Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Mission Statement on Fluttering Butterflies

My reading goals on Fluttering Fluttering Butterflies have been the same for years.  This isn't new territory, but I feel like it needs clarification and a bit more thought put into it.  So I thought I'd break things down further, talk about my progress and any plans for the future for each of the areas of interest on this blog and in my reading.

I realised that most of this reading is pointless unless I'm also writing about these books on this blog, on twitter, on instagram and leaving reviews in places where it would help so to that end, I pledge to do more to read and review these books and also to use my available platforms to shout more about these books.



Reading UK authors

Justification: I've always been a huge supporter of British authors.  When I first started book blogging, it felt as though a lot of readers, especially readers of YA, had very American-centred reading habits and I wanted to do more to support locals authors and their books.  I've taken part for several years in a British Reading Challenge but I have no idea anymore if this reading challenge has continued?  If not, does it need to be rebooted? or nah?

Progress: I've read 61 books this year and 37 of the books I've read have been by British authors making it 61% of my reading this year.

Plans for rest of the year and beyond:  I feel like this is a good percentage already and can only be continued.  Before calculations, I imagined the total to be at least half of my reading and I'd like that to be maintained.  More intersectional reading would be preferential.  More debut authors.






Reading LGBTQ+ Authors and story lines 

Justification: It wasn't too long ago that I came out on this blog as being bisexual.  I've talked (very briefly!) about some of the internalised  homophobia that I had to overcome in order to recognise this part of my sexuality and my identity.  It is important to me to read more about LGBTQ+ story lines in order to widen my understanding of important issues but also because I enjoy these books and story lines.

Progress: I've read 21 books with LGBT main story lines out of 61 books which makes a total of 34% I believe the number of #ownvoices books have been the majority of what I've read but I haven't looked too deeply into this, it's more of a feeling.

Plans for rest of the year and beyond: I would like to keep up with a high percentage of LGBTQ+ story lines.  I'd like to read more trans experiences and also LGBTQ+ story lines that are also BAME characters or have disabilities.  I think my intersectional LGBTQ+ reading is currently lacking. Definitely look into if my reading consists of #ownvoices authors. More books about NB or gender fluid characters and sexualities that are under represented in my own reading like ace story lines.






Reading POC authors with POC main characters 

Justification: I've discussed it before but perhaps I'm not as vocal about this as I could be but I am of mixed race heritage.  I also have mixed race children and I would like to be an advocate for POC authors and story lines.  Everybody deserves to have good representation and to see themselves in books.

Progress: 13 books read by POC authors out of 61 books read in 2020: 21%

Plans for rest of the year and beyond: George Floyd's death and the #blacklivesmatter protests have shown me that I've been lumping all People of Colour authors into the same category which means for this reason that there is a higher percentage, yes.  But when I break down how many black authors I've read in 2020 it becomes 11/61 which is just 11%  I can definitely and should definitely do better than this.  Plans for the rest of the year is to increase my reading of POC authors, to particularly read more black authors and to be more vocal about these authors on social media and this blog. Also to read more non-fiction about anti-racism and black history to educate myself better.



Reading books with mental illness story lines 

Justification:  I hope that I've been able to put across how much mental illness has had an impact on my life?  I was raised by a single father with quite complex mental illnesses and have dealt with many of my own mental illness challenges throughout my life.  It is important that more people have understanding of mental illness and it is definitely a subject area that I gravitate towards.

Progress: I've only read 5 books in 2020 with main story lines involving mental illness.  This makes up just 8% of my reading.

Plans for rest of the year and beyond: I haven't read as many books with mental illness story lines this year. I would like to read more and also read more widely as well.

How successful have your reading goals been this year? Have any of your goals changed in light of recent events?

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