Critics complained “diversity” covers of books were “fake” because characters inside are still white

Barnes & Noble has cancelled a line of ‘diversity edition’ classic novels because critics complained they were not woke enough.

The range, slated to coincide with Black History Month, features covers of characters like Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, but with the protagonist wearing a turban, Frankenstein’s Monster with brown skin rather than green (it’s green because it’s dead…duh), and Juliet from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet with brown skin and a headscarf.

Clearly proud of how woke it was being, B&N bragged that “For the first time ever, all parents will be able to pick up a book and see themselves in a story.”

However, the fad was quickly shot down by critics because the classic novels themselves are unchanged beyond the cover.

This fake diversity nonsense (where they replace white characters with people of color) is disgusting. It is not sincere or a solution. NEW STORIES BY PEOPLE OF COLOR ABOUT PEOPLE OF COLOR is the solution.

WE get to tell OUR stories!

Stop USING us and GET OUT OF THE WAY! https://t.co/vtQYHQBfzj

— Nnedi Okorafor, PhD (@Nnedi) February 5, 2020

Us: Hey, it’d be great if you could publish writers of color—
Publishing industry: Black Frankenstein https://t.co/QF3iWmfvBK

— Brit Bennett (@britrbennett) February 5, 2020

What?!? No! Is it really this hard? People sat down & had meetings & put a lot of energy & money into creating covers f/black people on books w/ the same old stories INSTEAD of promoting books written by black authors & featuring black characters?WTF?! 😡 https://t.co/sgGGglaiNu

— Tracey Livesay (@tlivesay) February 5, 2020

Can you imagine a young Black girl seeing a cover with someone who looks like her but then finds nothing that reflects her in the pages? No Black girls at all? Y'all that is more than a bait and switch. That's harmful.

— Karen Strong (@KarenMusings) February 5, 2020

Cancelled. Good. Now, let's not let ANYTHING like this happen again.

Ok, back to writing this novel, I go. Happy Black History Month, everyone. 😒 https://t.co/wqTN2wF9Dc

— Nnedi Okorafor, PhD (@Nnedi) February 5, 2020

Um, @TBWAChiatNY?

The only thing you're disrupting is #BlackHistoryMonth and the literary dignity of communities of color.

So disappointed in you.

— David Bowles (Mācuīl Ehēcatl) (@DavidOBowles) February 5, 2020

Okay, real talk: here is why the whole Barnes and Noble and Random Penguin #DiverseEditions fundamentally doesn’t not work.

In their own words: pic.twitter.com/R9c9CXeyMs

— Justina Ireland Has A Sequel Out (@justinaireland) February 5, 2020

B&N immediately caved, canceling the launch and issuing a statement that said “We acknowledge the voices who have expressed concerns about the Diverse Editions project at our Barnes & Noble Fifth Avenue store and have decided to suspend the initiative. The covers are not a substitute for black voices or writers of color, whose work and voices deserve to be heard. The booksellers who championed this initiative did so convinced it would help drive engagement with these classic titles.”

The Diverse Editions event at our @BNFifthAvenue location originally scheduled for this evening has been cancelled. Please see our statement: pic.twitter.com/jGquff9MyM

— Barnes & Noble (@BNBuzz) February 5, 2020

This perfectly encapsulates how meaningless woke virtue signalling is infecting every corner of our society.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.