a thing.

[alethiometry]

saw this article on The Atlantic's website yesterday titled Poetry and White Privelege: Letter to a Young (White, Male) Poet and clicked on it dubiously because there's only so much burn-all-the-white-dude-art attitude I can take before my fingers start itching to strangle something. but luckily this article enunciates exactly what I want to say

Comments

[amberdreams]

Creativity should be its own community. Faux-political correctness is a stultifying thing. It is more appropriate to expend our energy on fighting elements (wherever they originate) that seek to suppress the right of any individual to create wonders.

[alethiometry]

EXACTLY!!! people get so wrapped up in the politics of (under)representation and while it's great that this issue is really gaining traction and we're creating spaces specifically for those who have in the past been sidelined and/or silenced, representation in the arts is should not be a mutually exclusive occurence. everyone has something of unique value to share with the world. it's not a matter of who should be sharing their art - it's a matter of how we can give an equal amount of exposure to those who may not have as much opportunity.

[indiachick]

This. I'm a person of color and a woman, and I'm all for diverse representation in literature and arts- but diverse does not mean subjugation of any sex, race or sexual orientation, even the dominant, normative one. Nor would I ever want my work to be recognized based on these parameters: because I'm POC, or because I'm female, as compared to hey, here's a good story, a good piece of poetry. My only qualm is that while seeking to achieve this equality, you don't turn the "others" into the villains again, this sort of minimalisation of differences wherein the universe is portrayed as unkind to the white, male, cis human by offering representation for others: because that is not the case, and will not be for a while yet. Which is what happened with the Hugo's this time and made me so sadddd :((

[alethiometry]

diverse does not mean subjugation of any sex, race or sexual orientation, even the dominant, normative one
YES!!! this is so well-put!!! and I understand that it can be difficult at times to stand alongside someone to whom society has granted more priveleges/opportunities than you, and not feel at least a little bit of resentment - but at some point you (the royal you, not... you you) have to understand that there is more depth to that person than skin tone, sexual orientation, and/or socioeconomic background. it's not a zero sum game. everyone has something unique to bring to the table and to turn any one person away is a disservice to all.

My only qualm is that while seeking to achieve this equality, you don't turn the "others" into the villains againI guess the writer of the article didn't touch on this point because he was addressing poetry specifically, rather than prose and fiction (which is where long narratives of heroes and villains tend to pop up more often), but I definitely agree with this as well. but I'm not terribly

[indiachick]

Sorry it took so long to reply

[alethiometry]

SPN AND OB ARE TOP PRIORITIES, ALWAYS.

THANK YOU WHITE PEOPLE \o/

[alethiometry]

HAHAHA WHAT.

wow this is why I almost never read comment sections. I'm not even sure what that person is trying to say. are they offended that the author photoshopped himself as a replacement to a female character? are they deriding/dismissing his concern with Hollywood's dgaf whitewashing tendencies as a non-issue? what is going on????