Why sensitivity readers matter

Sensitivity readers can not only identify misrepresentations of marginalised communities but also make books more authentic, Helen Young writes.

Last month, controversy was reignited in the UK around teacher Kate Clanchy’s memoir Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me, about her time teaching kids from diverse backgrounds to write poetry.

But before author-publisher relations broke down entirely, Picador (belatedly) employed sensitivity readers, who advised revisions to the text.

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