In the introduction to the volume, Frankel describes this essay as follows:
Tracy H. Z. Reese focused on intersectionality and identity, by considering the lack of diversity in romance fiction and this meeting of the minds that racelifts and updates the characters. Reese goes on to explore the problematic racial tropes of privilege and power that surround Simon and the debutante Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker) in particular. (3)
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It is really not a secret - especially to those who read within the genre - that romance has a problem with racism, which makes sense since romance is both a product of the (racist) culture in which it is written while simultaneously producing and perpetuating the same (racist) culture. Historically, romance has a long tradition of Othering. (9)
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Beyond stereotypes and racist tropes presenting themselves within the text of romance novels, romance participates in exclusion outside of texts in the publishing industry at large. For example, Black romance has been segregated from mainstream (read: white) romance in bookstores, shelved with African American fiction instead of with other romances. This segregation is demonstrative of a problem deeply entrenched in the industry, including within a professional romance writing organization: the RWA.
In recent years, the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Rita Awards have come into the spotlight for disproportionally exclusing authors of color from the awards. (10)
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As the story goes, Bridgerton's color-blind casting was a result of Julia Quinn's attempt to make amends for past problematic stances she had taken at author events. (11)
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It has been much-discussed that both The Duke and I and Bridgerton's first season incorporate elements of rape. To help make sense of this, but certainly not to dismiss the ramifications of the show's decisions, we need to understand rape as a generic element in romance. (13)
In the introduction to the volume, Frankel describes this essay as follows:
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