A WORTHY CHALLENGE | Diversity Bingo Reading Challenge 2017
CALLING ALL BIBLIOPHILES! Are you up for a challenge? Want to increase the diversity in your reading? Well, now is the time to consider embarking upon the Diversity Bingo 2017 Book Challenge!
Hosted by @novelparadise,@headinherbooks, @thesebooklions, @thebooksbuzz,
@rhaegardied, @ohbrekker, @aimalfarooq, @bookwormwanders and @theauslibrary, this is a great opportunity to hashtag #diversitybingo2017 and show your support for diversity on social media.
With 36 themes to be marked off by the year's end, the challenge’s aim is to encourage not only active reading of diverse books, but promote #ownvoices, too.
Own Voices signifies that the author is part of a minority group, sometimes that of the one they write about. For example, ‘Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe’ features latinx queer characters, which is fitting as the author Benjamin Alire Saenz is of the same demographic.
The idea is to read a book from each category, broadening readers’ exposure and introducing them to the complexities of the categories listed.
How many books from the categories listed can you read by the year’s end?
1. A romance with a trans Main Character
2. A book with a non-binary gendered Main Character
3. A Science Fiction or Fantasy with a disabled Main Character
4. A book with a practising Jewish Main Character
5. An own voices book with an Indian (the country) Main Character
6. A book with a displaced Main Character
7. A book with a Main Character with an under-represented body
8. An own voices book with a Neuro-Diverse Main Character (e.g. autism, ADHD, dyslexia etc.)
9. A retelling with LGBTQIA* Main Character
10. An own voices book with a Bisexual Main Character
11. A book whose Main Character has an Invisible Disability (mental illness, speech impairment, dementia, etc.)
12. A book with Main Character with an Anaphylactic Allergy
13. A Science Fiction or Fantasy with a Main Character of Colour
14. An own voices book with a Latinx Main Character
15. Free Choice
16. A book with a Non-Western real world setting
17. A free own voices pick
18. A book with a Main Character with Chronic Pain
19. A book set in a West Asian Setting
20. An own voices book with an Arab Main Character
21. A book whose Main Character is in a Wheelchair
22. A book by an Author of Colour
23. An own voices book or a Biracial Main Character
24. An own voices book with a Pansexual Main Character
25. An own voices book with a Black Main Character
26. An own voices book with an Ace (Asexual) Main Character
27. A book with a Main Character of Colour who is *LGBTQIA
28. A book with a Visually Impaired Main Character
29. A book set in Central America
30. A book with a Contemporary World Arranged Marriage
31. An own voices book with an Indigenous Main Character
32. A non-fiction diverse book
33. A book with a Person Of Colour on the cover
34. A book with a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Main Character
35. A book with a Main Character who is an Immigrant or Refugeee
36. An own voices book with a Hijabi Main Character
This is an excellent challenge for readers and authors alike. In igniting discussions on social media and promoting such diverse texts, authors are empowered by the idea that their colour, gender, background, ability, sexuality is irrelevant: people will read their work and support their cause without prior judgment.
So get involved! Hashtag #diversitybingo2017 on social media and share your book selections for each category as you go.
Need help choosing books to fulfil certain challenges? Search #diversitybingo2017 on any social media platform to see what other participants have listed as their TBRs, or take a peek at Jen’s current recommendation/reading list!
Happy reading!
