I do still think it's possible, but it's harder. Especially when you're talking about Indigenous peoples, because they're so blatantly appropriated in every aspect of our culture that it's a hard thing to get around. There are a lot of stereotypes and assumptions that we have to get past ourselves. According to my Saanich professor, the best thing you can do is talk to the community directly and honestly ask how they would feel about what you're doing.
LOL Well, there's a square for asking someone of that culture about it and getting the okay, so it's like... white people can only write about white people, but white people are over-represented in media and augh. @_@
Oh yeah, I'm thinking more in terms of, if you're writing about a Native American tribe, go talk to some elders and band councils and stuff (I don't know if they have those down there? I'm fuzzy on the differences in governance between Canada and the States). Not like, the guy at the grocery store who says he's 1/16 Lakota. XD But still, yeah, there is no perfect answer, I guess.
Behold, a soapbox appears.ebedaDecember 28 2010, 18:50:37 UTC
so it's like... white people can only write about white people, but white people are over-represented in media and augh.
I've definitely pondered this question just in the RP world, since I've yet to give serious thought to writing outside of that. The first thing it puts me in mind of - aside from things like Avatar and other hideous examples of appropriating and/or fetishizing a culture - is the flack Arthur Golden gets (online, at least) for writing an ethnic female perspective in Memoirs of a Geisha. It's shaky ground for sure. But I don't know. From what I've read and spoken to people about, if you make an earnest effort to portray a culture, and you take the time to know what you're talking about and get it right, and not resort to stereotypes and other related pitfalls, or to fetishize the people and culture, you shouldn't be limited to writing characters who look and behave and believe precisely as you do
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I've definitely pondered this question just in the RP world, since I've yet to give serious thought to writing outside of that. The first thing it puts me in mind of - aside from things like Avatar and other hideous examples of appropriating and/or fetishizing a culture - is the flack Arthur Golden gets (online, at least) for writing an ethnic female perspective in Memoirs of a Geisha. It's shaky ground for sure. But I don't know. From what I've read and spoken to people about, if you make an earnest effort to portray a culture, and you take the time to know what you're talking about and get it right, and not resort to stereotypes and other related pitfalls, or to fetishize the people and culture, you shouldn't be limited to writing characters who look and behave and believe precisely as you do ( ... )
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