Do Authors Believe What They Write?

Do authors agree with everything their characters say or do? No, of course not. Anyone who is claiming so is disingenuous or ignorant. However, people who claim that authors views don't come through in their writing are also missing something. 

I just read a book I genuinely liked, but it had a transphobic joke in it. Do I assume the author is transphobic? No. However, the joke could have been any joke. It wasn't thematically important. It didn't give insight to the character or the world in any meaningful way. It didn't create an opportunity for character growth. It was actually never directly addressed.

I was left with the question, why?

This isn't about calling out this specific author out. This is a point about author responsibility. Anything we include in our books, we are responsible for. Not how people react to it but the content itself.

There are plenty of contexts in which a character saying or doing something racist, misogynistic, or transphobic might be necessary in a story. It may give space for character growth, define issues in a culture or society, or create challenges for our characters to overcome. However, when it is done as window dressing, it can come off as an author's internal bias or intentional messaging. Even if it's neither, it can still do damage.

Purposeless use of oppression doesn't make art better in my opinion.

I don't think readers should assume a writer's thoughts based on their writing. However, it is bound to happen, especially when based off a pattern of occurrences. Authors' thoughts and feelings do eek through into their work, even when unintended.

I'm sure readers will have a few ideas about my viewpoint after reading my books. They might not be right. They may not see the fullness of my viewpoint or the nuances in my opinions. However, that is the nature of publishing, and art in general.

All this is to say that I think writers should be responsible with their choices, especially when including negative viewpoints of marginalized groups. Give it purpose or meaning. You may be misunderstood either way, but at least make sure you did it for a reason.