Diversity in Literature & Media (WAS book differences)

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 40485

Liz wrote (addressing why Dean Thomas is described as black):

> It's called PC - politically correct - and it's the reason American
> books and tv shows tend to be not so great. 

Hmmm.  To tell you the truth, I'm having a hard time following you, 
Liz.   I hope you'll allow me to probe a few of your statements 
here, just to make sure that I fully understand the implications of 
what you are saying.

I do not understand why JKR should *not* describe Dean Thomas as 
black.  She frequently describes the physical attributes of her 
characters, either directly (hair color, eye color, height, etc.) or 
indirectly (describing a character as flushing or growing pale, 
which indicate a skin color consisistent with those observations).  
Liz, is a description of Dean Thomas as black somehow different in 
your eyes?

Well, OK.  Let's say that JKR inserted a description of Dean Thomas 
in HP as black *solely* to demonstrate that racial diversity exists 
at Hogwarts or in the wizarding world.  Does JKR's decision impair 
anyone's reading enjoyment to the extent that such an effort to 
portray diversity becomes "the reason American books and tv shows 
tend to be not so great."  Can you help me understand your point 
there?

Liz:

>People always have to worry about someone sueing them for being 
>racist/sexist/biased just because their books haven't had a major 
>black/female/whatever character yet.

My goodness!  I haven't heard of such a lawsuit, to be honest with 
you.  Maybe I'm missing something, but JKR (or any American author) 
is quite free to write a book that includes characters of a number 
of races or one single race.  I am unaware of any lawsuit in the 
U.S. that could be brought if JKR had made all of the wizarding 
world 100% white or 100% male, to use your examples.  Perhaps you 
can elaborate a bit there?

Liz:

>People
> take consitutional rights and equality way too far over here. When 
>they  have a cow about not having a black person or whatever in a 
>story because "we're all the same," it seems like they are proving 
>themselves wrong, since if we were all the same, it shouldn't 
>matter what race the characters are. 

Again, I must confess to being puzzled.  I haven't heard anyone 
claim that JKR should include black characters because "we're all 
the same."  To the extent I have heard the issue discussed, it is 
usually framed as an examination of the extent to which JKR's 
fictional world mirrors that of the U.K.  

I can't help but hold this argument up to the light for just one 
quick minute.  If it doesn't matter what race the characters are, 
how can this be squared with your earlier claim that efforts to 
achieve diversity in literature and media have impaired their 
quality?  After all, if racial diversity doesn't matter to you, then 
it ought not be something you would necessarily notice at all, so it 
should not affect your experience as a consumer, right?  Or have I 
misunderstood you there?

Liz:

>We shouldn't discriminate against others, but you
> shouldn't get special privledges for being a minority either. Does 
>this make any sense?

Actually, no, it doesn't make sense to me at all, but maybe you can 
help me out a bit.  

It seems to me that JKR intended there to be some depiction of 
racial diversity in the wizarding world.  I am quite unclear on how 
that equates with special privileges for minorities, any more than 
inclusion of white wizards equates with special privileges for 
whites?  What have I missed there?

Cindy