Diversity Is Not The Problem, YOU ARE!!!!

It’s always amazing the double standards and pushback one gets when demanding better from comics and the media in general.

When cis straight white fans demand certain storylines or better characters or what have you, they’re lauded and praised as being outspoken, passionate and devoted fans. Yet when LGBTQs and fans of color simply ask for better representation (or any representation for that matter) and to have our stories explored, suddenly we’re being entitled, uppity, unreasonable, too sensitive.

Because heaven forbid as a customer and a fan I dare ask for better quality for my dollar or think I deserve to be heard as straight white fans are. Heaven forbid I ask to be treated as something other than 3/5 of a person in society.

Here’s the score. I spend just as much money on comics as straight white fans. I support movies, television shows, novels, etc. just like straight white fans. And I find it quite sickening, not to mention disturbing that in the 21st century, I’m STILL having to explain to people why diversity is not a sin and why marginalized people such as women, POCs, LGBTQs, disabled, etc. deserve to be represented in the media and not be denigrated by bigoted hacks. And if you can’t understand why equality is NOT about political correctness but about doing the right thing then fuck you too.

And for those who have a problem with seeing someone different from you in the media, then the only thing I want to know is why are you really tripping?

A not-so-gentle reminder

Since there have been a few recent attempts at bringing privileged wankery to this blog, I feel it prudent to remind everyone – nah, let me be honest: the asshats who can’t be bothered to check their privilege before posting here – about a few things. You would think that after reading the links in BOLD COLORFUL UPPERCASE LETTERS AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE that some of these people would take the goddamn hint and keep themselves the fuck out of here, but no – they insist upon dragging their shit here and trying to derail what we’re trying to do.

HINT: it’s not about convincing privileged people to believe us or be nicer to us.

Why Storm needs her own spin-off

Lately my head’s been a soup of ideas swirling around the representation of Black women, especially when it comes to invoking or subverting the Strong Black Woman trope.

I’m gonna say right off the bat that I’m not too familiar with X-men. I mean, I saw the movies and read about X-men, but never felt compelled to get my hands on any of the comics. So this is pretty much me inviting you to take what I say here with a grain of salt.

Dan Slott: We Are Sick Of Your Shit!!!

THIS, Dan Slott, is just a small example of the racism you were getting called out on in regards to NORAH WINTERS. Because black men have never had to contend with the big black dick to satiate white women trope in the media ever. But oh wait, Norah Winters can’t possibly be racist, after all, she’s fucking a black guy.

Between that and the manual labor crack, you are following Joe Kelly quite well in the rampant racefail.

But more on Norah “Grand Wizard In Training” Winters in a bit.

Let’s talk about the epic fail that is Dan Slott and how he’s a perfect example of HOW NOT to show your ass on the internet. Specifically spamming this very blog after being called out on his racism. And how we here at Ars Marginal DON’T PLAY THAT SHIT!!!

But in order to truly appreciate this sad sordid saga, a little backstory of what’s been brewing over the last couple of weeks is in order.

Comic Book Fandom: FUCK YOU!!!!

In which I illustrate to comic book fandom why this Gay Magical Negro is not their friend.

So Chuck Dixon and his ilk of glorified inbreds have recently been throwing a hissy fit over the repeal of DADT and the invasion of the homos fagging up their preshus armies and handing out their AIDS burgers.

Now typically I would write a long eloquent thesis about why homophobia is wrong and why this failed mindset is so full of fail
Not today.

Between Levitz’s misogyny, the Thor racefail, and Dixon’s homophobia (trifecta anyone?), I’m simply out of spoons and today we won’t be playing diplomatic minority where I mind my tone like a good non-threatening Negro. Because if you think I’m under obligation to smile and take it while I’m being denigrated, then you’re a sociopath who views me as a 3/5 subhuman.

No. All I have to say today to Dixon and others like him is simply: FUCK YOU!!!

How About A Bit Of Respect, Thank You

So late last week former DC president Paul Levitz mansplained how superhero stories are more appealing to boys.

In the interview, Levitz states:

I’m not sure that young women are as interested in reading about superheroes. The fundamental dynamic of the superhero story has historically been more appealing to boys than to girls. There are any number of very successful superhero comics over the years that have had a better gender balance than others, but the genre as a whole has been a more male genre.

Romance, Race, and Invisibility

We are currently living through a romance novel renaissance. Not only are new subgenres appearing and old ones expanding — steampunk romances, no joke! — but romance authors and readers are getting more vocal, resisting the stigma of romance readers as sex-starved bonbon-devouring housewives. There is now a course on romance novels at Yale, and an academic journal that deals with the subject. Just this week the rising tide of romance ebook sales — by far the most-sold genre in digital form — was featured in an article on the front page of the New York Times.

Which brings me to China.

Helen Mirren doesn’t give a fuck about your penis

You better check this shit out right the fuck now.

Reading Past Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

One holiday classic I’ve always found so unsettling is Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.

I attended Catholic school between the third and the fifth grade and with the exception of two Asian students, I was the only POC in our entire class. Let’s just say at 8 years old I received a crash course in racism and we’re going to leave it at that.

Each year we would watch the animated classic of Rudolph. There was always something disturbing about the story, until last year when I came to the epiphany that the tale is a metaphor for minority plight.

Men are from Chandler, Women are from Christie

The odd couple is one of television’s go-to moves — and so is the idea that no two people are as mismatched as a man and a woman, especially a man and a woman with sexual chemistry. The whole Mars/Venus crap gets name-checked when a man and woman share the lead in a show: it’s heteronormative and reductive and can be excruciating to watch — but it’s also pretty revealing about mainstream cultural attitudes toward gender roles.

Especially when the couple teams up to solve crime. The result then is a pair of narratives in search of the Truth-with-a-capital-T: one short truth story, that starts with a body and ends with a killer and is solved over the course of a single episode, and one long one, that plays out as the couple learn more about each other and their mutual sexypants feelings.

Let’s start with the ultimate mystery romance show: Remington Steele.