Our Pain Is Not Yours To Convey

I believe it means when people make characters look white just with black skin like the character has a white muse but they just change skin tone.

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Ohhh that makes more sense lol

This^^^^^^^

Personally- I like it when people who aren’t poc talk about the struggles we go through. It shows that they do care. It’s not like they are doing harm than good but rather are raising awareness. I understand where you’re coming from I think that it’s nice to see someone who writes about another’s view point.

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Some say that it disregards the struggles the world presents to them because they’re being written as if they’re privileged, others says it’s because of whitewashing their appearance. So I don’t think there’s only one meaning for it. :see_no_evil:

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I mean, I’m kind of in the middle about this. It’s nice to see authors include POC, but then, POC can be misrepresented, and, as the original post says, written by a non-POC author about the pain and trauma.

Really, you have to look at both sides of it. Take it from the author’s viewpoint. If you want a unique storyline, and you have a character that’s had/has/will have a tough life and experience pain and trauma, and the character is a POC, but the author is not, they are going to be criticized. However, if the author includes no POCs, they are also going to be criticized. So in that case, you have to ask, would you rather be attacked for not including POC or writing from a POC’s POV about pain and trauma.

If you look at the other side, well, yeah, it does seem kind of hurtful and offensive that your culture/ethnicity/race is being improperly portrayed through tough times.

Really, it depends on how you look at it. A good critic and debater have to be able to look at it from both sides.

Then you look at it from a different point. People don’t really look at the entire definition of a POC. I’m Chinese and Japanese. I’m a POC. But, many people overlook Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Latino/Hispanic Americans as people in the POC umbrella. But, we are. So, when you look at the entire range of people, 55% of the stories on Episode would be offensive according to the first post. So, the POV you’re looking at things also affects the writer’s opinion, voice, and writing.

So, I’m definitely on the fence about it because I’m both a POC, in this case, I don’t like seeing non POCs writing about the pain and trauma a POC goes through, but I’m also a writer, so I can see the other side as well.

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I’m in the middle…
Why?
Because I agree with what you’re saying 100% but I also like how non-POC talk/write about it to bring awareness to it I guess?
But then again most of them only do that when it’s a “trend” (even though it’s not since people’s lives are at stake here) for the likes and shares & to get recognition then go back to their regularly scheduled programming of not caring whatsoever.
Then again there are some who do keep the same energy and are dependable.
So it’s weird to trust people who claim they’re allies when they’re not consistently being an ally and only being one when it’s convenient for them.
So idrk but this is my opinion about it - a Black & Jamaican teenage girl :grin:

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As a writer, I feel like being able to show different backgrounds and stories is important, however it has to be accurate.

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I feel like it’d be okay if a non-poc would include struggles of a poc if they actually ask poc people their struggles, those people can then make sure that what the non-poc person wrote is accurate, and then finally the non-poc could give those people credit if they ask for it.

So…really what I just described is almost like poc people writing about their struggles, lol.

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As a black person I disagree. I mean aslong as it isnt done in a racist way I think it’s fine. Let’s be real, being black especially in countries where in which you dont make up the racial majority is not all sunshine and rainbows and I think it’s totally fine if they dont pretend as if it is.

Now in some cases they do this very poorly due to lack of research and basic common sense. I’d say it depends on the situation

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I’m white, but my general understanding from reading blogs by POC on writing about POC is that white people should absolutely write stories featuring POC but not about the struggles POC face. Which makes sense to me and is how I feel about minority groups that I am a part of. Representation doesn’t have to come in the form of oppression stories.

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well I do hate it but I do it and I can’t stooooooooop heeeeelp pleeeeeeees

I did read The Infected from Caitoriri, and she did write about one of characters struggles with racism.

What?

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Now that i’ve spent time away from this topic and mulled over it a bit, i think it’s okay for an author to write abt casual racism a minority may face, but i do think it would be a little weird for a white author (for example) to write a story about black suffrage or black injustices in the perspective of a black person. :thinking: I hope i make sense lol

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Lol it makes complete sense! Yeah i do think its okay to write minor stuff or what not but in my opinion I feel like if your writing about stuff like slavery or what we went through as a black person and stuff then it’s wrong because you don’t know how we really feel and you will never have to go through it.

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I understand that, but I feel like there’s so many different ways to characterize a person, and here is where I see an issue with what you’re saying.
Saying that a person cannot write about pain that another group of people experience implies that a person cannot write about something they haven’t experienced. That puts so many limitations on the writing, limiting the writer’s explorations of what their character can go through.
I feel like as long as the author does their research based on real people’s experiences, it’s completely fine, and even beneficial for the purpose of spreading the story to make more people feel they aren’t alone. It also helps many more people understand the struggles of these people.
I would take an issue with people inaccurately writing about struggles and experiences in a way that completely distorts the reality of the situation.
Otherwise, I feel there shouldn’t be a limit of what sceneries authors can research and put their characters in, as long as they’re handled delicately.
This is my opinion, and completely subjective

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yes, I agree!! it’s not really their story to tell.

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If you aren’t black why would you want to write about a black person experiences about racism or slavery? I understand some may want to spread awareness but I believe it isn’t there story to tell if they never will have to go through it. There are so many things to write about other then black pain…so in no way is that limitatin what someone can write

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Look, as a black person Idc if u get ur facts right I really don’t because at the end of the day you can paint us as angry when we go through racism! U need to go through that experience yourself! A lot of authors offend black people when they write it about! They make us angry or sad or weak, that’s not what u want to portray! And if ur not a person of color U HAVE NO SAY! So don’t go replying under post that deal with poc if ur not even it urself!

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