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#because i love her and i can make her trans

creatingblackcharacters · 2 days

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"Let's Have a Talk, First"- Stereotypes, pt 1

Come sit down. You and I, before we get into any of the things I'm sure you're impatient to know: we need to have a come to Jesus talk, first.

There are some things that I've been asked and seen that strengthens my belief that we need to have a reframing of the conversation on stereotypes in media away from something as simple as "how do I find the checklist of stereotypes to avoid". Because race- and therefore racial stereotypes- is a complex construct! Stands to reason then, that seeing, understanding, and avoiding it won't be that simple! I'm going to give you a couple pointers to (hopefully) help you rethink your approach to this topic, and therefore how to apply it when you're writing Black characters- and even when thinking about Black people!

Point #1: DEVELOP THE CHARACTER!! WRITE!!

Excuse my crude language, but let me be blunt: Black people- and therefore Black characters- will get angry at things, and occasionally make bad choices in the heat of the moment. Some of us like to fuck real nasty, some might be dominant in the bedroom, they may even be incredibly experienced! Others of us succumb to circumstance and make poor decisions that lead to crime.

None of those things inherently makes any of us angry Black women and threatening Black men, Jezebels and BBC Mandingos, and gangsters and thugs!

Black people are PEOPLE! Write us as such!

If all Black characters ever did was go outside, say "hi neighbor!" and walk back in the house, we'd be as boring as racist fans often accuse.

I say this because I feel I've seen advice that I feel makes people think writing a Black character that… Emotes negatively, or gets hurt by life and circumstance, or really enjoys hard sex, or really any scenario where they might "look bad" is the issue. I can tell many people think "well if I write that, then it's a stereotype" and to avoid the difficulty, they'll probably end up writing a flat Black character or not writing them at all. Or- and I've seen this too- they'll overcompensate in the other direction, which reveals that they 'wrote a different sort of Black person!' and it comes off just as awkwardly because it means you think that the Black people that do these things are 'bad'. And I hate that, because we're capable of depth, nuance, good, evil, adventure, world domination, all of it!

My point is, if you write your character like the human being they are, while taking care to recognize that you as the writer are not buying into stereotypes with your OWN messaging, you're fine. We have emotions, we have motivations and goals, we make decisions, and we make mistakes, just like anybody else. Write that! Develop your character!

POINT #2: YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE READERS!!

Okay. You can write the GREATEST Black character ever, full of depth, love, nuance, emotional range, all those things…. And people are still going to be racist about them. Sorry. There is absolutely nothing you can do to control a reader coming from that place of bias you sought to avoid. If it's not there, TRUST AND BELIEVE, it'll be projected onto them.

That passionate young Black woman who told the MC to get her head out of her ass? Yeah she's an angry Black bitch now, and bully to the sweet white MC. Maybe a lesbian mommy figure if they like her enough to "redeem" her. That Black gay male lead that treats his partner like he worships the ground he walks on? Yeah he's an abusive thug that needs to die now because he disagreed One Time with his white partner. That Black trans woman who happened to be competing against the white MC, in a story where the white MC makes comparable choices? Ohhhh they're gonna be VILE about that poor woman.

It really hurts- most especially as a Black fan and writer- knowing that you have something amazing to offer (as a person and creative) and people are gonna spit on that and call it "preference". That they can project themselves onto white characters no matter what, but if you project your experiences onto black characters, it's "pandering", "self insert", "woke", "annoying", "boring", and other foul things we've all gotten comments of.

But expect that it's gonna happen when you write a Black character, again, especially if you're a Black writer. If you're not Black, it won't hurt as personally, but it will probably come as a shock when you put so much effort in to create a lovely character and people are just ass about them. Unfortunately, that is the climate of fandom we currently exist in.

My favorite example is of Louis De Pointe Du Lac from AMC's Interview With The Vampire. Louis is actually one of the best depictions of the existential horror that is being Black in a racist White world I have ever seen written by mostly nonblack people. It was timeless; I related to every single source of racist pain he experienced.

People were HORRIFIC about Louis.

It didn't matter that he was well written and what he symbolized; many white viewers did NOT LIKE this man. There's a level of empathy and understanding that Black characters in particular don't receive in comparison to white counterparts, and that's due to many of those stereotypes and systemic biases I'm going to talk about.

My point is, recognize that while yes, you as the author have a duty to write a character thoughtfully as you can, it's not going to stop the response of the ignorant. Writing seeking to get everyone to understand what you were trying to do… Sisyphean effort. It's better to focus on knowing that YOU wrote something good, that YOU did not write the stereotype that those people are determined to see.

POINT #3: WHY is something a stereotype?

While there are lists of stereotypes against Black people in media and life that can be found, I would appreciate if people stopped approaching it as just a list of things you can check off to avoid. You can know what the stereotypes are, sure, but if you don't understand WHY they're a problem and how they play into perception of us, you'll either end up writing a flat character trying to avoid that list, or you're going to write other things related to that stereotype because "oh its not item #1"... and it'll still be racist.

For example: if you wrote a "sassy Black woman" that does a z formation neck rotation just because a store manager asked her something… that's probably stereotype. If you thought of a character that needed to be "loudmouthed", "sassy", and "strong" and a dark-skinned black woman was automatically what fit the profile in your mind, ding ding ding! THAT'S where you need to catch your racist biases.

But a dark-skinned Black woman character cursing out a store manager because she's had a really bad, stressful day and their attitude towards her pushed her over the edge may be in the wrong, but she's not an "angry Black woman". She's a Black woman that's angry! And if you wrote the day she had to be as bad as would drive anyone to overstimulation and anxiety, the blow up will make sense! The development and writing behind her led to this logical point (which connects to point #1!)

I'm not going to provide a truly exhaustive list of Black stereotypes in media because that would ACTUALLY be worth a college credited class and I do this for free lmao. But I am going to provide some classic examples that can get y'all started on your own research.

POINT #4: WATCH BLACK NARRATIVES!

As always, I'm gonna push supporting Black creators, because that's the best way to see the range of what you'd like. You want to see Black villains? We got those! Black heroes? Black antiheroes? Assholes, lovers, comedians, depressed, criminals, kings, and more? They exist! You can get inspired by watching those movies and reading those books, see how WE depict us!

I've seen mixed reviews on it, BUT- I personally really enjoyed Swarm, because it was one of the first times I'd ever seen that "unhinged obsessed murderous Black fan girl" concept. Tumblr usually loves that shit lmao. Even the "bites you bites you bites you [thing I love]" thing was there. And she liked girls, too. Just saying. I thought it was a fun idea that I'd love to see more of. Y'all gotta give us a chance to be in these roles, to tell these tales. We can do it too, and you'd enjoy it if you tried to understand it!

POINT#5: You are NOT Black!

This is obvious lmao, but if you're not Black, there's no need to pretend. There's no need to think "oh well I have to get a 100% perfect depiction of the Black person's mind". That's… That's gonna look cringe, at its best. You don't have to do that in order to avoid stereotypes. You're not going to be able to catch every nuance because it's not your lived experience, nor is it the societally enforced culture. Just… Do what you can, and if you feel like it's coming off hokey… Maybe consider if you want to continue this way lol. If you know of any Black beta readers or sensitivity reviewers, that'd be a good time to check in!

For example, if your Black character is talking about "what's good my homie" and there's absolutely no reason for him to be speaking that way other than to indicate that he's Black… 😬 I can't stop you but… Are you sure?

An egregious example of a TERRIBLE way to write a Black character is the "What If: Miles Morales/Thor" comic. I want to emphasize the lack of good Black character design involved in some of these PROFESSIONAL art spaces, because that MARVEL comic PASSED QA!! That comic went past NUMEROUS sets of eyes and was APPROVED!! IT GOT RELEASED!! NO ONE STOPPED IT!!

I'm sorry, it was just so racist-ly bad that it was hilarious. Like you couldn't make that shit up.

Anyway, unfortunately that's how some of y'all sound trying to write AAVE. I promise that we speak the Queen's English too lmao. If you're worried you won't get it right, just use the standard form of English. It's fine! Personally, I'd much rather you do that than try to 'decode AAVE' if you don't know how to use it.

My point is, if you're actively "forcing" yourself to "think Black"… maybe you need to stand down and reconsider your approach lmao. This is why understanding the stereotypes and social environment behind them will help you write better, because you can incorporate that Blackness- without having to verbally "emphasize how Black this is"- into their character, motivations, and actions.

Conclusion

We need to reconsider how we approach the concepts of stereotypes when writing our Black characters. The goal is not to cross off a checklist of things to avoid per se, but to understand WHY we have to develop our Black characters well enough to avoid incorporating them into our writing. Give your Black characters substance- we're human beings! We have motivations and fears and desires! We're not perfect, but we're not inherently flawed because of our race. That's what makes the difference!

And as always, and really in particular for this topic, it's the thought that counts, but the action that delivers!

#creatingblackcharacters #character design #black characters #black character design #black culture

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dcxdpdabbles · 2 days

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I lovvvvve your cave boy danny and I was wondering if you could make a one shot of 4 ocs I made as danny kids elliena jordan emily and taylor ellina and jordan are basically just dani and dan but with different names so no one think of them as just copies of danny but they also aren’t dani and dan they just share the same background except Dan is also a clone but he’s from evil danny timeline, emily is like the only “normal” kid well as normal as a ghost born kid can be taylor as a clone like elle but not from vlad I’m planning on making it a fic so I can’t tell you who it is but taylor only has Danny DNA and tbh i actually thought about it for quite a while and since danny is bruce counterpart i made danny’s one kids ellina as damian jordan as tim emily as cass and taylor as duke ellina and jordan are twins and so are emily and taylor and I love angst so ellina jordan emily and taylor are dead and danny is traumatise because they died in front of him oh and danny as also trans man ellina and jordan personality are the same emily is like the angel of the family she wants to be a doctor so she always helps frostbite heal her dad and sibling and even though she’s the youngest she is still treated like the youngest taylor is kinda like cass but as much more talkative and sassy I hope this makes sense and if you don’t want to write it just ignore this it’s okay ( english is my second language so sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes )

Thank you for liking my work! Unfortunately, I don't think I would do your OCs justice. They seem to have a very complex backstory, and I couldn't capture them correctly.

I try to avoid doing others' OCs for this reason, but if you ever do finish writing them, I love to read about their journeys.

#dcxdpdabbles #mun speaks #Sorry about that

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bassguitarinablackt-shirt · 1 day

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MAKING A POST ABOUT MY OLD PJO OCS LESGOOOOOO

Arlo Cannon

they/he, child of apollo

kind of a dumbass. this boy is only alive because of sheer dumb luck. he may be a half blood but you will have to pry "oh my god" and "jesus christ" out of his cold dead southern hands. he can play a few instruments and sing kinda well but hes annoying about it. he once wouldnt stop playing megalovania on the piano to annoy the other apollo kids. has a mental breakdown if he has to think about his feelings for more than thirty seconds.

Maximillian "max" Maxwell

they/them, child of ares

insecure about being insecure. dresses like a lumberjack. will kill you if you call them maxmax. bi disaster. my friend once said theyre giving man on tinder holding up a fish in their pfp vibes. wields an axe. they're 4'8 and yet still manage to contain the rage of a thousand suns.

Sullivan "sulli" O'Malley

she/her, daughter of athena

weird little trans girl. eleven years old. much like an owl shes strange, wise, and has a wide eyed unblinking stare. shes very much an athena kid but first and foremost shes her fathers daughter. aroace icon. homeschooled. has a fucked up sleep schedule to the point of being pretty much nocturnal. thinks camp half blood is weird and would much rather be with her dad every summer. autistic.

Quinn Evangeline

they/she/he, child of aphrodite

thinks hes alot cooler than they actually are. aromantic. loves to give love advice thats either really good or ends up crashing and burning. dyes their hair blonde. holds a grudge against her mom. their mortal dad is married to a man giving them two dads. has THE BEST fashion sense. thought he was a lesbian when they first realised shes not attracted to men.

Cameron Flores

he/him, child of hermes

quinns best friend. the day his executives start functioning its over for you all. gay disaster in all directions. acts and kinda looks like a tiktok fuckboy. often gossips with quinn in the back of aphrodite cabin. quinn made him swear not to date any of the aphrodite kids. devious little fucker. i hate him/aff

tagging @daggerhobbit @possibly-astraeus @fakevariety @o-kye

#ashers writing rambles #i have a few others but these were the main ones #i could make a seperate post about those guys tho

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writer-room · 17 days

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I think the funniest thing to come out of Dragons Rising is the fact that both seasons have a character with at least one explicitly queer-subtext moment. Sora with her name and rejecting the society that she didn't fit in with, Bonzle worried no one would accept her for who she is now when compared to who she was "supposed" to be, my friends the closet is made of glass.

I've decided this is now mandatory, at least one queer allegory every season. I'm enlisting all of you to help me enforce it. Onwards, lads, to victory

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uncanny-tranny · 1 year

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I've seen some trans people who are almost in this doomerist mindset about cis people ever respecting or loving them, and I understand what that feels like and I understand where they're coming from. I remember, though, just how many cis people I know who are not only capable of respecting and loving trans people, but do so enthusiastically, and it really just makes me remember that transphobia isn't inherent to being cis. Cis people are entirely capable of learning and growing and allowing trans people into their worlds. There are always going to be those cis people who aren't at that point and might never be, but that is on them, not their cisness.

I think this small shift in viewpoint has helped me reframe my emotions about this topic. It's helpful for me to be able to take a step back and remember that being cis isn't a reason for people to not accept trans people, you know?

#trans #transgender #lgbt #lgbtq #ftm #mtf #nonbinary #i was really upset about some transphobia i've seen from cis people and sometimes it makes me want to retreat inwards and never trust...#...a cis person again. and then i remember some of the people i know...#...like a cis friend of mine who is dating a mutual friend and he loves her so much in such a pure way...#...or another friend of mine who picked up on little hints of my transness and never once blinked an eye...#...or how about the growth my dad was capable of undergoing?#just today i was talking to him about biology and just how cool it is that the human body can adapt!#i talked to him about testosterone and educated him about estrogen! and he was completely receptive...#...like sure. there are some scary cis people out there and i will never doubt that...#...i have had my fair share of fear. but i think always being on-edge also doesn't serve us...#...because learning to fear every little thing ends up eating away at you and the person you are. it's consuming...#...and stressful. and traumatizing. and i know how that feels like. nobody deserves to live that way

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dragons-and-yellow-roses · 3 months

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I was falling asleep because it's 4:30 in the morning but then a friend that I have a mild crush on texted me and asked what horror movies corresponds to which areas at camp, and clearly Climbing Wall is Vertigo, Aquatics is Jaws and Ecology-Conservation is The Birds, (these were her assignments) but she wanted to know whether Blair Witch fit Scoutcraft (basic scouting skills) or Handicraft (arts and crafts) more, and I said Handicraft because of the figurine things, then she asked what Scoutcraft would be, and full disclosure, I like horror movies but I don't watch a lot of them. I'm picky. Because I don't like gore or zombies and I have anxiety so it's difficult. Okay. So I literally Googled "outdoor horror movies" and tried to find one that I recognized, and thankfully Midsommar was on that list and I've seen and enjoyed Midsommar, so that's what I said. The only other horror movies I can remember seeing are Cabin in the Woods (masterpiece but doesn't fit) and one I can't remember the name of but it's about a video game and has Frankie Muniz and the guy that played Mary Lightly in Psych. And tbh, most of my horror movies knowledge comes from parody episodes of Psych. Especially the Hitchcock episode. I only knew Vertigo because of Psych. This post was a whole lot of inconsequential nonsense, but I get a pass because it's 4:30am and I'm talking to a cool girl.

#okay shes beautiful. one of the kindest people ive met #shes trans. she works at a summer camp. she knows horror movies. we became fast friends #shes so easy to talk to. we met over a one week long event and the rest of our friendship has been over text #its nice to have someone to talk to about horror movies at 4:30am (3:30am her time)#especially Midsommar because i really love that movie. im trhing to find a way to being up Cabin In The Woods #because its truly my fav horror movie and one of my fav movies period. its so good #'but austyn you said you dont like zombies or gore' stfu this movie is the exception #how can you see the travel mug bong. chris hemsworth die via atv over a ravine. the guy getting killed by a mermaid in beautiful irony #and not think that its the best movie ever written #i could talk about that movie for forever #i asked her fav horror movie and im going to watch whatever one she says #even if its gory and full of zombies. im gonna watch it. in my type of strange way of trying to connect #fuck she said the original texas chainsaw massacre. i feel like thats gonna be gory. but im a man of my word #shesaid she doesn't usually have the patience for movies or tv. truly a woman after my own heart #jk jk im really trying not to be weird i promise. but i dont usually have the attention span for movies or tv (especially movies) either #its almost 5am and i should be asleep but instead im not #now im really feeling some horror. i might make the next book i read horror again #if youve read this far and have any good horror book recommendations pls lmk #edit: i read the plot synopsis for texas chainsaw massacre and i cannot watch it. dear god.

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