WW Racism? (was: Re: A Gay Potter Character?)

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 178280

Dave:
> I agree that Jo's main goal is to use symbolism (anti-Muggle,
> anti-Muggle-borns, &c.) to protest RW bigotry.
> 
> On the other hand, in OoP, Draco's worthy-of-Don-Imus remark about
> Angelina's dreadlocks makes me wonder if racism and other types of
> Muggle bigotry are wholly absent from the WW.

Magpie:
That's not Draco's remark, but Pansy's, iirc. Regardless, I've 
always thought that line *didn't* indicate that. If Wizards don't 
see our races as being important--and the inclusion of Blaise I 
think indicates they don't--then why is Pansy's remark racist? It's 
racist for us because Angelina's braids (it's Lee who has 
dreadlocks) are tied up with her being black. If for Pansy Angelina 
might as well be white then she's just making fun of her hair and 
not liking her braids is no different than calling Hermione's hair 
bushy. 

If JKR meant it to be taken that way, I think that's a bit sloppy. 
Because there's nothing inherently racist in disliking a hairstyle. 
It's racist to dislike or put down a hairstyle because you associate 
it with a race. Imus using the phrase "nappy headed" being a good 
example, with all the history those words imply. "Nice braids--not!" 
without the history/social context is just "nice braids--not!" You 
can't have it both ways within the same canon.

-m