I offer a short overview of how the divide within this world forefronts white male straight and western writers. I know it’s not a surprise to many but this list might be interesting for those of us who hadn’t thought about it before. By understanding this, we can, as writers and poets, push back and in time change this status quo.
BISAC CODES, the intentions and consequences. https://bisg.org/page/BISACFaQ
“The BISAC Subject Headings List, also known as the BISAC Subject Codes List, is a standard used by many companies throughout the supply chain to categorize books based on topical content. The Subject Heading applied to a book can determine where the work is shelved in a brick and mortar store or the genre(s) under which it can be searched for in an internal database.
Many businesses within the North American book industry, including Amazon, Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Bowker, Indiebound, Indigo, NPD Bookscan, and most major publishers use the headings in a variety of ways. Some libraries are also utilizing the BISAC Subjects to facilitate the browsing experience for patrons.”
I challenge that notion. Labels in this case can also be divisive. What do I mean by that? The default of white male voices is the umbrella, holding the focus without its own label that is placed elsewhere on the bookshelves online or in person. Everything ‘other’ is then identified, labeled, and to be found by a deliberate search. They live seperately on the shelves, which comes back to the theory of identity as us/them within a heteronormative white male world.
Poetry: https://bisg.org/page/Poetry or general categories: https://bisg.org/page/BISACEdition
POE000000 POETRY / General
POE007000 POETRY / African
POE005010 POETRY / American / General
POE005050 POETRY / American / African American
POE005060 POETRY / American / Asian American
POE005070 POETRY / American / Hispanic American
POE009000 POETRY / Asian / General
POE009010 POETRY / Asian / Chinese
POE009020 POETRY / Asian / Japanese
POE010000 POETRY / Australian & Oceanian
POE011000 POETRY / Canadian
POE012000 POETRY / Caribbean & Latin American
POE005030 POETRY / European / General
POE005020 POETRY / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
POE017000 POETRY / European / French
POE018000 POETRY / European / German
POE019000 POETRY / European / Italian
POE020000 POETRY / European / Spanish & Portuguese
POE021000 POETRY / LGBT
POE013000 POETRY / Middle Eastern
POE015000 POETRY / Native American
POE024000 POETRY / Women Authors
Nothing for men, nothing for white poets. The result? A reflection of how identities can be divisive. Separate. Us. Them. Other.
FICTION codes by author’s demographic. (https://bisg.org/page/BISACSubjectCodes)
FIC000000 FICTION / General
FIC049000 FICTION / African American & Black / General
FIC049010 FICTION / African American & Black / Christian
FIC049030 FICTION / African American & Black / Erotica
FIC049040 FICTION / African American & Black / Historical
FIC049050 FICTION / African American & Black / Mystery & Detective
FIC049070 FICTION / African American & Black / Urban & Street Lit
FIC049020 FICTION / African American & Black / Women
FIC053000 FICTION / Amish & Mennonite
FIC054000 FICTION / Asian American
FIC079000 FICTION / Disabilities & Special Needs
FIC056000 FICTION / Hispanic & Latino
FIC059000 FICTION / Indigenous
FIC046000 FICTION / Jewish
FIC068000 FICTION / LGBTQ+ / General
FIC072000 FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Bisexual
FIC011000 FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Gay
FIC018000 FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Lesbian
FIC073000 FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Transgender
FIC081000 FICTION / Muslim
FIC082000 FICTION / Own Voices
FIC044000 FICTION / Women
The Book Industry Study Group noted: FIC082000 “FICTION / Own Voices is intended for works where the main characters(s) are from a marginalized, minority, or under-represented group and where the author is a member of the group being written about.”
Wild Dog Press 