#ownvoices - a hashtag that can be helpful for readers and curators find books that are written in the voice of the characters. "#OwnVoices books are indispensable, especially in YA. Whether they be #OwnVoices in terms of race, ethnicity, sexuality, or more, books with an authentic story, told with sensitivity and care, are so important (Source)."

The Origin of the Hashtag - "#OwnVoices was created as a hashtag by author Corinne Duyvis in September 2015. It was originally intended as a shorthand book recommendation tool in a Twitter thread, for readers to recommend books by authors who openly shared the diverse identity of their main characters. The hashtag was never intended to be used in a broader capacity, but it has since expanded in its use to become a “catch all” marketing term by the publishing industry. Using #OwnVoices in this capacity raises issues due to the vagueness of the term, which has then been used to place diverse creators in uncomfortable and potentially unsafe situations. It is important to use the language that authors want to celebrate about themselves and their characters (Source)."