Some truths about JK Rowling and upcoming Fantastic Beasts:
FB is about WWII.
It's international. It's going to include non-British cultures.
JKR's record on non-white characters and cultures: shallow tokenism. This is just fact. She is the writer she is. We have evidence.
FB is about WWII.
It's international. It's going to include non-British cultures.
JKR's record on non-white characters and cultures: shallow tokenism. This is just fact. She is the writer she is. We have evidence.
If you want representation, look elsewhere. If you want accountability from popular creators...it doesn't really work that way.
DEFINITELY keep speaking out, educating, reclaiming. DEFINITELY.
But know the writer for who she is and don't be surprised. She's shown us who she is.
DEFINITELY keep speaking out, educating, reclaiming. DEFINITELY.
But know the writer for who she is and don't be surprised. She's shown us who she is.
She will keep including a few people of color. She must; she must include more; it will keep happening. There's no evidence that the portrayals will feel recognizably authentic to those of us being portrayed. But she must keep including them and she will.
The answer is NOT that she should only ever write white or British characters. The answer is NOT that Nagini should not be portrayed by an Asian actress. OH HECK NO, no one is taking that away from me! I *will* watch Claudia Kim and Ezra Miller acting together!
Yes, I know a wife-abuser is in this. Yes, I know how it feels to live in a home ruled by that kind of abusive terror. No, I don't have the power to make them reshoot the whole thing with Jamie Campbell Bower instead.
I am going to see this movie because the driving concept is stunning, unfortunately extremely relevant at the moment, and it looks AMAZING. A lot of things will probably be wrong when it comes to race and culture. The soul of the story is still something I want to feel.
But nobody else has to see this. And please, fellow people of color and queer readers, nobody depend upon a white cishet British woman to create a fictional world that represents us. Critique, love, adapt, but don't depend. Support writers who can and do write of other truths.
(These thoughts spurred by Ep381 of @pottercast, in which @melissaanelli and other hosts discussed the Nagini reveal.)
