very existence is founded on the genre of love, is failing our AOC and LGBTQ+ members profoundly. The Rita finalists again fail to reflect the diversity of RWA’s broader membership, and it’s no surprise. Years of anecdotal and data-driven evidence tells us that our signature contest is marred by racism and bigotry. Full stop.

As a white, cishet woman hailing from a predominantly white, conservative state, I struggle to own my biases and work to counteract them. I know I don’t always get it right. So, as the frustration and pain of those who have been shut out of this contest has hit online forums and social media, I’ve tried to keep my lips shut and my ears open. This isn’t about me, and yet it is about the ignorance and comfort of my white, cishet privilege. Because the awards have historically looked like me, it didn’t hit home until the last couple of years that that wasn’t true for all. For that, I apologize. I see how I have, by virtue of staying in a very comfortable and familiar lane, participated in a system and celebrated a contest that has caused immense hurt and held a large segment of our membership back from honest and fair competition.

When #RitasSoWhite #RITAGH and #weneeddiverseromance are trending, it’s past time to acknowledge that this contest fails to lift up the “best of the best.” Instead, it’s a reminder that we are failing to serve our whole membership as equals, as professionals, and as creatives deserving of recognition, support, and celebration. I do not want my annual dues going toward any activity which doesn’t serve to advocate for and nurture ALL its members. We either find a way to ensure that all members are fairly judged and equally included in all aspects of RWA, or we end the Rita and seek more inclusive ways of celebrating the successes of our members.

Love is love. I firmly believe that. And everyone deserves an HEA that looks and acts and loves like them. EVERYONE.