The Power of The Red Pen: Editing Marginalized Voices
When saying goodbye, I guess it’s best to be honest. I’m late getting this to Allexa, in part because I’ve been unsure of what to say. (Also because I was in the emergency room twice in two days with elevated liver enzymes.)
Working at Rooted in Rights has been the longest-running job of any kind that I’ve ever had. That it’s coming to an end – in a precarious job market and economy no less — is unsettling, to say the least. While I haven’t spoken publicly about my specific experiences, my trauma followed me here, marring what should have been a wonderful stepping stone in my career. But it’s also been some of the most rewarding work I’ve ever done, in part because I specifically got to help tell our stories: the diverse, layered stories of disabled people.
So, when contemplating how to bid this chapter of my life farewell, I knew that I wanted to focus on just that — what it means to edit the narratives of disabled, Deaf, Blind, and chronically ill people.
I didn’t want to leave readers with Ars Poetica prose about the craft of editing (mostly because I know that no one wants to read that). But I do think, especially in these times, thinking about what it means specifically to edit the voices of people from oppressed groups matters. (Yes, even as a hypermarginalized person like myself.)
I’ve had the honor of editing everything from essays about voting rights and legislation to parenting while disabled. I’ve helped writers navigate stories about alcoholism and fat antagonism. In all of these collaborative experiences, like any decent editor worth their salt, my focus is on making writers’ work the best it can possibly be.
But as a hypermarginalized person who started their career as a writer first, I’m keenly aware of the power I wield as an editor. There is a responsibility I have to make sure that, when I’m editing, I’m not “correcting, revising, or making changes” to the core of who that writer is, to make their disability (or Blackness or fatness or transness) more palatable to those with more privilege.
What does that mean? Well, it can be a delicate balance. For example, language usage is a common issue among a variety of disabilities. Not just slurs, but what do we call ourselves? How do we describe our experiences? And what if I’m editing someone who’s writing about a disability I don’t have? I also have to take into account that the writer’s perspective, while paramount, is not the only one I must consider. Readers with the writer’s disability will also have valid opinions about how a story is told.
Sometimes I’ve felt like I nailed it, developing a rapport with a writer that allows for the trust necessary to navigate sometimes sensitive issues. Other times I’ve been less sure.
As media, journalism, and entertainment continue to, in my opinion, buckle under the combined weight of fascism and capitalism, my concern continues to be not just the question of whose stories are elevated, but *how* they’re told. Who decides what words, phrases, and imagery make it to the front page…or stay in the drafts? My hope, as I wait for the next chapter in my career to begin, is that the decision-making falls to the next disability publication. My hope — my belief — is that we always find a way to tell our stories…our way.
Denarii Grace (she/they – mix it up!) is a multi-hyphenate writer and editor, singer, and long-time activist. Founder of Fat Acceptance Month, they’ve been an editor with Rooted in Rights since May 2022. She can be found on Facebook, Threads, and Instagram @writersdelite.
About Rooted In Rights
Rooted in Rights exists to amplify the perspectives of the disability community. Blog posts and storyteller videos that we publish and content we re-share on social media do not necessarily reflect the opinions or values of Rooted in Rights nor indicate an endorsement of a program or service by Rooted in Rights. We respect and aim to reflect the diversity of opinions and experiences of the disability community. Rooted in Rights seeks to highlight discussions, not direct them. Learn more about Rooted In Rights
