Sensitivity reader explained

A sensitivity reader is someone hired to look for offensive content, stereotypes, and bias in a literary work, and to create a report for an author or publisher with suggested changes.[1] [2] The use of sensitivity readers has attracted criticism from some authors and members of the public, particularly with respect to the practice of re-editing works that were published in the past.

Purpose

Proponents state "the literary quality of a work is substantially improved" when reviewed and copy-edited by others from "a specific Nation or community that the author is writing about". Helen Wicks, managing director for children's trade at Bonnier, describes the practice as playing "an important role in inclusive, forward-thinking publishing".[3]

US young adult fiction

From 2015, sensitivity readings became popular and influential in young adult fiction, partly in response to the movement for diversity in that genre.[4] [5] Sensitivity readers were brought in after pre-publication controversies for authors including Laura Moriarty (whose American Heart had its prestigious Kirkus Reviews star removed prior to publication in 2017)[6] and Amélie Wen Zhao (Blood Heir).[7] Kosoko Jackson, a sensitivity reader himself, withdrew his own novel A Place for Wolves over sensitivity concerns in 2019.[8]

Revisions of published works

Publishers have used sensitivity readers to flag content perceived as offensive in published works, such as outdated attitudes towards race or gender. In 2010, Hodder Children's Books published "contemporary" versions of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books which they described as having been "sensitively and carefully" revised to rephrase some outdated language, intending to make the works "timeless". This included replacing words whose meanings had changed (such as gay and queer), as well as updating obsolete terms (such as housemistress and school tunic) and removing terms like tinker which could read be more pejoratively than Blyton would have intended.[9] The editions were withdrawn in 2016, after feedback from readers suggested that the editions were "not required".[10] In 2023 the publisher said that it would be removing "inappropriate or offensive" terms but retaining old-fashioned terms as part of the series' setting.[11]

As part of an ebook range in 2018, publisher Scholastic made edits to the 1990s children's book series Goosebumps, "to keep the language current and avoid imagery that could negatively impact a young person’s view of themselves today, with a particular focus on mental health". The author R. L. Stine said that the changes had not been shown to him.[12] [13]

Some digital editions of novels by Agatha Christie were altered from 2020 onwards to remove references to ethnicity, such as an "Indian temper" or a female character's body "of black marble".[14] [15] [16] In 1940, the title of her novel Ten Little Niggers had been changed to And Then There Were None for the American market, with changes also being made to remove the term from the text, including the name of the island where the story takes place.[17]

In February 2023, Ian Fleming's James Bond series was re-published with a number of racial slurs and references removed.[18] A disclaimer in each book stated, "This book was written at a time when terms and attitudes which might be considered offensive by modern readers were commonplace. A number of updates have been made in this edition, while keeping as close as possible to the original text and the period in which it is set".[19] Charlie Higson, actor, comedian and author of the first five Young Bond novels, defended the alterations, saying that sensitivity reading was "nothing new", citing the example of Christie's And Then There Were None.[20]

That same month, new editions of Roald Dahl's children's novels published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Books, changed some of Dahl's language in line with recommendations by sensitivity readers.[21] [22] The decision was met with criticism from groups and public figures including the CEO of PEN America, Salman Rushdie, Brian Cox, Rishi Sunak, and Kemi Badenoch, as well as Fantastic Mr. Fox director Wes Anderson.[23] [24] [25] [26] Consequently, Puffin announced that it would also continue to sell the original, unaltered editions of Roald Dahl's children's novels, under the title The Roald Dahl Classic Collection.[27] [28] On 26 February 2023, 7 days after the original announcement by Puffin Books, Ian Fleming Publications announced that Ian Fleming's James Bond series would receive several revisions, including removing racial slurs and a racist depiction of African Americans in Live and Let Die, following a review from sensitivity reviewers.[29]

Penguin Books' 2023 reedition of P.G.Wodehouse's 1934 novel Thank You, Jeeves included a disclaimer that the publisher had "sought to edit, minimally, words that we regard as unacceptable to present-day readers". This included the removal of racial slurs.[30]

Criticism

Following the controversy over the book American Dirt in 2020, the use of sensitivity readers was questioned.[31] Lionel Shriver accused sensitivity readers of being censorious, of being "new moral gatekeepers" or of offering a way to "cancel-proof your book".[32] [33] [34]

Kate Clanchy wrote an essay in 2022 expressing her concerns that her sensitivity readers seemed "to concur that the past should match an idealised present", and to imply that writing "should represent the world as it ought to be, not as it is". Clanchy believed that the readers did not recognise irony and satire and wished "to eliminate journeys of thought across chapters, ambiguity from paragraphs, and nuance from sentences".[35]

Writer Anthony Horowitz wrote in 2023 that it felt "wrong to be told what to write by an outside party, no matter how well-meaning", when he accepted suggested changes to descriptions of native American characters in one of his books.[36]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: . . 13 January 2022 . Writing, Editing, and Publishing Indigenous Stories . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220219234228/https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/c.php?g=708820&p=5049650 . 19 February 2022 . 19 February 2023 . . en . Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
  2. News: Hucal . Sarah . 23 February 2023 . Roald Dahl's works and the role of sensitivity readers . en . . . Berlin, Germany . live . 27 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327041214/https://www.dw.com/en/roald-dahls-works-and-the-role-of-sensitivity-readers/a-64796277 . 27 March 2023 . In short, sensitivity readers are hired by publishing houses to read for offensive content, misrepresentation, stereotypes, bias and lack of understanding of minority groups..
  3. . . 20 June 2022 . Publishers defend sensitivity readers as vital tool following author criticism . live . . en . The Stage Media Company . London, England . 0006-7539 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220627212742/https://www.thebookseller.com/news/publishers-defend-sensitivity-readers-as-vital-tool-following-author-criticism . 27 June 2022 . 19 February 2023 . limited.
  4. News: Alter . Alexandra . In an Era of Online Outrage, Do Sensitivity Readers Result in Better Books, or Censorship? . 19 December 2023 . The New York Times . 24 December 2017.
  5. News: Benedictus . Leo . Torn apart: the vicious war over young adult books . 19 December 2023 . The Guardian . 15 June 2019.
  6. Heller . Nathan . Kirkus Reviews and the Plight of the "Problematic" Book Review . 19 December 2023 . The New Yorker . 23 October 2017.
  7. News: Alter . Alexandra . She Pulled Her Debut Book When Critics Found It Racist. Now She Plans to Publish. . 28 December 2023 . The New York Times . 29 April 2019.
  8. News: Senior . Jennifer . Opinion Teen Fiction and the Perils of Cancel Culture . 19 December 2023 . The New York Times . 8 March 2019.
  9. News: Flood . Alison . Enid Blyton's Famous Five get 21st-century makeover . 29 June 2025 . The Guardian . 23 July 2010.
  10. News: Cain . Sian . Famous Five go back to original language after update flops . 29 June 2025 . The Guardian . 16 September 2016.
  11. News: Chung . Frank . 14 March 2023 . 'Ongoing process': Enid Blyton's Famous Five books edited to remove 'offensive' words . . Nationwide News . 29 June 2025 . 27 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327220333/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/books/enid-blytons-famous-five-books-edited-to-remove-offensive-words/news-story/47a63bb79a5d870f19aed58b19469bb5 . live .
  12. News: Tinoco . Armando . Author R.L. Stine Responds To Reports 'Goosebumps' Is Getting Edited With Inclusive Language – Update . 24 April 2025 . Deadline . 5 March 2023.
  13. News: Goosebumps author adapts texts to remove weight, mental health and ethnicity references . 24 April 2025 . Sky News . 4 March 2023 . en.
  14. News: Simpson . Craig . 25 March 2023 . Agatha Christie classics latest to be rewritten for modern sensitivities . en . . London, England . live . subscription . 27 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327154858/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/25/agatha-christie-classics-latest-rewritten-modern-sensitivities/ . 27 March 2023 . 0307-1235 . 49632006.
  15. News: Nugent . Annabel . 26 March 2023 . Agatha Christie books, including Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries, to be rewritten for modern sensitivities . en . . Longon, England . live . 27 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327040914/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/agatha-christie-books-rewritten-b2308195.html . 27 March 2023 . 1741-9743 . 185201487.
  16. News: Hall . Rachel . 26 March 2023 . Agatha Christie novels reworked to remove potentially offensive language . en . . London, England . live . 27 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327170108/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/26/agatha-christie-novels-reworked-to-remove-potentially-offensive-language . 27 March 2023 . 1756-3224 . 60623878.
  17. Book: Light . Alison . Forever England: Femininity, Literature and Conservatism Between the Wars . 21 August 2013 . Routledge . 978-1-135-62984-7 . 243 . en.
  18. News: Simpson . Craig . 25 February 2023 . James Bond books edited to remove racist references . en . . London, England . live . subscription . 27 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230228223448/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/25/james-bond-books-edited-remove-racist-references/ . 28 February 2023 . 0307-1235 . 49632006 . Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, the company that owns the literary rights to the author's work, commissioned a review by sensitivity readers of the classic texts under its control..
  19. Web site: Haring . Bruce . 26 February 2023 . James Bond Books Edited To Avoid Offense To Modern Audiences – Report . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230228050958/https://deadline.com/2023/02/james-bond-books-rewritten-to-avoid-offense-to-modern-audiences-1235271892/ . 28 February 2023 . 27 February 2023 . . . en . USA.
  20. News: Knight . Lucy . 2023-03-15 . Sensitivity readers: what publishing's most polarising role is really about . 2024-02-26 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  21. Web site: Kirka . Danica . 2023-02-19 . Critics reject changes to Roald Dahl books as censorship . 2023-04-16 . AP NEWS . en.
  22. News: Ellery . Ben . 25 February 2023 . Inside the group of 'inclusion ambassadors' behind Roald Dahl edits . en . . London, England . live . subscription . 3 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304034514/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/8243434c-b470-11ed-abc9-a9456bea4494 . 4 March 2023 . 0140-0460.
  23. News: Khama I . Nadia . September 1, 2023 . Roald Dahl's works shouldn't be edited, says Wes Anderson . August 10, 2025 . The Guardian.
  24. News: Dellatto . Marisa . 20 February 2023 . Roald Dahl Books Get New Edits—And Critics Cry Censorship: The Controversy Surrounding 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory' And More . en . . Jersey City, New Jersey, USA . live . limited . 27 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230228232244/https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/02/20/roald-dahl-books-get-new-edits-and-critics-cry-censorship-the-controversy-surrounding-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-and-more/?sh=61a3a45a4534 . 28 February 2023 . 0015-6914.
  25. News: Zymeri . Jeff . 21 February 2023 . Salman Rushdie Blasts 'Absurd' Censorship of Roald Dahl . en . . National Review, Inc. . New York City, NY, USA . live . 27 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230221153943/https://www.nationalreview.com/news/the-dahl-estate-should-be-ashamed-salman-rushdie-blasts-absurd-censorship-of-roald-dahl . 21 February 2023 . 0028-0038.
  26. News: Honeycombe-Foster . Matt . Blanchard . Jack . 21 February 2023 . UK's Badenoch slams 'problematic' rewrites of classic Roald Dahl books . en . . . Arlington County, Virginia, USA . live . 27 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230228164049/https://www.politico.eu/article/uks-badenoch-slams-problematic-rewrites-classic-roald-dahl-books-business-secretary-equalities-minister-salmon-rushdie-brian-cox . 28 February 2023.
  27. Abramovitch . Seth . 24 February 2023 . Roald Dahl Publisher Bends to Controversy, Will Release "Classic" Version of Controversial Kids' Books . live . . en . . Los Angeles, California, USA . 0018-3660 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230228045145/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/roald-dahl-controversy-changes-salman-rushdie-willy-wonka-1235333536 . 28 February 2023 . 27 February 2023.
  28. News: . . 19 February 2023 . Roald Dahl rewrites: edited language in books criticised as 'absurd censorship' . en . . . London, England . live . 27 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230228164448/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/feb/20/roald-dahl-books-rewrites-criticism-language-altered . 28 February 2023 . 1756-3224 . 60623878.
  29. Web site: James Bond books rewritten to remove 'offensive' references . 26 February 2023 . Atkinson . Emily . . 5 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230301205836/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/james-bond-ian-fleming-books-rewritten-b2289747.html . 1 March 2023 . live.
  30. News: Simpson . Craig . 15 April 2023 . Jeeves and Wooster stories censored to avoid offending modern readers . The Telegraph . 16 April 2023.
  31. News: Urwin . Rosamund . Is the rise of sensitivity readers progress or censorship? . 28 December 2023 . 28 December 2023 . en.
  32. News: Shriver . Lionel . What if 'sensitivity readers' came for my novels? . 28 December 2023 . Spiked-online.com . Feb 2023.
  33. Dubno . Zoe . 10 July 2021 . The rise of the 'sensitivity reader' . live . . en . . London, England . 0038-6952 . 1766325 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216202534/https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-rise-of-the-sensitivity-reader/ . 16 February 2023 . 19 February 2023 . limited.
  34. Rosenfield . Kat . August 2022 . Sensitivity Readers Are the New Literary Gatekeepers . live . . en . . Los Angeles, California, USA . August/September 2022 . 818916200 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230222190900/https://reason.com/2022/07/05/rise-of-the-sensitivity-reader/ . 22 February 2023 . 19 February 2023.
  35. Web site: Clanchy . Kate . 2022-02-18 . How sensitivity readers corrupt literature . 2022-12-30 . UnHerd . en-GB.
  36. News: Horowitz . Anthony . My clash with 'sensitivity readers' . 28 December 2023 . The Spectator . 1 February 2023.

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