Sakura of DOOM

I don't think oyceter was arguing that white people shouldn't write about nonwhite people, actually. Nor am I.

Okay, found quotes:

Also, the very act of writing about another culture, particularly one in which you are a part of the dominant culture that has a history of subjugating minority cultures, that very act is problematic.

And then:

Does this mean you shouldn't write about it? No.

So -- I'm mostly seeing a straw man, here. I don't think anyone here is against connecting as human beings, and I haven't seen anyone tell you not to write about races, nationalities, or ethnicities you aren't a member of. I don't think oyceter is Othering herself.

But I do think the way you choose to represent the world in fiction has consequences, and it has a context, and thinking about that is entirely pointy productive.

I can't help being white.

I honestly see no blame in this post. I see no one being attacked for being white, nor even for being white and writing about nonwhite people. Just the idea that awareness of the historic context, the power dynamics, the larger patterns, the effect your writing can have, that that's a good thing to have; or maybe just the idea that they'll exist whether or not you're aware. And that as long as there are problems with culture and race, there will be problems with representing culture and race.