reasons why having people ethno-centrically white in fantasy is a load of shit

[littlemiss_aj]

The Hobbit is finally getting cast and everyone is all abuzz at the thought of more geeky goodness. When I went to a website today, someone commented "Oh yay, more pasty white people," which I had to concede to. People of colour can't seem to catch a break when it comes to fantasy settings, whether it's on screen or in literature. It actually makes

Comments

[lonely_sour]

Gotta love racefail. Honestly, this is why I avoid such discussions. It's hurtful, and ignorant people greatly outweigh sensitive, educated people, and they come in droves.

[littlemiss_aj]

Racefail comes first and foremost in my list of what the fuckeries on this one. But the second one is bad story telling. It's sloppy to just white-wash everything and make up fictional minorities.

[dubonnetcherry]

this is the best use of a history lesson.

[littlemiss_aj]

I am glad you enjoyed it. And I am surprised I managed to remember most of this stuff from two or three years ago.

I kind of wish I could find a sci-fi/fantasy blog that talked about isms. I feel like I'm going crazy some days.

[dubonnetcherry]

as monolith genres, scifi and fantasy are both still...idk, really archaic in a lot of ways there. it's depressing.

[littlemiss_aj]

I think this needs to change. And I kind of want to be involved in doing that, even with all the slack and death threats I'd probably get from die-hard fans.

[littlemiss_aj]

!!!

Ooh, I didn't know that. Do you have any links or books or anything? I am a bit, "What were the land formations like at the time and how did they manage it :o"

I always had a bit of an interest in anthropology and history but I'm lucky enough that it comes up in Scottish Literature more than you would imagine. And I took Celtic Civilisation in second year, which was a good class, even if I couldn't devote a lot of energy to it.

[ouroborosdance]

it was actually in my anth textbook! Or maybe a powerpoint I read. I will totally hunt it down and look it up for you, though- it's not like, 100% verified because skin pigmentation is sort of difficult to verify and they have to go by skull size and shape (and brow ridge), but it seems to have been p. likely at some point in the Neolithic.

[littlemiss_aj]

The more I think about it, the more I think I've heard something like this before. I remember watching a documentary before about how everyone in Northern Europe could be descended from a Neolithic Eve whose tribe crossed from North Africa to Spain, when the sea levels were different.

[takhys]

Come here and wave my little Sami flag with me, gosh darn it.

[littlemiss_aj]

/waves :3

[takhys]

My grandma was Sami and competed nationally for biathalon. He was a damn cool dude.

[littlemiss_aj]

I remember -I think you told me ages ago when I first started going over to Norway.

I had to read into what scraps of Sami mythology I could get for playing Serafina Pekkala. The whole Nordic influence in epic fantasy has taught me that people's world view is very pick-and-choose what you want to include. Uncool.