Korra Is Not Tan

CC: We’ve updated our FAQ. Please read.

damnlayoffthebleach:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. So… what if I’m not racist?

This is great, however you can’t really be the judge of that. Racism/prejudice is ingrained into our cultures as well as our systems/institutions. It’s very difficult not to perpetrate some racist behavior at some point in one’s life. Still, we’re glad to know this. Unfortunately, whitewashing a character is an accepted form of racism, regardless of whether or not you intended to do so. Intent isn’t magical. Just because you didn’t mean for it to be racist/offensive, doesn’t mean it isn’t.

We’re not calling you racist but now we’re curious… try asking yourself why you whitewashed in the first place because this might be reflective of a problematic subconscious. Look deep within.

2. Don’t you think you should be a bit nicer?

No.

3. But so and so character isn’t BLACK (-insert race/ethnicity here)…?

Oh. Lovely. Unless we’ve mistakenly referred to such character as Black, why do you feel the need to tell us this? Have we stated this? Provide links as to where we mistakenly referred to a character as an ethnicity/race they’re not. Show us receipts.

4.Why do you always respond using gifs?

Why are you so mean?

Why do you think we have to constantly provide “proper” and “mature” commentary? Ask yourself that. Ask yourself why you have guidelines and criteria for what you consider to be “appropriate” responses to covert/overt racism. Why do you get to define whether or not we’re behaving as adults? Who set up rules regarding how people of color should respond to damaging ideologies? Hint: Most likely the people who perpetrate said ideologies and oppress people of color. We do not owe anyone anything. And if a mod feels they’d rather respond with a gif, there’s nothing wrong with that. Why are YOU so focused on our response AS OPPOSED TO the problematic post in question?

We aren’t mean unless it’s warranted and we get to determine whether or not it is. Keep in mind that there are five mods here with five different personalities, racial backgrounds and perspectives. We do NOT have to respond to something incendiary in a kind manner. Once again… why are you so focused on our response as opposed to the problematic post in question?

We think you need to check your priorities and stop tone-policing others.

5. What do you think of white people cosplaying characters of color?

All of the mods have different opinions.

On one side of the debate: A few of the mods don’t care. As long as the person isn’t committing Blackface/Brownface/Yellowface, we aren’t particularly annoyed. YOU SHOULD NEVER DARKEN YOUR SKIN TO FIT A CHARACTER’S SKIN COLOR. It is extremely offensive and has far too much negative historical context to ever be acceptable.

Why is it offensive you ask?

• Blackface/Brownface/Yellowface have all been used (and continue to be used) to dehumanize and parody Black people, brown people and Asian people respectively. Harmful stereotypes were employed and bolstered/upheld through these “comedic” shows, stereotypes that cause and aid in the perpetration of microaggressions. Racism escalates from such microaggressions before becoming larger, fatal incidents we often hear about on the news.
• Regardless of whether or not you are mocking others of different races/ethnicities, darkening your skin is still harmful to others and is a VERY weighted action. We repeat, even if you aren’t parodying another race/ethnicity, is it STILL HURTFUL to others. You cannot separate the racist history from said action JUST BECAUSE YOU want to cosplay and it’s extremely selfish and racist of you to disregard those very real emotions and realities for your own interests.
• The skin colors of the very real and very oppressed people (who have to live with the disadvantages that come from it) are NOT COSTUMES. 
• And NO, it isn’t *just like* painting yourself blue to be a Smurf or green to be the Hulk, not until we start seeing blue and green people walking around, complaining of the oppression and disadvantages they face because of who they are. You get a big fuck you if you even thought of such a thing.

On the other side of the debate: The other mods DO care. It bothers them that out of the MANY white/pale-skinned characters available, of the VAST reserve of white representation, a white person would choose to cosplay a character of color. People of color do not have the equal representation in the media, nor the same support in cosplaying circles. Even when they are cosplaying characters of their skin tone/race, it is evident that white cosplayers are lauded/praised over them, regardless of style or intensity. There are so few characters of color to begin with, a white person cosplaying a character of color just adds insult to injury.

THOUGH EACH MOD HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION ON CERTAIN ASPECTS OF IT, WE ALL AGREE THAT REGARDLESS OF RACE/ETHNICITY, IT IS WRONG TO DARKEN ONE’S SKIN IN ANY WAY FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF COSPLAYING. 

6. Do you hate white people?

No, and it is very telling that you’d have to ask that. We hate whiteness/white supremacy. White people are not synonymous whiteness/white supremacy although more often than not, they help enforce it/uphold it.

7. What is whiteness? Do you mean you hate whiteness as in the skin color?

No. Click here to find out.

8. Wait, but I’m a person of color. I don’t see anything wrong with that artwork (whitewashing) so why do you?

Unless you can offer a valid description of how the artwork is not whitewashed, we cease to give a fuck about your opinion, regardless of your race/ethnicity.

9. Do you know anything about color theory?

Are any of the mods artists?

Yes and yes. We find it very funny that those opposing this blog throw out that phrase so often and then clearly exhibit that they have no knowledge of it themselves.

10. What makes you think you’re qualified to criticize someone’s art?

We do not criticize their art style nor their level of skill. We are not putting them down, however we are offering a quick and valid critique: you whitewashed and it’d be nice if you fixed that.

11. Do you consider albino people of color to be white?

This question makes us laugh every time. Regardless of skin color, a person of color is a person of color.

12. What do you think of white characters racebent as people of color?

We often get this question because people probably feel it’s unfair that we showcase racebent artwork. Too motherfucking bad. Whitewashing =/= racebending.

13. Are the mods even POCs?

Yep.

14. What if they’re just a bad artist?

If you whitewash,your art will end up here, regardless of *skill*.

15. Why don’t you SHOW them how to shade people of color?

We now have a tutorial section that we update as regularly as we can. We also accept submissions of tutorials. But even if we didn’t, why do WE have to teach YOU to shade people of color? If you’re whitewashing, that is something YOU should actively be attempting to fix. THAT is not OUR job. Accountability is key.

Deedee:

Not so casually stealing their faq

(I really need to update this blog’s picture faq but I’m so lazy!)