Now listen, I don’t have a problem with these lips. I have lips like this myself. The problem that some people have is that a majority of white people do not have lips like this, yet they can be found on almost every (white) Episode MC in existence. It’s repetitive, and some people are even against it. Episode has done their best to provide us with assets that can be used to add diversity to our stories, but MCs and characters like this in general are rampant. It is frustrating as a black person to see people use black features on a character and then have a disgusting lack of diversity. Keep in mind that this is not to call anyone out. This also isn’t to say that white people don’t or can’t have big lips, because they can and do, but the lips in question generally do belong to POC.
Yes I totally get your point. I’ve seen a lot of awful representation of POC in almost every story. It really disgusts me when authors use unnaturally light colors on the lips or eyes (unless, of course, it plays a major role in the story) But to be honest, the whole lip thing doesn’t bother me. I’ve got big lips, and I’m white (so I guess that makes me a part of that small percentage of white people with big lips ) Because of this, white MCs with big lips look natural to me. I suppose that could be because I’m used to seeing that every-time I look in the mirror!
eh, big lips are the beauty standard right now, and I’m not shocked that a lot of people use them, I personally don’t like that particular look (in the photo) but I don’t see anything wrong with it. Just like it used to be cool to have thick eyebrows, it’s becoming cool to have big lips. I think it’s just adapting with the trends. I don’t think people who do this are hurting anyone, unless they go out of their way to put big lips then try to portray them as ugly. (That is nasty for any feature whether it be a big nose or thin lips). I don’t think those lips are reserved for POC, but they are certainly popular right now, and there is an abundance of women who are getting their lips done to look like those, so it’s not super unrealistic that a lot of characters would look like that lol
Usually when I come across debates I have a side but with this I am on the fence about it. I don’t want to pick sides like I see both points of view but I don’t know anyone with big lips and is white where I am but this is just one part of the world. A diverse cast is what readers deserve so they can see themselves in it but if people want to use these same lips I don’t think we can really stop them. This has stemmed from the beauty standard we as a community have placed on our characters.
as a black girl myself, i don’t really have big lips- HONESTLY. i mean there not like super big like some of my friends are- but there not super small, just round and plump a little bit
but YES, i do not reallyyyy like it when I see people making their characters like this, it’s just not as realistic :(( sorry its sorta hard to explain how much this irks me- but yea :))
I agree with you 100% on this. Especially because the author will then turn around and make their BIPOC characters look white with some random dark skin tone. After a while it starts to seem intentional and borderline ignorant / disrespectful. I’m a white person with paper cut lips and out of all white people I know, only one has naturally full lips like that. I get it’s the beauty standard, but are we that clung to the beauty standard that we can’t find beauty in anything else?
What?! No way! Do you remember this story’s name, 'cause I want to check it out for myself (PM me if you remember).
Small rant here
But yes. I’ve been complaining about this for a long while now. I know that a white person can have big lips, but other than that, it’s not even that common in the caucasian race. So why TF do authors keep putting the round pouty lips on white characters but then have the Full Heart Natural Lips on the black character (if the character has fillers in their lips, I can understand why)?! It makes no sense to me at all! Just using any POC feature on someone that is not POC just tells me you’re a hypocrite, racist, and contradictory (if you say you can be diverse) person. Unless the white character is mixed, learn to create your NON POCs respectively (or is it respectfully?) and properly!
Well, if you read that one recent thread, you know my opinion on this
Two things.
I’m no POC but this annoys me too, especially when all of the so claimed POC characters have white features but “their skin is darker so they’re people of color” lmao.
Wait wait, pardon. What do you mean by frizzy hair? Since when do we have frizz in the portal?
Oh, I was confused there for a second! Curly hair is prone to frizziness, but all the curls and coils we have so far are like perfect definition (except a few fails sigh)
Yes… it was quite ridiculous. In fanmail ppl complained and the author said that she had a hair curler + lip liner, which apparently gave her natural African features?
The bigger lips are basically a style most people use many may not like it but we do have to remember it’s there as a option on the portal. Therefore As much as people don’t like it you still have to deal with it either way and It’s the writers option to choose it or not and bashing authors for using such things that many may disagree with is certainly not okay Anyways have a good day
I feel like it is important not to exaggerate and make fun of culturally specific features; people shouldn’t be made to feel like the way they look is somehow “less than” or a “joke.” However, you do have a point. I mean, I won’t give Episode characters without African heritage Afros; I never want to be disrespectful. But it is possible to get plumped lips, and not all white people have the same mouths. Unless the author is overtly exploiting and denigrating those features, I imagine there is no ill intent.
There is the catch-22 of trying to create “ugly” characters and using features that, if taken out of context, may appear to be used to put down people who naturally have those features. I do hope that is not the author’s intent; more likely, they want to make the “mean girl” seem less than attractive/fake, hence why they use certain combinations of features.
I do, however, see the other side of the argument and hope I can try to understand where everyone else is coming from. I don’t want to seem rude or dismissive.
Summary
Something I have noticed is that it’s about white characters specifically who are used as examples of misrepresented features. Does it have to do with the demographics of the players/authors? I’m not disagreeing that many Episode characters have European heritage; don’t get me wrong. And the variety of ethnicities and cultures across the world is beautiful, so of course that variety deserves to be celebrated. The complexity and diversity of the human race is what makes us special. I am just curious because white MCs are the only ones that seem under fire here. Is there something I am missing?
) Because of this, white MCs with big lips look natural to me. I suppose that could be because I’m used to seeing that every-time I look in the mirror! 
I don’t want to pick sides like I see both points of view but I don’t know anyone with big lips and is white where I am but this is just one part of the world. A diverse cast is what readers deserve so they can see themselves in it but if people want to use these same lips I don’t think we can really stop them. This has stemmed from the beauty standard we as a community have placed on our characters.
