Ever since Jeanine Cummins novel American Dirt was released on Jan. 21, much of the media has described the ensuing controversy in terms of nationality and ethnicity.

This question continues to come up: Is a non-Mexican allowed to write about Mexico?

Accusations have flown back and forth on social media: cultural appropriation versus cancel culture, whitewashing versus censorship, exploitation versus stay-in-your-lane allegations. Cummins couched the debate in racial terms in her now-famous someone slightly browner than me comment from the books epilogue.

Flatiron Books, the publisher of American Dirt, this focus in its official statement to the Los Angeles Times: The concerns that have been raised, including the question of who gets to tell which stories, are valid ones. When the publisher recently canceled the entire book tour, it cited concerns about safety, characterizing opposition to the book as vitriolic.

In all the uproar, I have yet to read any personal threats against Cummins that might merit a safety concern. Most important, nearly all of the major critics of the novel have clearly stated that race and nationality are not the main issues. The focus on ethnicity is misleading, presenting Latino and Latina opponents of the novel as hot-headed sore losers, resentful that somebody else got the million-dollar deal.

David Bowles, one of the first authors to pan the novel, reiterated during an NPR interview that his critique doesnt mean that we think that authors shouldnt be allowed to write outside of their identity. Esmeralda Bermudez writes in the Los Angeles Times , I dont take issue with an outsider coming into my community to write about us. But American Dirt so completely misrepresents the immigrant experience that it must be called out.

To be sure, recent history is full of gross misrepresentations of Mexico. However, certain non-Mexican authors have proved that just the opposite is possible. In fact, some have been in a unique position to collaborate with Mexican voices.