two sad things about the race meta going on

[tielan]

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 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.

Comments

Here from MF

[tacky-tramp.livejournal.com]

And this is why many people of color prefer to stay out of fandom.

Re: Here from MF

[teh-gandu.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* Yeah, but, racism in fandom will always go on, and I'd rather not get myself involved, because I will say something that I may or may not regret later on. A perfect example is the sga fortune cookie community.

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

[tielan]

I guess it's a question of where your "line" is drawn - as noted in oyceter's post in yesterday's metafandom.

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

[teh-gandu.livejournal.com]

I don't know where my line in dawn, fandom wise, sure, whilst I've voiced my opinion about racism in fandom, I do believe that at the end of the day, it is up that individual what he/she considers "racist" I mean when I read that a white person/non white person was a kink, I just rolled my eyes and said WTF? I mean I don't know about you, but, yeah, as a colored person, I was brought up with the realization of racist people, and throughout school there were the typical racial comments...'til I told my teacher *snerk*

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

[tielan]

Sure, people decide where their lines are drawn WRT racism, but lines can be redrawn and reconsidered.

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

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

I don't know what 'Roots' is

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.