[HPforGrownups] Re: Diversity in Literature & Media (WAS book differences)

[Amanda Geist]

No: HPFGUIDX 40687

Eloise commented

> But widening my perspective as a result of this discussion, leads me to
guess
> that this is because Brits, on the whole, would realise that the Patil
twins
> are black, whereas Americans wouldn't necessarily and so there is a need a
> clearly flagged black student of probably Afro-Caribbean origin for
Hogwarts
> to be obviously racially inclusive.

Me now --> The Patil twins are black? Just based on their names and the
description of Parvati's hair, I sort of figured they were Indian (India,
not American). Is there canon for them being black?

I was always rather pleased at the way diversity was noticed in these
books--sort of the way I'd notice it, as little characteristics in passing
(names, yes, Parvati's hair, dreadlocks [although I know these are not
limited to black people who get all the *good hair* rrgh, the very fact that
anyone would have dreadlocks is cool, it's kind of exotic where I live],
that sort of thing). One of the things I do notice in passing is skin color,
so the insertion itself doesn't bother me. But I can see Eloise's point on
being irritated by the reason. It *is* irritating.

For me, what bothers me more is that "Black" is capitalized; I'd rather it
be a simple descriptive noun. "Hispanic," "Mexican," and "Latino" are all
capitalized by virtue of their derivation from proper nouns, but "black" is
not so derived, and capitalizing it changes it somehow. For some reason
"black" reads like a description for me, and "Black" as a label. It puts
distance in; I don't like it.

--Amanda