DISCUSSION: Diversity Episode

And that still happens to me. I’m a “nerd”.

2 Likes

It’s kinda sad to be honest. I’m quite open about my sexual views even if I keep the details rather intimate. I would love characters to discuss their opinions in a mature and healthy way to show some sexual diversity.

3 Likes

So, censored, but not really? What do you mean?

I guess you could say self censorship. Episode has no issue in the guidelines with talking about sex and safe sex, but people seem so reluctant to mention it out of some awkward principle. It’s kinda sad that we’re avoiding certain kinds of diversity that way.

3 Likes

Ah, yes. I feel like sex should be discussed, but not to the point where it’s graphic.

2 Likes

Oh definitely! I’m all for open sex talks, not graphic sex descriptions. What you do in the bedroom should be your business, but your views on sex in general shouldn’t be self-censored out of pressure

5 Likes

Absolutely. Keep your business in the bedroom, in your bedroom.

2 Likes

I didn’t realize that you’d replied. These conversations end up being kinda muddy and things are easy to miss. You can reply to me next time if you want or mention me ^^ Unless it is intentional? In that case, my bad, you can just ignore what I’m about to say, lol

So my point about that is purely hypothetical. I’m not saying that people write stories with a Chinese setting often, I’m saying if they want to. People often want to, so they shouldn’t be adding in all these diverse characters when them being there doesn’t make sense. It isn’t really fair to say no one writes stories in these places. You may not see a lot of them on Episode, but the ones you do see, I’d hope are accurate. I bring up this point not because I write stories in these countries, but I write stories with characters from these countries in mind and also on BEHALF of people who want to read and write stories taking place in these settings.

Some people will bring up Beauty and the Beast (the live action) as an example. I understand where they’re coming from when they claim that there shouldn’t be black nobles because that’s historically inaccurate. I understand because it is historically inaccurate, but I’ll tell you why I disagree with them. TBH, Beauty and the Beast is a terrible movie because of the main characters and the extra, un-needed bs

Simply, Beauty and the Beast is a fantasy story. Who’s to say in a different world where there is a France at this time period where MAGIC exists, lol…MAGIC, why can’t things be different? That’s the artist in me that can forgive that part of Beauty and the Beast. How many people have French accents in that movie?? LOL, there’s things that we have to forgive to make room for the fact that it is a fantasy. But that’s my point from before, too. When I said, “If you want to do something like that, the best suggestion I have is to make up your own world and then do whatever you want. Absolutely no problems there for the history nerds then.”

If I want a story to take place in China, but I want diverse characters, it’s just inaccurate. That’s not to say there can be a small minority of non-Chinese characters, but it can’t be like 50/50 or even like 20/80 like in Beauty and the Beast. If I want a story to take place in China where magic is also a thing, PSSH, there’ll be hella diversity. I’ll be having dark elves and orcs and centaurs. To hell with humans in fantasy worlds lol, but sure, there’ll also be dark-skinned characters among the humans and there’s nothing wrong with that.

2 Likes

Why do you take everything to yourself lmao you werent even thought when I wrote that

1 Like

Heard. I don’t recall anyone else giving the example, so I thought it might have been directed at me. If it was, I wanted to make my point clear. That’s all. Which, that’s also why I said feel free to ignore what I was about to say.

Or it could have been another point of the discussion. Hopefully less hostile, I guess. But I’d love a legitimate reason why a historical fiction could have major historical inaccuracies. What could really make it okay? Maybe someone else will see it and let me know.

Search up “diversity location” on the forums and see how many people have said it. I didnt even see your reply. Jc.

2 Likes

This post made me want to insert glass shards into my eyesockets.

2 Likes

Here’s the thing.
DISCLAIMER: This is just my opinion, please don’t get offended if it isn’t the same as yours.
Although a lot of readers really want diversity in stories, I don’t think you understand the stress authors actually have.
Imagine if you just want to write a story, and many people just want more diverse characters, fan mail spewing with complaints. Then you have no choice but to add some “diverse” characters. Then everyone complains you portray them wrong. It’s like someone wants to start a magic show to make people smile but gets pressured when everyone wants something “better”. The magician doesn’t have time or ability to practice new tricks, because her knowledge about magic still isn’t vast enough. SAME THING!

It’s not that authors are purposely undermining other people. Here’s the reality: Although we are humans, we don’t know much about each other. We don’t know much about other cultures, or what lifestyle people from the other side of the planet have, so we can only make do with stuff we do know.

I think the best everyone can do now is just write about things they know. If you complain about not enough diverse story, write one! If most authors don’t have knowledge about things you think everyone SHOULD have, write a story that contains that knowledge. If you think everyone is stereotyping something, then write about something that proves it wrong!

What can we do by just complaining? If you want change, start it.

4 Likes

Hey look, I want to start off by saying you do not have to agree with me that’s fine I just would like to spread my opinion.
I can see where both parties are coming from.
I can see how POC are very offended by this statement and saying it is insensitive. I understand how that can be offensive considering although segregation is now supposed to be non-existent in western world countries, small things like negative portrayal of POC or no portrayal of POC can be very upsetting. So I see where you are coming from with that. I also understand that some feel a white person can not possibly understand what it’s like to be oppressed in those ways because the majority of white people haven’t been discriminated against because of their colour and the I would say all can find white people portrayed well in the eyes of the media.

I can see where the other point of view is coming from too. If you can just customize your character it shouldn’t matter as long as the story isn’t racist, derogatory, etc. I can see what they mean when they say if your really upset about it write your own stories to fight it. I think that is quite logical in the way that complaining isn’t going to fix anything but taking action will actually get the movement in motion.

Feel free to correct me or disagree. I’m open for discussion.

4 Likes

Not about “complaining” its about awareness and ppl only “complain” becuz we have been told episodes would do better with diversity YEARS ago and while some things have changes it seems to still be ignoring what we are saying…

3 Likes

See, she lost me there. Whenever we speak up and defend ourselves and want more Representation along with diversity, it’s we are “complaining.” :roll_eyes: We have been saying that a lot and that’s a perfect example of us getting silenced and defamed for it, put into those positions.

3 Likes

I guess that’s understandable. If someone has promised more diversity they need to follow through with it. I can see how that’s upsetting and so I agree that if they promised more diverse casting it’s unfair for them to keep it primarily white.

3 Likes

Look, you would get just as angry as us if you had your race seen at some or shown as some type of dumb, offensive, racist stereotype. It’s not hard to represent others correctly. You need to put in the effort. If you can’t do that then don’t add them.

4 Likes

I don’t mean this offensively but I think that’s kind of her point. People who are not of colour are to afraid to put POC into their stories because they on’t know how to put them in. When they do try to make an effort to put them in they usually get criticized for not displaying them correctly. This can happen even after researching what life is like but you don’t always get a clear idea just from the internet and what you read.

2 Likes

If you have read above and on other stuff we have talked about this then you would know that that’s not putting an effort. It’s pure laziness and ignorance. You can get a lot of information from online and the forums to how to properly represent POC. like I said, putting an effort on how to correctly do it. If you supposedly said you did well you clearly did it wrong then. That’s no excuse. Ask questions and do research. If you are really determined to add them, then you will work hard to put them in the right way. No excuse

1 Like