Current Events > I did a writing exercise on the subject of diversity...

(+) Yeah! (+)

As an exercise, I looked at five original stories I'd like to tell and five existing stories I'd like to adapt. While the names are omitted, these are all action, adventure, science fiction, or fantasy stories.

Original Ideas in first post:

Original Idea #1
Adventure Story
Asian male lead (action), Black female ally (action), Black male ally (non-action), White gay male ally (action)

Original Idea #2
Action Story
Black male lead (action), Latina love interest (action), Black female relative of protagonist (non-action), Latino ally (action), White gay male ally (non-action)

Original Idea #3
Fantasy Story
White lesbian female lead (action), White lesbian female love interest (non-action), Black male antagonist (action), Arab female antagonist (action), Black male ally (action)

Original Idea #4
Fantasy Story [White female lead (action)]
Black female authority figure (action), Latino authority figure (non-action), White lesbian ally (non-action)

Original Idea #5
Action Story
Asian female lead (action), Black male ally (non-action)

Adaptation Ideas in second post:

Adaptation #1
Science Fiction Story [White male lead (non-action)]
Japanese supporting cast member in unspecified role (non-action), Black supporting cast member in unspecified role (non-action)

Adaptation #2
Superhero Story [White male lead (action)]
Black female love interest (non-action)

Adaptation #3
Fantasy Story [White male lead (action)]
Black female ally (action), Black male ally (non-action and minor role)

Adaptation #4
Action Story [non-human animal protagonist (action)]
Japanese male supporting character (action), Japanese male antagonist (action), Black female supporting character (action)

I'm just going to go ahead and give away that this one is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Adaptation #5
Adventure Story
Latino protagonist (action), Latina love interest (action), Latino antagonist (action), Black female ally (non-action).

I thought my writing overall was fairly inclusive, but I'm seeing a lot of "diverse = Black" decision making. Which isn't bad by any means, but it is a bit of a problem if it comes at the expense of neglecting members of other ethnic groups. And even I have to admit to myself that the last one would've been pure tokenism.

FortuneCookie posted...

I thought my writing overall was fairly inclusive, but I'm seeing a lot of "diverse = Black" decision making.

I don't get it. so, you came to this conclusion from your own writing exercises?

couldn't you just write your characters differently?

Yes, I could strike a line through any character and place them in another demographic. That wasn't the purpose of this exercise. The purpose of it was to get a feel for my writing / decision-making process; to see where I was and what needed to be improved upon.

My three priorities so far have been female inclusion, Black inclusion, and LGBTQ inclusion. As such, I've neglected other demographics. And even when confined to the three demographics I've mentioned, there are scenarios where I feel I could have done more.

To be fair though, not every story lends itself equally to diversity. It's difficult to fit multiple demographics into a period piece. And the one story I mentioned by name, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is very difficult to be diverse with. You have four protagonists and none of them are human. A good cast is typically going to be comprised of eight characters or less -- not counting extras and bit parts.

FortuneCookie posted...

My three priorities so far have been female inclusion, Black inclusion, and LGBTQ inclusion. As such, I've neglected other demographics.

I mean, thats no different than what todays shows and movies prioritize. So dont feel too bad lol

You have some issues

k

MedeaLysistrata posted...

You have some issues

@MedeaLysistrata

How so? I'm actively working on a book I hope to publish. And I'd like to do much more after that. Diversity and inclusion are important.

FortuneCookie posted...

You have four protagonists and none of them are human.

...that's not "diversity"?

No. Diversity and inclusion refer to including members of different demographics; ethnic minorities, gender and orientation minorities, etc. The talking animal demographic isn't among them.

If you had a Black actor voice a Ninja Turtle, sure, that's a paycheck for a Black actor. But the character itself is not visibly Black, nor is the character even human. They're a turtle who got mutated.

FortuneCookie posted...

If you had a Black actor voice a Ninja Turtle, sure, that's a paycheck for a Black actor. But the character itself is not visibly Black, nor is the character even human. They're a turtle who got mutated.

When you're worrying about "coding", all you've done is regressed to tokenism.

It depends on how you depict them.

Here's a hypothetical cast for a Ninja Turtles movie:

Leonardo (Turtle)
Donatello (Turtle)
Michelangelo (Turtle)
Raphael (Turtle)
Splinter (Japanese man -- transformed into a rat)
Shredder (Japanese man)
April O'Neil (White woman)
Baxter Stockman (Black man)
Casey Jones (White man)
Bebop (Black man -- transformed into a warthog)
Rocksteady (White man -- transformed into a rhino)
OC -- (Black teenage girl)

The Original Character would essentially be the Rise of TMNT version of April under a different name. That means more female representation since there are two female characters instead of one. And if we need a third, we can have Karai replace Bebop and Rocksteady. As for the ethnic factor, I figure the teenage girl, Splinter, and Shredder would be important characters in the story. Baxter Stockman would have a more minor role, and a villainous one, but he would still be present. Is that tokenistic? Not really. He'd probably have eight to twelve minutes of screentime in total, but that's not tokenism. It might be if he was the only Black character, but he's not.

If more screen time is given to the teenage girl and to Splinter, that means it has to be taken from someone, right? Well, Donatello and Michelangelo would sadly have to be demoted to background characters who spout catchphrases and join the lead brothers in the action sequences. But, hey, four is a crowd anyway.

Of course, this is all hypothetical anyway. Viacom hasn't called me yet to write and direct their next Ninja Turtles movie.

FortuneCookie posted...

The Original Character would essentially be the Rise of TMNT version of April under a different name.

or... have two Aprils

I'd be willing to have both versions and call one a different name.

FortuneCookie posted...

I'd be willing to have both versions and call one a different name.

"Little April"

cringe

Questionmarktarius posted...

"Little April"

May

How about focusing on things like character and story instead of mindlessly checking different ethnic boxes?

DowntownMrSmith posted...

How about focusing on things like character and story instead of mindlessly checking different ethnic boxes?

I do. Believe me, I do.

The needs of the story always come first. But there's no reason the elite soldier called back into one last mission can't be Black. There's no reason the affable space pirate can't be a Latino. There's no reason the captain of a band of forest-dwelling outlaws can't be a lesbian.

Those aren't actual characters I have in mind. (Though a lesbian Robin Hood sounds like a character with potential now that I think about it.) But there's no reason I'd want to give away the content I'm actually working on.

I'm a pervert and CE knows I'm a pervert. I'd hate to release my first book only to have someone from this board post, "Hey, this guy has the hots for a My Little Pony character," on Twitter.

FortuneCookie posted...

Original Idea #5
Action Story
Asian female lead (action), Black male ally (non-action)

Make them love interests.

Solar_Crimson posted...

Make them love interests.

I suppose I could also make her a goth with a penchant for open-toed shoes.

In all seriousness, I'm sure there will be a Black male/Asian female couple at some point. I can't state more than that. Giving out greater detail could potentially lead back to the story if it gets published.

So your entire idea is "put certain races into certain genres"?

Inclusive casting and good characterization are not mutually exclusive. I wouldn't be likely to have a Black lesbian in a Robin Hood or King Arthur story, but there's no reason there can't be one in a story set in modern day New York City.

Reeee

FortuneCookie posted...

Well, Donatello and Michelangelo would sadly have to be demoted to background characters

Hold on.
Nobody wants a "serious" TMNT. Don't back-burner the fun guys.

Where are your characters with disabilities, with mental or physical challenges?

Questionmarktarius posted...

Hold on.
Nobody wants a "serious" TMNT. Don't back-burner the fun guys.

If they get five to seven catchphrases or zingers each, no one will notice that they're not the central focus.

Houston posted...

Where are your characters with disabilities, with mental or physical challenges?

That is an area I've neglected somewhat. There are really only two or three characters I've considered in total - not in any of the ideas mentioned above, obviously.

I took a college course on disability for reasons of achieving more sympathetic and inclusive writing and I still have neglected inclusion when it comes to people with disabilities.

None of this actually matters as much as you think it does.