In Which I Disappear Up My Own Arse

[wolffyluna]

This is... sort of about race and racism in the context of fandom? But it's also largely "Local White Fanfic Author, Wolffy 'Overthinker' Luna, Disappears Up Here Own Arse."

(Advice is appreciated, but don't feel obligated. This is mostly me getting my thoughts out on a page)

So, I recently finished the first draft of Ten of Swords, a fic set in Númenor, that is about religion and loyalty and Doom-- and also romance. Romance and love is definitely there. And some attraction between the leads. Which is maybe not as well written as it could be, because while the character's are emotionally attracted to each other, I haven't really managed to show that they are also physically attracted to each other.

...because I've kinda, uh, never described the physical appearance of these characters at all. Like, apart from some mentions of clothes, no character ever dreamily goes "and she had such beautiful hair. Like the best hair. [insert purple prose here.]" I thought I could get away with doing that and having not be weird-- but I think it does come across as weird.

And it's not because I have no clue what the characters look like. I do! But I've kind of tied myself in a weird knot about it!

I know it's a pattern where white fanfic authors create non-white OCs, or make canon characters POC, in attempt to Make Representation Happen! But it's kinda shallow and sometimes weird/off. And I would like to avoid doing that.

But my picture of the main characters is not-white. (I mean, I don't picture them as any specific rl ethnicity, but that ethnicity is most certainly not white!) And I'm worried that it'll come across as making characters POC for... brownie points, or something? When that is very much not my intention.

But this is also probably far more thought that I should be putting into descriptions in a fic that will be read by 100 people at the outside.

/shrugs/

Comments

[chocochipbiscuit]

For what it's worth (and admitting my own biases because a) I like you, and b) I am someone who has mentioned my specific irritation with white authors using POC headcanons as a 'but I'm not racist!' card), I think that if you want to make it obvious that you have the characters in mind as POC, then you need to physically describe them.

Speaking from personal experience, my main irritation with people who do that sort of shallow representation has been the simultaneous claim that "well, this character is actually a POC!" but then also never actually mentioning or using that in their work in any meaningful way. On a cynical level, it feels like an attempt to capitalize on perceived popularity (by not turning off readers who only imagine the characters as white) while also using their (not actually mentioned in the fic) headcanon as a way to shut down critiques of systemic fandom racism and bias.

It's difficult to describe cultures in canons that have no direct equivalent (my frequent headbang: how do I code a Chinese character in a world that has never had a China?) so physical descriptions will be your best bet, while trying to stay conscious of the fact that specific descriptions and tropes are in poor taste or play up problematic issues.

....all of which is probably longer and more preachy than you needed for a post that was originally about just getting your thoughts on the page, but I have Opinions dammit!

[wolffyluna]

No, thank you for the advice! I really appreciate your opinion.

The thing I was doing "I'll avoid any accidental weird implications re: race by never mentioning what characters look like ever", and no, I don't avoid weird implications that way, and it leads to the affect of the characters being blank-faced mannequins that wear clothes.

So, current plan is to actually have the characters be physically described (while avoiding the obvious pitfalls eg using food words to describe skin tones) and also generally try and avoid weird implications.

And oh boy, I feel you on coding a character as Chinese without China being a thing in the setting. That's always tricky.

[lb_lee]

Another thought is, hiring someone of $Character's race to sensitivity read! That way at least you put some money back into the community you're drawing from, and can get a boots-on-the-ground perspective.

[wolffyluna]

That's a good idea, I'll have to keep it in mind for the future. Unfortunately, in this case, this story is in a fantasy setting, so the race the characters are doesn't really exist.