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prusikI just found out that fans of color are to stand up and be counted today. So, here I am. Count me.
I love fandom, and it may be that I just go to the wrong cons. However, whenever I go to one, they're always overwhelmingly white. No, I'm not blaming anyone for this. For the most part, people have the skin color they have. Also, I live in a country where white is the plurality if not the majority. If we talk about people with the disposable income to go to a con, white is almost surely the majority.
Majority. Not near entirety.
Whenever this conversation happens, I'm reminded of a panel discussion at a con I attended a few years ago. We had the usual lament about how few people of color were in attendance, as represented by the audience of the panel discussion. Near the end, one of the panelists, someone whom I've since come to know and love with all my heart, said "And notice how they [the people of color] are all female." At that point, I shouted "Excuse me?" at the top of my lungs. That statement was obviously untrue by my mere presence.
I looked around though, and yup, I was the only male of color in the very large conference space. Surprised didn't begin to describe me. I mean, the other problem is the relative lack of female fans. This specific example is obviously a statistical anomaly caused by how few people of color are at cons to start with. It's still illustrative.
The other thing I think whenever this conversation happens is "I'm trying the best I can!" I have two dreams specifically related to this conversation. One, to be one of the people Elizabeth Bear lists whenever she posts her list of writers of color. Two, for there to be so many writers of color, that we don't need a list. (When was the last time you saw a list of white male writers for the purposes of rounding out people's reading experience?) For now, I'll be happy to make my first sale. Really, I'm trying the best I can.
Minor quibble: Yes, I know. We won't be silenced. We stand together. We're a significant force together. We matter together. Do we need to pick such a provocative name for the new community though? The name reads very exclusionary to me. For me, the name does not inspire safety or any sense that we will come together and make fandom at large a safer more inclusive place. It seems more likely to alienate people whom we could otherwise turn into allies.
There's a lot of conversation about how we won't be hurt any more. We insist that everyone else be mindful in what they say. We insist that everyone else not to say needlessly things that offend. Why is it then that we get to?
Yes, the situation is not symmetrical. It's also probably dangerous territory for a member of the so-called model minority to talk about modelling behavior. However, I don't see where the moral authority to tell everyone else to avoid certain behavior comes from if we indulge in it ourselves.
I suppose reasonable minds may differ on whether the provocation is needless here or not. In this case though,I really don't see the point.
(No, this is not the tone argument. I'm not telling anyone what they should or shouldn't say. I'm not trying to enforce any manner of presentation on anyone except myself. I'm just questioning if this is really how we get to a supportive, inclusive fandom. Perhaps it is. I don't think this will be how I will try to get there though.)
Still, showing fandom that we do in fact exist is a fine idea. So, here I am.
I love fandom, and it may be that I just go to the wrong cons. However, whenever I go to one, they're always overwhelmingly white. No, I'm not blaming anyone for this. For the most part, people have the skin color they have. Also, I live in a country where white is the plurality if not the majority. If we talk about people with the disposable income to go to a con, white is almost surely the majority.
Majority. Not near entirety.
Whenever this conversation happens, I'm reminded of a panel discussion at a con I attended a few years ago. We had the usual lament about how few people of color were in attendance, as represented by the audience of the panel discussion. Near the end, one of the panelists, someone whom I've since come to know and love with all my heart, said "And notice how they [the people of color] are all female." At that point, I shouted "Excuse me?" at the top of my lungs. That statement was obviously untrue by my mere presence.
I looked around though, and yup, I was the only male of color in the very large conference space. Surprised didn't begin to describe me. I mean, the other problem is the relative lack of female fans. This specific example is obviously a statistical anomaly caused by how few people of color are at cons to start with. It's still illustrative.
The other thing I think whenever this conversation happens is "I'm trying the best I can!" I have two dreams specifically related to this conversation. One, to be one of the people Elizabeth Bear lists whenever she posts her list of writers of color. Two, for there to be so many writers of color, that we don't need a list. (When was the last time you saw a list of white male writers for the purposes of rounding out people's reading experience?) For now, I'll be happy to make my first sale. Really, I'm trying the best I can.
Minor quibble: Yes, I know. We won't be silenced. We stand together. We're a significant force together. We matter together. Do we need to pick such a provocative name for the new community though? The name reads very exclusionary to me. For me, the name does not inspire safety or any sense that we will come together and make fandom at large a safer more inclusive place. It seems more likely to alienate people whom we could otherwise turn into allies.
There's a lot of conversation about how we won't be hurt any more. We insist that everyone else be mindful in what they say. We insist that everyone else not to say needlessly things that offend. Why is it then that we get to?
Yes, the situation is not symmetrical. It's also probably dangerous territory for a member of the so-called model minority to talk about modelling behavior. However, I don't see where the moral authority to tell everyone else to avoid certain behavior comes from if we indulge in it ourselves.
I suppose reasonable minds may differ on whether the provocation is needless here or not. In this case though,I really don't see the point.
(No, this is not the tone argument. I'm not telling anyone what they should or shouldn't say. I'm not trying to enforce any manner of presentation on anyone except myself. I'm just questioning if this is really how we get to a supportive, inclusive fandom. Perhaps it is. I don't think this will be how I will try to get there though.)
Still, showing fandom that we do in fact exist is a fine idea. So, here I am.
