Friday, February 15, 2008

How not to confront your own privilege - by Karen El

1. So your complaint is that there is not nearly enough visual information in the simply drawn characters to immediately convey their ethnicity, except for when there is an element, but that is far too stereotyped so you don't like it.

I am all over greater cultural diversity in comics, and it's something I struggle with, myself. But if I introduced a character with a different ethnic background from my own and immediately got shouted at for not making it obvious enough without including stereotyped traits, or thinking through every aspect of their background, you know what? I might end up doing what most everyone else does, and avoid all the grief by making everyone white.

I agree, the Asian and Latina Janes weren't obvious to me, either. But their backgrounds weren't as relevent to the story as, say, The Re-Gifters.

It would be wonderful if I had people of differing ethnic background that I could call on to help me give depth to characters. You know where I could find anyone like that?

2. Is it over-simplistic of me to suggest that you go after the writers and artists that are making no effort towards cultural diversity, rather than advocating dogpiling on those that try, but don't succeed as well as you'd like?


3. Willow, yes. I agree it could have been better. In fact I think I already said that.

I'm not defending the author's comments. I don't speak for her.

And I totally knew you were going to throw white privilege at me. Of course anyone who actually gives a damn about being more culturally diverse in their work, but admits she doesn't have the experience to do a good job on her own must be absolutely brimming with white privilege, so let's make sarky comments and shoot her down for even daring to ask for help.

My mistake. I thought you were about promoting cultural diversity. You're quite good at the opposite.

I just want you to know that if you ever see some of my work that includes culturally diverse characters, it will be despite you, rather than because of you.

4. Well I can see where it's more satisfying to sneer at me than explain what I am missing.

Congratulations. You have achieved the irony of shutting out someone in a thread where you write about how bad someone else was for shutting you out.


***

Don't anyone ever tell me I should give GirlWonder* the Organization the Boards a pass or more understanding or any shit like that ever again. Because as you can plainly see, with this brimming example of one of their own - they want someone to hand feed them Racism 101.

And I quite plainly am not having conversations anymore with people who aren't at least at Racism 205.

I am not your magical negro. If I take the time to point out to you that you still need work to do re: your inner institutional racism, that's me being kind.

We cannot have a conversation when I'm working on a level you (the racist you) is not. Because I am fed up and refuse to spoon feed strangers the work, definitions and self-examination of Racism 101. I am fed up with having to point out your strawman arguments and twisted thinking. I am not your mammy or your maid. And I am not obligated to explain shit to you, politely and nicely. That's your privilege right there. Along with the bullshit "Well I'm going to be culturally diverse despite you not holding my hand, you mean black woman!"

To which my response is: [Redacted] take your [redacted] white [redacted] out of my blog and don't ever bring yourself or your friends around here again until you pull your collective [redacted] out of your [redacted].

ETA: And my other response is now at the top of my sidebar with an official graphic.

ETA: * Correction made between the GW boards and those who use their domain and the GW Organization (spokes people, chairperson and other members of the board). As much as I might want to throw them all together, it is not factual or accurate and Karen El does not have the power to represent them, only to besmirch them by association.

** Also I know and am friends with Karen Healy - she who writes Girls Read Comics & They're Pissed and who is also President of the GW Organization. And whom despite some prior cluelessness is someone I hope others will also call an ally.

9 comments:

  1. If you ever see some of my work that includes culturally diverse characters, it will be despite you, rather than because of you.

    If you want diversity--it's your responsibility to help create it.

    That's problematic. It's generally a writer's responsibility to create a world with some reflection of reality ("non-white non-male non-abled people exist"), and there's the obvious social responsibility to make efforts where they're needed.

    Though of course, in reality, friends do often help out friends with cultural knowledge and privilege unpacking.

    I've seen and liked a little of Karen El's work, though I don't have a G_W account; you seem long-acquainted with her. It's...sad.

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  2. Sarah:

    I don't actually know Karen El from adam. I know Karen Healy - she who writes Girls Read Comics & They're Pissed.

    Karen Healy is also the President of the GW Board of Directors.

    I've edited my original post to clarify that in my anger I didn't properly distinguish between the boards (the group of women navel gazing in a forum) and the board of directors (the group of women who want to turn GW into a non-profit promoting women in comics)

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  3. I'm sorry--I'm an idiot. I love reading Healey's column. I apologise for the massive misreading, and any general clumsiness in comment wording.

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  4. Sarah:

    No problem. I once got both Karen's mixed up and thought they were one person.

    Also GW has some work to do itself to distinguish itself and its actions from the forum it helps to host.

    Hopefully when they designate an official PR person, that will happen.

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  5. I just want you to know that if you ever see some of my work that includes culturally diverse characters, it will be despite you, rather than because of you.

    Let me see if I understand this.

    There are entire books written about how to write outside of your culture/ethnic identity, but it will be despite your evil, harsh, big meanie ways, indicated by the way in which you didnt immediately volunteer tutoring and other assistance?

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  6. Delux:

    *Points to Graphic At Top Of Journal*

    PoC Meanie.

    I'm evil, didn't you know? I run around in tights and have fights with the real multicultural heroes, all while spreading my doom and gloom.

    I am Anti!Helpful!Girl - Scourge of White Society.

    Luckily, my minions are half naked PoC men that look like Keith Hamilton Cobb and Jason Momoa.

    I find this to be a good trade off for my villainess ways.

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  7. I'm just now catching up on all this - I have a lot of reading to do - and by Shiva and Damballah, woman, WHAT THE HELL. I'm...I'm...I know this can sound trite, but I'm embarrassed to be in the same larger arbitrary phenotype as some of these people.

    I'm sorry people are so clueless. And please, I will do my absolute best to never put the burden on you to train me in Racism 101. If I ever even get close to doing that, I just ask that you *please* let me know, so I can shut the hell up, read some more, and hopefully be one of the people with a pending clue.

    By Manwë's pants!

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  8. I apologise.

    You are right. I shouldn't have told you to choose your targets better. It just upsets me when I see people avoiding controversy by removing any diversity.

    I was also upset by some of the things you said about girl-wonder, who have been very supportive to me, and that made my response more aggressive than it should have been.

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  9. Dear Karen El:

    My mistake. I thought you were about promoting cultural diversity. You're quite good at the opposite.

    I just want you to know that if you ever see some of my work that includes culturally diverse characters, it will be despite you, rather than because of you.


    You need more than a half ass apology. Because that was some nasty, spiteful shit you said.

    ReplyDelete