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'Sensitivity readers' came for my novel 10 years ago; a new book helps explain why

theblaze.com · 14d · first reportShare

In 2016, I got a call from my editor at Simon & Schuster in New York. The company was putting out a new edition of my first novel, "Girl" (1994), and redoing the cover and interior design, in preparation for its re-release. A new edition is usually a happy occasion for a writer. If your book is still relevant after 20+ years, that’s an accomplishment. Books have a moral authority that TV, TikTok and YouTube lack. And we all know how leftists crave moral authority. On the phone, my editor told me that besides a new cover, the company had some young editors look at the text as well. At first, I didn’t understand. Why would they review the text after 20 years? She explained that these editors were recent college graduates who had studied racism, sexism, and the latest critical theory. Their job was to ensure that Simon & Schuster didn’t accidentally publish something inappropriate or hurtful to unrepresented minorities or aggrieved groups. Sense and sensitivity This definitely sounded unu