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The second-saddest thing about this whole discussion of race and racism in fandom?
It took someone comparing interracial relationships with bestiality to get any discussion about racism really jumping.
It actually took someone more or less stating (intentional or not) that non-whites are not people, are animal, sub-human, lesser, inferior, and filthy, to make fans who've previously decried and denied any need for race discussions ("I'm white and not racist, so racism isn't my problem") to say, "This is unacceptable."
The saddest thing? I suspect that a lot of fans will completely miss the underlying issue - not the racism itself, but the response to the accusation.
It's not that the D-D mods (and community) are racist. It's not that they used the word 'miscegenation' in ignorance of it's history. It's not even that they used the word to put white person/non-white person pairings alongside human/non-human pairings.
It's the way they responded upon having it pointed out that the term was blatantly racist, or that lumping white/non-white in with human/non-human was insulting:
1. We're not racist!
2. There was no racist intent!
3. We won't change the prompt, because that goes against our principles!
4. The problem is yours, because you're taking our interpretation of the word the wrong way!
I used![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nardasarmy's phrasing of the D-D mods' attitude from this post.
Which isn't all that different from most knee-jerk reactions to accusations in fandom. Rather than take a look at themselves, examine their work, examine their mentality, examine their assumptions, most people prefer to point the finger at the person bringing the issue to them. "Not my fault but yours!"
It's easier to point the finger, I'll grant. I've done it before - used offensive terms in innocence, expressed offensive opinions unconsciously - and then told or implied to the person bringing me the issue that it's not my problem but theirs. I've also paused, reconsidered, apologised, and reworded so as not to cause offence where none was intended.
I'll probably point the finger again sometime in the future, self-awareness notwithstanding. But, hopefully, when I fall, there'll be thoughtful people who'll grab me, haul me up and say, "You might want to watch out for that next time" rather than let me stumble, roll their eyes with their friends and sneer, "Oh my god, what an idiot!"
And to the people who pick me up and help dust me off with kindness and consideration, I'll say, "Oh, jeeze, I'm sorry. Thanks for the head's up." And we'll continue on together.
--
Incidentally, for people willing to challenge themselves, their perceptions, and their fandom experience, next week is International Blog About Race Week (IBARW). Details are up over atoyceter's LJ.
It took someone comparing interracial relationships with bestiality to get any discussion about racism really jumping.
It actually took someone more or less stating (intentional or not) that non-whites are not people, are animal, sub-human, lesser, inferior, and filthy, to make fans who've previously decried and denied any need for race discussions ("I'm white and not racist, so racism isn't my problem") to say, "This is unacceptable."
The saddest thing? I suspect that a lot of fans will completely miss the underlying issue - not the racism itself, but the response to the accusation.
It's not that the D-D mods (and community) are racist. It's not that they used the word 'miscegenation' in ignorance of it's history. It's not even that they used the word to put white person/non-white person pairings alongside human/non-human pairings.
It's the way they responded upon having it pointed out that the term was blatantly racist, or that lumping white/non-white in with human/non-human was insulting:
1. We're not racist!
2. There was no racist intent!
3. We won't change the prompt, because that goes against our principles!
4. The problem is yours, because you're taking our interpretation of the word the wrong way!
I used
nardasarmy's phrasing of the D-D mods' attitude from this post.Which isn't all that different from most knee-jerk reactions to accusations in fandom. Rather than take a look at themselves, examine their work, examine their mentality, examine their assumptions, most people prefer to point the finger at the person bringing the issue to them. "Not my fault but yours!"
It's easier to point the finger, I'll grant. I've done it before - used offensive terms in innocence, expressed offensive opinions unconsciously - and then told or implied to the person bringing me the issue that it's not my problem but theirs. I've also paused, reconsidered, apologised, and reworded so as not to cause offence where none was intended.
I'll probably point the finger again sometime in the future, self-awareness notwithstanding. But, hopefully, when I fall, there'll be thoughtful people who'll grab me, haul me up and say, "You might want to watch out for that next time" rather than let me stumble, roll their eyes with their friends and sneer, "Oh my god, what an idiot!"
And to the people who pick me up and help dust me off with kindness and consideration, I'll say, "Oh, jeeze, I'm sorry. Thanks for the head's up." And we'll continue on together.
--
Incidentally, for people willing to challenge themselves, their perceptions, and their fandom experience, next week is International Blog About Race Week (IBARW). Details are up over at
oyceter's LJ.
*sighs*
Here from MF
Re: Here from MF
Sure, I'll say something in rl, but, fandom is the one place I come to escape.
I'll admit the only fandom I'm staying out of is the Doctor Who fandom, because of the whole Martha vs Rose *eyeroll*
Re: Here from MF
My own nature isn't to sit back if I can do something. One reason I'm still writing Teyla and John/Teyla fic in spite of the continuing unpopularity of character and pairing is because no-one else does - and I can do something about that.
So my 'line' is drawn where I can at least voice something on a personal scale. I'm not sure I can do anything on a town, city, country, global scale, but if this makes a few people stop and reconsider their attitudes, maybe the embarrassment, humiliation, and mockage that comes of speaking out will be worth it.
Re: Here from MF
Some people, will never learn, nor will they ever change and there's only so much we can do.
I mean it's like when Roots first aired, back in the 70s, Caucasians (not all) were having a problem with it, because they refused to believe that, that's what their ancestors did *shrugs*
One reason I'm still writing Teyla and John/Teyla fic in spite of the continuing unpopularity of character and pairing is because no-one else does - and I can do something about that.
Ah, but, you seem to forget Teyla was only brought in as "eye candy" *eyeroll* sometime, I cannot help but wonder, had Rachel been older and Torri been younger, would "eye candy" come up? It isn't Rachel's fault, she's attractive. I haven't written in the SGA fandom for a long time, mostly due to lack of bunnies. That's why with iconzing, etc, etc, I'll always continue to iconize Teyla (and Weir *g*)
Another perfect example of racism and ignorance’s was Celebrity Big Brother, here in the UK.
Re: Here from MF
There was a meta about the treatment of CoCs and how they tended to end up in 'traditional' roles of their ethnicity/skin colour. It was back in the DW fandom, and I only skimmed it due to lack of time.
The comment or statement that caught my eye was someone pointing out that it's not enough to claim that a character has been 'accidentally' put into a racial stereotype anymore. Once a character/actor of colour has been cast in a role in a TV show, then there's no excuse for an aware writer to ignore considering where the storylines - or fic plot - for the character are being taken, and to avoid shoving the non-whites into the roles of primitives, technological savages, crime gangs, and bully-boys.
Sometimes, it takes someone pointing out that reiteration of racial stereotypes in fanfic is unhelpful to make people rethink.
And sometimes, they just dig in their heels and squeal the above protest.
But I have to try.
I mean it's like when Roots first aired, back in the 70s
I'm afraid I don't know what 'Roots' is, although I remember only vaguely the kerfuffle over UK Big Brother (I avoid Big Brother like the plague).
Teyla was only brought in as "eye candy" *eyeroll*
Yes. Damn that eye-candy! Possessing the Wraithgene, acting as a guide, managing her team-mates, attracting John Sheppard, getting a plotline in Season Four - how dare she! Aspiring above her station as a mere alien chickybabe!
I'd better not continue on that front. *wry*
I imagine that if Rachel had been older, and Torri younger, then Rachel would have been "the old hag" and "bitchy older man-stealer". Fans are pretty much the same, no matter which character they espouse, or which pairing they support.
Re: Here from MF
I was only a kid when Roots aired, but I remember it being a huge deal. It was a TV miniseries based on an epic (partly autobiographical) saga beginning with the capture of a young African man who was shipped to America and sold into slavery. It was brutally, heartbreakingly realistic, at least to my young sensibilities.
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It's appalling, yes.
It's also human nature.
Basking in your own squee at the discomfort of others is what the human race does, everywhere you look.
People don't question their privileges, where they come from, or consider how it might be hurting others. Part of it is unconscious, part of it is deliberate, I think. People could think about it, but they have other things to do, are too busy, can't do anything about it...and it might involve changing their habits.
We're creatures of habit at heart. That doesn't mean we can't change our habits, avoid running on our instincts, think first before leaping or speaking or writing; it's just easier not to.
Most people like it easy.
*here from metafandom*
Because fandom totally does have really weird issues with race (and gender, and sexuality, etc.) and this is a symptom, not an isolated incident. Nice meta!
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But there were people during the last few sets of discussions/meta about race who were all "racism isn't my problem to address" and I've noticed a few of those names rethinking, as well as some people who were all, "I never thought about it before."
I don't always have something to say when meta breaks out, but I know there are a few people who read this LJ who don't read too many other LJs. So I point the way around to other discussions, and hope that it gets people thinking.
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Anyway, I was actually agreeing with what I'd thought you wrote ... which you didn't ... so, shutting up now. *g*
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Well, I think that getting involved in the dialogue is a good place to start as well. Doesn't do any harm to make it clear that you believe the issues of racism in fandom worth considering - assuming that you do, of course!
As I said, for me, providing links and pointers for my f-list makes it reasonably clear that I believe this is something worth thinking about and questioning - in fandom, in society, in myself - and inviting others to do likewise.
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I'm not saying you were wrong to be quiet, I'm just saying that pointing people to a situation and pointing out that the situation is bad has utility.
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It's too easy to offend anyone these days, no matter how right or wrong a comment it is. I prefer to just stay out of it and live in my own happy little bubble where there's candy canes and everybody gets along.
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However, my pet theory is that a fan's favourite character is usually picked because of similarity and identification, and white fans will tend to pick white characters to identify with and pair up with the "lead male" of the show (who's always white).
But that's just a theory of mine. :)
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