A lot of people are actually unaware of what the white savior trope is, and have trouble understanding why it is problematic. So before I continue, this is about Daenerys and if you like her then just—don’t read this. And it’s OKAY to like her but don’t deny that her character is a perfect example of white feminism/saviorism.
A lot of comments (from mostly white women) are “well, were the slaves supposed to stay slaves” or “where would they be if Dany to save them! They chose her!” (and y’all refernce the earlier seasons where she is being carried around by brown and black ppl, thank you @rhaeneystargaryen for reminding me ) Y’all are missing the fucking point, and your whiteness and ignorance of women of color shows.
The fact of the matter that you HAVE a white character who is positioned as a savior for people of color has horrible implications. White authors have—for too long—put white characters in positions of power over people of color where—said people of color couldn’t be saved if it weren’t for white people.
This idea that, a white person, especially a white woman is some type of savior for people of color comes from racism and it isn’t something that started with Daenerys. This idea was used to justify things like slavery, colonialization and a lot of other terrible things. This idea that people of color (esp black and indigenous people) were naturally unable to lead themselves and or, uneducated and unable to survive without the aid of white interaction is called the white savior trope—and again, this was used to enforce mass genocide, racism and colonailzation.
Because of white feminism and racism, this has been played out in media as a form of female empowerment. By making a white woman the savior and leader of people of color and painting said poc as savage like before her interaction, you are reinforcing those roles. By seeing Dany’s rule as anything other than white imperialism and racism, you ARE justifying and supporting the same tropes that were used to justify white supremacy.
Dany continued to threaten, burn villages, holy sites, conquer, kill poc, etc if they would not listen to her. And some people may say “well she killed people who didn’t listen to her”. WHY is that good? Why is the face of a white woman killing brown and black people good? Why is it good that the white author INTENTIONALLY set up poc to be brutes so a white woman could burn them or force them into submission if they did not bow to her.
There is nothing empowering about a white outsider liberating a group of ‘savage slaves’, using them for her own goals, and threatening to kill/burn other black and brown people that don’t listen to her. It may be empowering for white women, to see “savage” people of color “tamed” and inferior to a white woman but y’all are racist so it isn’t a damn surprise.
The sheer ignorance of white women to act like there is nothing wrong with that, and to act like various people willingly followed her just shows how racist you are. shows how, for how you all act like you are liberal and woke, conflate feminism with the oppression of people of color.
So when you see people—ESPECIALLY WOMEN OF COLOR—complaining about Daenerys, and your responses are to make bitter posts or to call us sexist, then literally be quiet and reflect on your own racism. If you are going to try to use the slaves, and the people of color Dany used to her benefit to act like she’s a good person, then kindly shut the fuck up.
Also white women CAN reblog this but don’t act like a clown.
