Reader Shaming – It has to Stop!

by booksteff, posted in menu

Hey Booklovers! Happy Tuesday, I hope you are all reading great books, and smashing that tbr! Today’s post is another (sort of) rant …I can’t help it, I’m a 5ft 2 Scottish girl, I rant! Anyway, my post today is on reader shaming – because you wouldn’t know that already clicking on this (eyeroll at myself). Without further ado, let’s get started.

So, recently on Twitter, I witnessed some really shitty , ahem I mean horrible behaviour. Basically, someone posted a picture of their shelves, as we do in this community, and others began commenting on how the shelves were full of rubbish. That the reader was immature etc, because the shelves contained YA, and some middle grade. You may have seen it? Anyway I’m here to give my thoughts on the matter!

Firstly, this is such a stupid way of thinking in my humble opinion. I mean who cares what others are reading as long as they are enjoying it, right? I just don’t understand why we still have such elitism within the reader community. It’s so damn frustrating! You should be able to display your books loud and proud without someone trying to bring you down, yet we still have people out there who think you are not a real reader if you read YA – which is just crazy. There are some who still think that YA authors, are not real authors! Pfft! I honestly think it’s hilarious that these people go out their way to voice this opinion. I read adult, I read YA, and I read middle grade sometimes – take your shot folks! I really couldn’t care what some snobby person’s opinion says about my reading tastes. I read what I damn well please!

This needs to stop! People are entitled to read what they like. Reading is a personal and individual experience which is entirely subjective to the persons tastes, so if you are a hater…pipe down; just because it isn’t something you like doesn’t mean that reader is ‘less of a reader’! I find it really sad that I even have to say that! That I have to point out that this isn’t pre-school, and we can all be respectful and nice. Surely, this makes sense? I’m not talking in some unknown intergalactic language am I? Shouldn’t we all be supportive to the readers and writers in the book community, and bring each other up instead of down? I know I can’t be the only one who finds this type of elitism annoying!

Okay, I’m done. I’ll go back to my latest YA read now!

Please let me know in the comments what you guys think of this whole crazy situation. Are you with me, and couldn’t care less about what someone reads, or are you someone who is prone to finding fault with other peoples reading choices? As always let me know in the comments below. 

26 thoughts on “Reader Shaming – It has to Stop!”

  3. There are books I deeply dislike, genres I hate, cathegories of books that I consider downright stupid. BUT that is JUST me! I pray to God the day will come when people will understand what being different and what having preferences means! Just because I, underline that I to the infinite, don’t like something or have some strong opinions, does not mean that I can judge other people just because they like and appreciate what I don’t. It’s their right to read and enjoy whatever they want. And this is a whole other rant, but the whole trend with “I’m entitled to my opinion” must stop as that this is so misunderstood and used as an excuse to be an A-whole and not feel ashamed about it.

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    1. I agree 🙌! I have dislikes! I have books I hate too, but in no way would I suggest that because someone else does like it they are less of a reader than myself! It’s ridiculous! And I know what you mean, being entitled to an opinion doesn’t mean you have to use it to make others feel bad.

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  4. Wow I feel sorry for the person who had to deal with those bullies. I 100% agree with you. Reading tastes are subjective and everyone isn’t going to like the same things that’s totally ok and if the choose to read YA or middle grade or adult or erotica whatever they choose it doesn’t make them any less of a reader.

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    1. This community is amazing, and I’m so grateful for it. Thankfully, I dont see this kind of thing often, but it just makes me so sad when I see someone treating someone else like that for no reason 😪!

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  7. I so agree with you! Like, why not just mind your own business? Go and read what you like. You don’t need to spread hate and make someone feel bad for enjoying their preferences. It’s almost like they have nothing better to do.

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  8. So frustrating when people in the community try to act like they’re better than others because they like different books. I’ve definitely felt like that in the past, like when certain books that I wasn’t a fan of got super popular, but I would have never externalized that feeling and told someone they were stupid for reading a certain book. And it’s not like reading is a super popular hobby these days among the general population. Do we really want to turn even more people away from reading just to stroke our egos? Ugh, people are the worst.

    And the whole YA thing is so stupid. I was at a book club the other day and the person running it made a comment about how she had been reading a lot of YA books lately and was excited to start reading adult books again “like a normal person.”

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  9. I missed this round of the twitter drama but I’ve seen it too many times! I read *every* age range and absolutely love each!!! Shaming of all forms in the book community need to stop so thank you for speaking out against it!! 💕

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  10. I agree with you 100%. In my early 20s I didn’t read for years because I was shamed for not reading what others felt was what I should be reading. I hate when I see it happen to someone else. All that should matter is we are happy with what we read and only care about what we read. Sorry this was much longer than I thought it would be 😊

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