Thread by @EvilCleverDog

There are numerous issues with the presentation of mixed races in #OneDND.

DND’s mechanisation of race makes depicting mixed races fraught with issues because of the specific kinds of racism we face – such as blood quantums and being seen as “parts of” or not “full” people. 1/16

Prior to this the main way mixed races were represented in DND was half-orcs and half-elves. Those names imply what I mentioned above, that they’re not seen as full people, but as “half” of one side of their heritage - the least human one (or the least white) 2/16

Both were extremely couched in further negative narratives about mixed race people – most notably the tragic mulatto trope, and being abominations, outcast for being mixed, who never fully belong or are never fully accepted anywhere. And more. 3/16

However, in moving away from this overt racism towards MR people, WOTC has attempted to climb out of one pitfall and tumbled into another. The language in this text is the other end of the spectrum of racism MR folks experience. In particular, the use of “wondrous pairing”. 4/16

It’s the exoticisation, the othering via toxic positivity & still seeing us not as full people, but now as a bridge between worlds, beautiful but in a dehumanising way. It’s reflective of irl sayings like “I want to have a mixed race baby because they’re the most beautiful” 5/16

It implies something mystical, mysterious, and exotic about mixed race people, who can only exist because of the “magical workings of the multiverse”. It is still intensely othering, just in a different way to the tragic mulatto half-orcs. 6/16

I see what they were trying to do, and I see how a white/non-mixed writer trying to improve racism in DND would arrive at this description for MR characters. But it is still reflective of racist attitudes towards MR people. And that’s just the lore. What about mechanics? 7/16

Likely unintentionally, I feel these new mechanics erase that being mixed race is its own identity and feed into those same issues. You don’t take meaningful things from both (and it can only be two) aspects of your heritage. One has impact while the other is trivial. 8/16

This is unfortunately still reflective of anti-mixed racism. The constant accusations that we’re not really all aspects of ourselves, that we don’t count. That we only get to claim (or have claimed for us) one part of us instead of embracing being mixed as its own identity. 9/16

This section also frankly feels… diminishing. Problematic as they were, the main dedicated mixed races are gone, and now we’re reduced to a tiny sidebar that basically amounts to “you figure it out” and some exotifying language. 10/16

I imagine half-orcs/elves could make a reappearance in the published version of this. Maybe as examples of how to build a MR character, like the example backgrounds. If they do, I hope WOTC improves some other aspects of both of them (like the names) 11/16

I’ll be honest and say I don’t think there’s a way to depict mixed race characters in DND completely issue-free unless you don’t mechanise race at all. Which would be great, but I don’t see DND ever doing it. 12/16

Building a character buffet style is an approach some people like. It certainly allows for characters of more than two heritages. But it also has problematic implications (it can feel eugenics-y & either make MR characters inherently OP or inherently weaker) 13/16

But regardless, they certainly need to find a BETTER way to depict mixed race characters. Hire mixed race writers, or at least consultants, for this section. Rewrite the problematic language and move away from these same tired, racist tropes about mixed race people. 14/16

Also, I know this won’t stop Some People, but #OneDND is something WOTC are ASKING for feedback on. I intend to do the survey, but I’m also sharing some of my thoughts here, in the hopes I can educate others about mixed race issues. 15/16

OH and I agree with those saying WOTC should move away from using the word race, and that removing racial ASIs isn’t enough to remove racism & bioessentialism from the game. As I said in this thread, both other mechanics & descriptive language perpetuates those issues 16/16