I’m gonna need white gays in fandom to chill with the “ugh het ships” when it comes to pairings with POC, specifically black women.

like black women are considered the least attractive race of women across the board. So when there’s representation of a black woman being loved on regardless of the gender of her partner(s), it is very important that it not be treated as business as usual or “just another het ship”

kingevangelista

I mean give me all the gay ships, if it’s gay I’m here for it 100%, anybody who’s followed me any amount of time knows that. But I’m not about to act like black women being loved and desired is the status quo, even if it’s by a man

aph-japan reblogged

lastoneout

kestalsblog

Not every story is about seeing yourself in it. Sometimes it’s about learning to see other people too.

doesnotloveyou

@tearyeyedcat this was beautifully written, thank you for adding it!

aph-japan reblogged

prokopetz

themushroomblues

Somebody told a real life woman that her skin was too brown to play an imaginary creature. That basically in the whole fictional world of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, where you have dragons and trolls and talking trees, where you draw the line, where imagination is capped out, no more room, is for a brown hobbit. Like firery eyeball thing, no problem but don’t even try to imagine a Samoan elf. That shit will blow your mind.

Wyatt Cenac [x] (via modernmonkeys)

THANK YOU.

(via feministbatwoman)

#themushroomblues #fandom #fandom issues #media #media representation #representation #media criticism #bad media criticism #black characters #brown characters #multifandom issues #every fandom #i dont go here #lord of the rings #(but)#this

aph-japan reblogged

koushirouizumi

PSA

Movies and television shows that show black women as attractive or desirable is not oversexualization. Oversexualization is when a woman is used as nothing but eye candy and is dehumanized in the process (which usually includes copious amounts of unnecessary nudity or sexual violence directed at the female character).

Black women are hardly ever seen as the ideal beauty or even remotely desirable in mainstream media. Racist portrayals of black women in western media continue to push the idea that black women are unattractive and are not deserving of love or affection, and that attitude translates to real life situations. So, when you see a black female character receiving positive attention for her looks or femininity, please stop and remember that black women even being given the opportunity to be portrayed in this light is a huge step.

We’re still fighting to be seen as human. To be seen as women.

aph-japan reblogged

koushirouizumi

PSA

Movies and television shows that show black women as attractive or desirable is not oversexualization. Oversexualization is when a woman is used as nothing but eye candy and is dehumanized in the process (which usually includes copious amounts of unnecessary nudity or sexual violence directed at the female character).

Black women are hardly ever seen as the ideal beauty or even remotely desirable in mainstream media. Racist portrayals of black women in western media continue to push the idea that black women are unattractive and are not deserving of love or affection, and that attitude translates to real life situations. So, when you see a black female character receiving positive attention for her looks or femininity, please stop and remember that black women even being given the opportunity to be portrayed in this light is a huge step.

We’re still fighting to be seen as human. To be seen as women.

#theprettyfeminist #fandom #fandom issues #fandom racism #racism #racist stereotypes #antiblackness #black characters #black women #black women characters #black girl characters #marginalized characters #white feminism #western media #western fandom #media criticism #feminism #*NOT UP FOR DEBATE

aph-japan reblogged

koushirouizumi

luxuriousvulgarity

Lemonade was not made for me, either. As a Singaporean Chinese woman, I would be lying if I said I was familiar with the complex, myriad ways Beyoncé explores black female personhood, sexuality, and spirituality in the film. But as a non-American, non-white woman, what I am familiar with is appreciating art that is not and will never be made with me in mind. This is a process that white people are now struggling with more publicly than ever. It seems to me that much of the pain in this process comes from entitlement, which often stems from ignorance. I wonder: Do white people in the Western world understand just how much of global popular culture is tailored to their tastes and their histories? Do white people in the Western world know that, for non-white people who wish to participate in and discuss global popular culture, being well-versed in white cultural and musical history is almost compulsory? Do white people in the Western world know how laughable it is that they feel excluded just because a popular work of art dares to be less culturally legible to them?

Beyoncé’s Lemonade: A Lesson on Appreciating Art That Wasn’t Made for You | Consequence of Sound (via luxuriousvulgarity)

Source: consequenceofsound.net

aph-japan reblogged

izzyizumi

mindthesplinter

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that fandom will advocate the romantic sub-plot between two main characters, unless one character is portrayed by an actor who is a person of colour. This phenomenon within white fandom is called ‘why can’t they remain as friends, I feel a certain discomfort with a potential relationship between *insert ship*, for which the strength of this WOC will be threatened by any romantic subtext because every woman of colour is an island”. This phenomena or “discomfort” is commonly known as racism.

aph-japan reblogged

koushirouizumi

karnythia

An Open Letter To White Women In Fandom

A white woman playing a love interest is not groundbreaking for you. I get it. White women in films are often cast as love interests. That does not mean that a Black woman playing a love interest isn’t groundbreaking for Black women. We aren’t cast often in the first place, and when we are we are often Mammy, Jezebel or Sapphire. Feel free to look those stereotypes up. You’ll notice that none of them are shown the slightest hint of care, concern, or even the most basic compassion. In case you need references feel free to visit the writing for Kendra on Buffy, Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries, or Tara on True Blood.

Tessa Thompson playing a Black woman with super powers who is loved is not something that has happened in live action MCU or DCU. You will either grab onto that feminist flag & understand that what’s good for us does not have to be good for you in order for you to support it, or you will get read for filth every time you advance the argument that a Black woman being loved is bad storytelling.

aph-japan reblogged

koushirouizumi

You know what’s exhausting about stanning characters of color? That you can never explore their flaws. You can never appreciate them if they are selfish, angry, hurt, closed-off or cruel; you can’t explore “what would happen if they turned evil”, you can’t write Villain!AUs…

…because inevitably White Fandom™ will actually grab even the smallest sign of them not being a Literal Angel™ to argue that they are canonically evil and the Real Villain™ of the series, or take your What-If AUs and argue that said character is actually turning evil in canon.

And god forbid you go looking for Darkside!AUs, because you will only find piles and piles of garbage written by White Fandom™ just to demonize said character of color in order to prop up their white fave.

aph-japan reblogged

izzyizumi

White character: *murders an innocent person for power*

Fandom: He had no choice!

Character of color: *shows mercy*

Fandom: How weak, he never did anything!

White character: *stalks, harasses, and exploits vulnerable characters, in large part for their own gain*

Fandom: He's doing the best he can!

Character of color: *hurts someone in the process of saving their life, with the only other option being to let them die*

Fandom: He's no better than a rapist!

White character: *lies frequently, lashes out at loved ones in anger, and hurts an innocent person just because they are feeling hurt*

Fandom: He's been through a lot!

Character of color: *takes a while to recover from trauma and assault and needs time to feel safe around a person who tried to kill him*

Fandom: He's emotionally abusive! He's manipulative!

White character: *manipulates and lies to others*

Fandom: He's practical! He's getting things done!

Character of color: *manipulates and lies to others*

Fandom: HOW DARE HE?!

White character: *makes a plan we don't see the entirety of until after it happens*

Fandom: How clever!

Character of color: *makes a plan we don't see the entirety of until after it happens*

Fandom: How manipulative!

White character: *murders an innocent member of their family for power*

Fandom: He's just trying to preserve the rest of his family and help the community!

Character of color: *actually tries to help his family*

Fandom: He's selfish for helping his own family instead of everyone else's families!

White character: *is actually seen hurting someone in the canon material*

Fandom: The show is distorting events to make the hero of the show look like a hero!

Character of color: *actually goes through harm and trauma*

Fandom: It's made up/exaggerated! They should be able to recover right away!

White character: *does something shitty*

Fandom: He's traumatized! He has a mental illness!

Character of color: *makes a mistake they tried to avoid before it happened and try to rectify after*

Fandom: Trauma/mental illness is no excuse for anything!

White character: *background or recurring character with a simple/superficial story*

Fandom: Here's a million and one headcanons and AUs that we'll perpetuate so far that people don't realize they never actually happened in the show!

Character of color: *main character of the show, engaging story line, and deep narrative*

Fandom: This character is so boring! Nothing ever happens, he never changes, and he never does anything!

#fandom racism #fandom negativity #fandom #character hate #character bashing #character sidelining #characters of color hate #characters of color #dark skin representation #black characters #asian characters #marginalized characters #(Reblogging to Inform)#(Im Tired)#(This post really does sum it up for pretty much every fandom I've ever been in with characters that are Not White huh?)#(Discreetly Reblogs hoping i can get people lurking from my other fandoms to See Sense)#(when youve been active in fandom for 12+ years. and youre Tired)#(its the same thing in nearly every fandom and it never changes)

aph-japan reblogged

izzyizumi

One of the most disappointing things about joining a new fandom is finding a wonderful ship with a POC in it and only to find out that, once again, the fandom aggressively only thinks of it as a brotp.

They could fuck and it’s “there was no lead up”. But if two white characters have one conversation there will be 1000 posts on how they are destined for each other.

They could flirt and “they’re just joking”. But if two white characters fight it’s because they like each other.

They could say that they love each other and “it’s just as friends”. But if two white characters say they hate each other they’re actually in love.

I’m tired of seeing more content for two white characters who’ve never met than for ships with POC in it that canonically trust and love each other.

#fandom #fandom issues #fandom racism #anime fandom #shipwars #shipping #shipping issues #white fandom #white slash fandom #characters of color #black characters #dark skin characters #asian characters #latine characters #marginalized characters #mixed characters #interracial ships #(aka Reasons Why I've been Drifting from wider fandom participation outside of maybe my #(digimon adventure sideblogging)#(and all of these exact same issues happen constantly there too)#(because)#(it is the case for)#(every fandom)#(that has characters who are)#(NOT WHITE)#(like i have rivals to friends to lovers ships too but COME ON)#(there are reasons i drifted from so many of my other fandoms)#(and the sad thing is i didnt even want to maybe)#(its bad enough when you have to constantly remind fandom that these anime characters for the most part)#(arent even white)