Okay when I say I'm leaving please don't take this as a drastic measure. Months I have been in this RP and slowly it's become disgustingly uncomfortable for me. Why? Many reasons, though it's a countless list of what made me leave along with the rest. But one I will state for other reasons than just getting off my chest (mostly because this will help you in the diverse real world as well) is the derogatory racial comments I have seen again and again, OOC/IC about Hispanics and most of the OOC ones are directed towards me. Now I'm not talking about petty nicknames that I laugh off, like when Kersten calls me an immigrant but I call her a hick but that's the thing -- I know Kersten. I've known her for almost two years now and we've gotten to that point where we tease each other like that. But at this point of the RP it's not okay to make parody videos categorizing me for .15% of what is the Puerto Rican race, making countless comparisons to me and a character that is surviving on outdated "Mexican" stereotypes, and just countless degrading remarks about my race.
Now I know the Hispanic characters don't mean to do this -- and there are racist people out there in the world as well as homophobics and etc, but come on. If you're going to bring in a Latino character, please do not make their heritage (And a clearly stereotypical way of looking at that heritage might I say) the only thing about them and just keep making up countless remarks about it. I know I wouldn't like it (this is just me, and probably a majority of the latinos) if a person I barely talked to called me a beaner, or a "dirty Mexican". It's degrading, and it doesn't offend me because I know I'm not -- but that doesn't make it right to say either.
This may come off as harsh, but really it's the harsh reality that it's not okay to constantly have this happening OOC and IC over and over again. To say this in drastic terms, it's almost considered bullying. Think of it like this. I could make a Caucasian character constantly talking about Nutella, Starbucks, Justin Bieber, and Instagram -- but then, oh no, you'd think the character has no substance. It's the same with looking at a character from another race and seeing them only talk about Taco Bells and calling people hombre as a term of endearment 24/7.
So, now you may ask if you're not busy contemplating your future actions, what may be some good Hispanic characters in everyday television/movies that I could base off with? It's simple. They're just like everyday human beings. They may have stronger family values, considering in most Hispanic countries that is just how we're raised with greeting people with a hug and a kiss and leaving with a hug and a kiss. Honestly, I really only started doing that when I moved to Puerto Rico, but in the States I get a break because you won't see many doing that unless you're in a Hispanic community.
Take Orange is the New Black for example. We have Maritza and Flaca (Nickname translating to 'skinny girl' in Spanish because the girl is a twig lol). Here we have a scene where Flaca shows interest in The Smiths and I'm just assuming she probably likes other soft alternative, first wave bands. See! Normal people interests! Then we also have Rosa Diaz from Brooklyn Nine Nine, who rarely even mentions her background life let alone her heritage. She's a badass, independent woman basically Penelope's spirit animal (PS Brooklyn Nine Nine is the best 10/10 would recommend.)
I hope when you read this, it'll give you all a bit of a wake up call, this isn't meant to hurt any of you, but it is to give you a kind of good slap in the face from everything that everyone just ignored to bring up. Including me. It was great RPing with you guys, I had a great time, but hey. Not all good things last, here's continuing Pippa's Outsiders theme by saying "Stay Gold, Monroe."
