Diversity in Media and Literature (WAS No Subject)

[moviedrop1]

No: HPFGUIDX 40707

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "aldrea279" <chetah27 at h...> wrote:
> Eloise:
> >>I'm going to make a confession. Apart from Cho and the Patil 
girls 
> (because 
> of their names), Angelina who is stated to be black and Lee with 
his 
> dreadlocks, I had never really imagined any of the other Hogwarts 
> students 
> not to be white. I'm sorry, but there it is. It reflects *my* 
school 
> experience.>>
> 
> I have to make the same confession as Eloise. I always pictured 
white 
> students unless told otherwise, 
 I think the two of you make a good point. If a person is not told 
what someone's race is they usually think of that person as being 
White. Even though I am African-American I did the same thing, I just 
automatically thought that everyone was White. I too did not catch 
the fact that the Patil sisters were Indian. I also find it sad that 
everyone is making such a big deal about this. Why is it wrong to say 
that Dean Thomas is Black but it is okay to say that Ron has red 
hair. How do we not know that JKR always saw Dean as Black but felt 
that she had to clarify it for people like me who just assumed that 
everyone was white unless otherwise told. I think that it was a good 
idea that they made reference to Dean being black. I think that too 
often black people don't get to see positive images of themselves, 
especially in literature. I feel that it is good especially for black 
children to know wthat they are apart of the world of Harry Potter. 
For those of you who find it offensive and see it as "tokenism" I 
think that if you were a person of color and had to too often search 
to find people that looked like you than maybe you would feel 
different.
Monica