Comments | ms_scarletibis: Revamped Repost-- "Stereotypes in the 'Verse"

ms_scarletibis

Revamped Repost-- "Stereotypes in the 'Verse"

Jul 18, 2010 12:10

I saw something posted the other day, and it reminded me of the time I tried to push down my ire and initially and not make a fuss about it. And then I realized, after seeing the post, that yes, it still pisses me off. So this is me, and some ponderings.

I don't like setting limits on writing. As a writer, I can't possibly. However ( ... )

fandom, buffyverse, angelverse, fan fiction, fandom etiquette, gunn, ponderings

Comments 23

xlivvielockex July 18 2010, 17:36:22 UTC

Gunn is my second favorite character behind Cordelia because I did like the way they kind of turned it on it's ear. But I can't read a lot of Gunn fanfiction because well *points to icon* This icon pretty much sums up how I feel. Most fanfic writers turn him into more of a stereotype than anything else and it kind of needles at me. Okay, it really needles at me. But as someone who writes him, it can be hard to get his voice just right because he straddles that line. You want to be true to voice but not push it into stereotype country ( ... )

ms_scarletibis July 18 2010, 17:51:02 UTC

Agreed on Gunn in fan fic. I think I must have blocked it out, but I do recall coming across a couple of fics where that happened, and it wasn't his voice--took me totally out of the story, and I wondered who it was they were really writing for. My sentiment on fan fic, generally speaking, is that if you can't nail the voice, then don't write the character. Or get a beta. Or option C, which I'm not sure what ( ... )

xlivvielockex July 18 2010, 18:16:46 UTC

I would have LOVED to see Robin as mayor, ngl. I think that would have been a much interesting story. And it would have the Mayor working to rid the town of evil, not make it eviler.

ms_scarletibis July 19 2010, 00:12:39 UTC

Exactly! There was so much potential there...

Thread 9

trepkos July 18 2010, 20:15:44 UTC

I'm afraid I did make Forrest an abusive bastard towards Spike, but then, I included a couple of white guys who were as well. I always felt Forrest's jealousy of Riley and "animals, man" attitude towards demons would lead him down that path.

ms_scarletibis July 19 2010, 00:17:47 UTC

I'll be honest and say I don't know what fic it is you're referencing. However, having any of the Initiative fellows treat any "hostile" or "sub-terrestial" poorly is pretty much in character. And actually, I did the same to Riley in one fic--not only his many comments on demons and how they should be handled or treated and his own harassment of Spike and the disturbing plastic wood grain stake (an instrument of torture and terror), but also his comment about the two Xanders--

Psychologically, this is fascinating. Doesn't it make everyone wanna lock them in separate rooms and do experiments on them?

rahirah July 18 2010, 23:02:38 UTC

Oh, wow, Robin as Mayor would have been really interesting. Someone needs to write that, stat.

ms_scarletibis July 19 2010, 00:18:50 UTC

I know, right?

Is there like, an epic AU s7 rewrite going on somewhere?

jacobs_muse July 19 2010, 03:18:21 UTC

No plot bunnies! No plot bunnies!

ms_scarletibis July 19 2010, 03:20:14 UTC

Bwah ha ha ha!

*twirls black mustache of evol*

Thread 6

thisficklemob July 19 2010, 12:00:34 UTC

Was the only Latino character (with lines) on BtVS the janitor/groundskeeper/maintenance guy who tells Cordelia students aren't allowed to drive in "The Wish"? Because that's not a great stereotype.

duh_i_read July 19 2010, 12:36:56 UTC

Of note: a visual list of the Latino characters that appear in BtVS here and counted at least 24 folks.

Of course, most were minor, minor characters never to be seen again.

thisficklemob July 20 2010, 00:48:45 UTC

Ah, thank you!

D'oh, how could I have forgotten Ampata? I don't think there's any negative stereotyping about Latinas being life-force sucking zombies, at least.

ms_scarletibis July 19 2010, 17:06:46 UTC

Honestly? I remember the guy, but I don't remember him being Latino. The scene was all of ten seconds...I'd have to see it again.

duh_i_read July 19 2010, 12:19:17 UTC

I just saw in my head how awesome Robin Wood as Mayor could have been, and I may have to file that idea away for later.

I agree very much with you in regards to how some fanfic is, not intentionally, varying degrees of terrible when it comes to portraying characters like Kendra or Gunn or Forrest. sometimes if it's just an OOC line here or a terrible attempt at slang there, I just shake my head and move on.

For instance, taking a token character--the sole representation of a minority--let's say, one black guy--and making him into a pimp, gangbanger, rapist, thug, drug user, drug dealer, etc., makes me uncomfortable. THIS, which I've seen time and again across fandoms, pisses me off enough where I have stopped reading stories mid-paragraph.

Then I'm stuck, because once in a while, I really want to say something concrete about what I find to be a detestable characterization or OOC dialog; only I know how that could down spiral and I don't know if I want to open that can of worms with someone.

ms_scarletibis July 19 2010, 17:09:26 UTC

Then I'm stuck, because once in a while, I really want to say something concrete about what I find to be a detestable characterization or OOC dialog; only I know how that could down spiral and I don't know if I want to open that can of worms with someone.

That's how I felt, initially. Then one of my LJ buds, who's an author, said she'd want to know. It made me feel better, at any rate :)