I use the term ‘minorities’ because it’s more inclusive than the clunky ‘POC.’
Let’s say you’re watching a western movie. Is it in the back of your mind that “my Black/Mexican/Jewish/LGBT ass would *not* be doing good in this world”? Or do you just get lost in the movie like the ‘default viewer’ does?
This happens to me sometimes, but maybe I’m weird. Or maybe not.
Edit: not just westerns. Even just something that was filmed (or set) in the 1950s, for example.
17 comments
Not really, I just get lost in the plot.
Depends on the movie, but yes, I’m aware that I’d be pretty fucked.
I don’t really care about it unless we are placed at the center of the villain role for no other reason to than being “savage”, not that natives cant be the villain, but just a generic “their bad” annoys me.
I’m half Mexican, and no, I don’t think that way. Neither does my Mexican father. We grew up watching Westerns, a lot of them and I don’t think that thought ever came through my head.
As an Indigenous American, I usually just laugh watching westerns, particularly when they have obviously white actors in makeup and feathers portraying Generic Redman Chief or Indian Princess. There’s not much else you can do. That doesn’t mean I don’t like westerns- Lonesome Dove is one of my favorite movies of all time.
I have also noticed something that hugely part of American popular culture, which is making the Black women in leading roles in Hollywood very light-skinned, while their families or rivals are usually very dark-skinned to show they’re bad people.
Boondocks covers part of the subject pretty expertly in this one minute parody clip.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRfDgnapUAw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRfDgnapUAw)
Nothing in particular. I guess I have thought what minorities would be treated in such a situation but I just focus on the plot, not any what ifs.
Yea basically what you said about my ass not doing well in this world, lol. But my dad used to love cowboy pictures and westerns. We’d watch them all day together so I just got used to it
As a Hispanic person, I like Westerns. I wish we were included more in the mythology as more than drunks, villains, and helpless villagers; but that’s not really how the world works.
In the back of my head I wish we were represented, but it usually doesn’t ruin the movie or series for me because the “old west” is their history, not ours. I still enjoy the ride.
Actually it’s kind of the opposite, in the old west many of the cowboys where minorities, many of the settlers could barely speak English.
Now of course you still mostly had to stick with your own “kind” so to speak. Irish with Irish, Black with Black, Germanics with Germanics etc.
Not really and the ones that tend to be about black people center that one good white person and it’s kinda annoying. Then again the movie wasn’t really made for black people so I understand why that good white person is there.
It would be tiring watching anything if I was trying to self insert into everything.
I’m an Asian woman and my thoughts like that revolve more around being a woman back then vs being Asian.
I typically just enjoy the plot though.
I’m 25%(+) non-white. When I see accurate depictions I’m grateful some of those treatments are no longer legal (whites/non-whites separated but equal, prohibiting interracial marriage, lynching and blatant racism, forced from land) and have greater sympathy for people.
When I see inaccurate depictions I wonder about the filmmakers motivations (or pathetic ignorance).
I will speak particularly to westerns as someone Mexican descent as well as someone whose family became Americans do to annexation of the southwest.
Western movies are often steeped in racism, especially when it comes to a lot of the blatant appropriation of Mexican culture when it comes to cowboys.
I’m Jewish and I’m just thinking I would have made a really cool outlaw
As an Asian guy, I cab think of at least a few roles in the past where Asians were portrayed really offensively (looking at you, *Breakfast at Tiffany’s*). I also don’t quite like when Asians are portrayed as villains who get defeated by the white savior(s). Things are getting better for Asian representation these days, and I get happy when a character who happens to be Asian is not tied to his Asian heritage as his defining trait.
That being said, if the plot and writing are good, then I am often willing to suspend disbelief at how a character is, unless it is blatantly offensive or inappropriate.
I’m very much white so the only thing I ever think of is being Catholic in American history.
The Klan was very anti Catholic and anti-Irish Catholic in particular which is my heritage.
I’m curious what it would have been like for my Midwest family when the Klan was on the rise in the state.