: Re: Is it more important to provide representation, or to avoid following stereotypes? I have been trying very hard to create well rounded, and developed characters in my book. I have them all figured

@Deb2945533

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A while ago, I asked a similar question about representation of national groups. I invite you to take a look at it here. The answers I got boiled down to this: you cannot possibly have every human group represented. Your cast is diverse, that's great. That's enough. Make sure your characters are well-rounded and interesting.

As for stereotypes, if your character is nothing but the stereotype, that's a problem. If your character is the only representative of a group, and follows the stereotypes for their group, especially if they're negative stereotypes, it's suspect. For example, if you've got one Jew in your story, and you've made him stingy, cowardly and abusing children (I'm referring to Fagin), that's bad. But if you've got three Jews, and one of them happens to be thrifty, that's perfectly fine and realistic. Especially if he also happens to have other character traits. If all of them are in fact exceptionally generous, you are calling attention to the stereotype.

What I'm trying to say is, your story is fine, relax. If you're feeling uncomfortable, you can add a side character. Maybe an overweight girl who has no body image problems, like Netta Barzilai. But if you're forcing that character on the plot, then it's better not to have them. A token character, who serves no purpose other than "representing", sticks out like a sore thumb. Me, I'd rather see the groups I belong to not represented at all in a particular work, then forcefully shoved into a story where there's no place for them.

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