Yellowface

The publishing industry has long been criticized for its racist treatment of marginalized voices, both on the page and in the office. The industry largely employs white people, especially in management positions; the PEN America report on race and equity in book publishing reports that in 2019, editorial departments were 85% white and executives were 78% white. The issue extends beyond publishing house offices, with 80% of both literary agents and book reviewers being white. This concentration of white employees in book publishing, combined with systemic racism more broadly, has resulted in 95% of all published books having white authors (Tager, James & Rosaz Shariyf, Clarisse. “Reading Between the Lines: Race, Equity, and Book Publishing.” PEN America, 17 Oct. 2022). These statistics are important to keep in mind while considering unreliable narrator June Hayward’s assertions about her disadvantages as a white author; while she believes that Athena Liu has advantages because she is Chinese American, the data indicates that authors like June are more likely to be successful.

Many of the most striking examples of racism in Yellowface can find contemporary, real-life comparisons in the publishing world. Non-white authors who do receive publishing contracts often experience racism in the industry, from lower advances than their white peers and smaller marketing budgets to microaggressions from their publishing teams.