Sensitivity Readers: Leave My Words Alone

Silence my voice with sensitivity?
you? Who are you?
Not me,
you don’t sound like me
you don’t look like me
and I will forever not
look or sound like you
no one wants me too
well, maybe you do
it’s just not going to happen.

How long did you wait
for me to apologize?
Didn’t happen, did it?
I refuse to bend.
I will not comply.
I will not let you
change my words in any way.
They are my truth
naked and untainted.

Oh, I fear you alright.
Too many ears, lazy ears,
lazy hearts hear your excluding noise.
Still, I do not intend to acquiesce
nor will I ever be
still or sorry or wrong.
Make your noise
who ever may listen
who ever may hear
is not me or mine or right.

Maybe the world
will find me delightful
or frightening and be enlightened
perhaps even entertained.
Certainly not burnished to dullness
nor endangered
or surrendered
no reader will be made blind.

©05/06/2019
Judith A. Sears

WARNING this aside comment contains words that some may find offensive, I suggest you not read beyond the words ‘STOP reading now!’ if you are easily offended. This piece was written after I read an article in Quillette Magazine by Craig DeLancey called “Policing the Creative Imagination” about the use of “sensitivity readers” to review written materials before they are published in an attempt not to offend anyone.

Last warning STOP reading now!

This world is so fucked up! Wait, I told you to stop reading, right? Oh shit, I probably offended someone. Well I find that I am swearing out loud more and I have to admit that it is satisfying to type out “those words” rather than just think them loudly in my mind. But on a serious note it is easy to say that I would not back down or comply with these dickhead censors (I mean sensitivity readers), but my livelihood is not dependent on earning money for my writing and probably never will be. I support all writers and their constitutional right to free speech and respect readers enough to believe that they can form their own opinions or not read what offends them. Especially when warned. – jas