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‘So to Speak’ podcast: Does your book need a sensitivity reader?

So To Speak, The Free Speech Podcast

FIRE

‘So to Speak’ podcast: Does your book need a sensitivity reader?

Do books need a special editor who reads for offensive content? And who gets to decide what’s offensive anyway?

This week we are joined by authors Kat Rosenfield and Vesper Stamper to discuss censorial trends in book publishing, including the rise of so-called “sensitivity readers” and the sometimes successful campaigns to get books canceled before they are even published.

We also explore adjacent debates: Is it appropriate to write outside of one’s identity or lived experience? And can authors write about people who do bad things without endorsing the bad things they do?

Show notes:

Subscribe and listen to “So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify, or download episodes directly from SoundCloud

Stay up to date with “So to Speak” on the show’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram pages, and subscribe to the show’s newsletter at sotospeakpodcast.com.

Have questions or ideas for future shows? Email us at sotospeak@thefire.org.

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