Can texts ever be truly representative of groups of people?

I believe that different texts aim to represent certain groups of people, however they can never be truly accurate, as an artist would be using personal experiences to base their writing off of. Despite saying that, these representations do give an insight into a group of people, and help to inform readers about different ideas and beliefs. Yet, some texts do tend to exaggerate on certain aspects in order to appear more engaging. Whilst other texts might attempt to represent a group of people without much knowledge of them, and can therefore misrepresent them, and receive critiques.

Who gets to represent a group and who doesn’t? (Who gets to tell what?)

I believe that all artists should be able to express what they would like, however it must be done respectfully and with no harsh intention. Some artists might choose to represent those that they can relate to, which seems like the most logical way. However, artists might also choose to explore something new and express their ideas about it.

Is the act of representation problematic?

Many people represent others all the time, or at least attempt to. I feel that representation is important for those who would like to be expressed but do not know how. It can often be a way for people to come together and be seen as a group and a community. I think that representation can become problematic when it is taken to the extreme, as in it is used as a way to mock others or to make harsh generalisations of others.