Ian McEwan Challenges the Trend of Sensitivity Readers in Manuscript Evaluation

Novelist Ian McEwan has criticized the practice of hiring sensitivity readers to review manuscripts for potentially offensive content, stating that it is a "mass hysteria" and a "weird thing" that originated from the United States. McEwan believes that writers should be brave and write what they feel, rather than succumbing to fear of offending others. While some authors, such as Lionel Shriver, share his opposition to sensitivity readers, others, like Irvine Welsh, have found the experience beneficial. McEwan also expressed support for demands for racial and post-colonial reckoning, but criticized the idea of banning classic literature.