For My Next Racefail...
Jan. 17th, 2010 10:11 pmThis article on white guilt in heroic fantasy narratives is interesting. In a nutshell, it criticizes the trope of the white person "going native" in order to help the oppressed POC and then rocketing to success as leader of the POC from the inside. There is, indeed, much to criticize about that trope.
So I feel myself walking into it, and if I can, I want to preempt that (or at least seek an outside opinion). I have a plan (in early development stage) for a web show set in my science fiction universe but using a Buck Rogers/Farscape tactic to send a 21st century Everywoman to the distant future. As it stands, my Everywoman is white, she is one of the only white people in the cast, and she does get the big revelation that is a substantial part of saving the day. Ergo, conspicuously white "relatable" character becomes hero who figures out salvation for POC.
Thing is, I'm not sure what to do about it. Here are some considerations that led to this racial state of affairs.
( Read more... )
So I feel myself walking into it, and if I can, I want to preempt that (or at least seek an outside opinion). I have a plan (in early development stage) for a web show set in my science fiction universe but using a Buck Rogers/Farscape tactic to send a 21st century Everywoman to the distant future. As it stands, my Everywoman is white, she is one of the only white people in the cast, and she does get the big revelation that is a substantial part of saving the day. Ergo, conspicuously white "relatable" character becomes hero who figures out salvation for POC.
Thing is, I'm not sure what to do about it. Here are some considerations that led to this racial state of affairs.
( Read more... )