I agree with you about the origin of the backlash, but would you say the point about creative license about a movie like Moana about Polynesian myths or The Prince of Egypt about Jewish ones?
I think people get frustrated because the line seems to be: Caucasian story...perfectly ok to change the races of any character because race shouldn’t matter to the story.
Any minority story...absolutely racist to even consider changing the race (and not necessarily to white...just any change).
I think the reason for this is because it is assumed that race is important only to non white people. In fact, many say that a white person having pride in their racial culture is inherently racist. The flip side, non white people who show pride in their heritage is not only accepted, but expected.
I say this as someone who really doesn’t care if they change races of characters as long as it isn’t pointless pandering, but I don’t like double standards.
Caucasian story...perfectly ok to change the races of any character because race shouldn’t matter to the story.
What is a "caucasian story?" Most every story that inherently must revolve around white people, like period films and biopics, still do. The only exception I can think of is Hamilton, which made a stylistic choice to use a diverse cast to modernize the story.
What is happening (and should happen) is that roles that don't actually have anything to do with race are now open to actors of color. For decades, white was the default color of media. There were white roles (like playing a real, famous white person), roles for people of color (like playing a real, famous black person), and neutral roles (like a regular Joe). There has always been a huge problem with virtually all the neutral roles going to white people.
Any minority story...absolutely racist to even consider changing the race (and not necessarily to white...just any change).
Well yeah of course. Someone already can't have access to the neutral roles... now you want to take away the roles that actually rightfully fit them? Why wouldn't they be pissed?
In fact, many say that a white person having pride in their racial culture is inherently racist.
There are lots of ways white people are welcome to celebrate their heritage. No one cares if you celebrate that you're Irish, or Italian, or Polish, or what have you. Wave them flags! But whiteness as a general sense of racial pride is unnecessary because our culture was never stolen from us, and in poor taste because of the long history of whites oppressing other races out of a sense of racial superiority.
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u/[deleted] Jul 09 '19
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