The Great Debate: Insiders vs. Outsiders

I still feel conflicted about the insider vs. outsider debate. Some would argue that in multicultural children's literature, an insider should have the ultimate voice in producing an authentic and cultural piece of work. An insider would be defined as a person who lives within the chosen cultural group. They have an "inside" perspective. Others argue that outsiders can contribute to the multicultural works as well with extensive research and knowledge of the chosen group. To me, I guess it depends. An insider most obviously seems to have the most information ranging from experiences, emotions, and opinions. An outsider can only observe these experiences, emotions, and opinions. Therefore, it seems that an outsider would be telling the insider's story for them. Sort of like someone else writing your biography. I think both can be revealing. The only conflict I see, is if the outsider misinterprets or misconstrues something because they are telling someone else's story. So I guess in my opinion, the insider would be the most accurate... BUT if the outsider is going to make an attempt, they should make sure to be as accurate and authentic as possible, because I believe observations can also be very telling. An outsider can observe something that an insider doesn't even realize because they are an insider. This is still something to debate I think......