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[thescriptor]

On race, gender identity and sexual preference: Does it matter?

By Adrian B.

(Disclaimer: This article contains language that might be deemed offensive by some. It only reflects the opinions of the author)

We all read it every time, everywhere. Opinions are different; some say you should only point out the race of the character if they're PoC, others say you should point out the race every single time, and opinions vary in between. In my personal opinion, you're all wrong (hah!), but writing and reading are subjective, and there's no absolute answer nor there's an opinion that's more valid than other. 

I've previously talked about racism, sexism and many other issues present in literature. This article won't show you how to portray these kinds of characters, but it's rather a call to analyse and consider the role of race and gender in writing, implications and if their portrayal adds (or don't) to the plot. 

Race and sexuality/gender issues are the most discussed topics on today's literature, at least among the younger writers and readers because of this "boom" of political correctness that ranges from reasonable to hypocritical. I've talked about it before, and I've talked about depiction and vision of race and gender in literature. Now I raise a new question: Are those traits even worth mentioning? 

The widespread notion is that people assume white until proven otherwise. This may be valid within the States, but it's silly and even stupid for many other parts of the world. As a non-American, I know a plenty of people (even Americans) who'd never assume a character is white. 

At times, it's easy to infer a character's race by just analysing the background. I'm 100% sure that Henry Fleming (The Red Badge of Courage) was white, and for the setting, I can tell that the original Sherlock Holmes was white too, as it was really unusual if not impossible to find a college graduate of another race in early 20th century London, as I'm sure Kino (The Pearl, by John Steinbeck) was Mexican of Native-American origin. The setting gives you clues about a character's race and ethnicity, but sometimes it's not enough. 

If you read a novel about a small village in The Gambia, most likely you'll asume all characters are black unless otherwise stated, but the game changes for a novel set in modern NYC, where you can find black dudes called William or Bernard, and blue-eyed white chaps called Samir. 

Race can be a sensitive topic for some, but believe me, there are people on Earth and even whole places where it doesn't matter at all if you're black, white or a dalek, so it's really important to know where the author comes from and their background in order to properly analyse their intentions on writing race or leaving it out completely. 

As a personal rule of thumb, I point the race of my characters if I feel like doing so, even if it doesn't add anything to the plot. Why? Because it says a lot about how my characters view other people, what they find important or attractive and what not. If it adds to the story, I try to state it clearly. Problem solved for me.

However, some people think writing race-less characters (or leaving race out) is racist, and some others think explicitly stating a character is white it's even more racist. I really don't know how to feel about this, if I should laugh, cry, both or just disregard their americentrist opinions. In spite of their comments and opinions, I'm going to write the way I feel more comfortable with, and you should do too.

Let's be honest. If you're white and you have a non-white friend which is pretty much like you but with a different skin colour, do you go around telling people "Oh, s/he's so cool, we both love Bret Easton Ellis, oh, and s/he's [Insert race here]"? That'd be stupid. Does race matter at all in your relationship? Probably it doesn't matter for your character either. We are human, and unless you're the kind of asshole who finds non-white friends just for the sake of diversity and showing "how much you respect and admire other cultures", I don't think race matters in terms of human relationships. Yes, care should be taken in culturally and racially sensitive topics. Don't cook pork for your muslim friends, don't use slur, don't assume all black people are African in origin, etc. Basically, don't be an asshole. Be conscious, not conscientious. The rest doesn't matter. 

Gender identity and sexuality are a different bag, as they have more to do with the plot if it has a romantic or sexual subplot, or if it covers the topic of personal identity, much like a bildungsroman would do. Views on these topics vary a lot from culture to culture, and should be researched in depth before even thinking about writing about them.

The views on them have changed a lot over the years, but not uniformly across the world, so the setting plays a major part. Religion, culture, family values, society, all of them shape the way people are judged. Your transgendered character would be considered an aberration in Victorian England, while in a future setting where people doesn't give one about who you like they would be seen as normal. All of those details change the way they should be characterised, so simply asking a transgendered (or with any other orientation/identity/preference) about their life is not enough. You can't interview a gay druid or a transgendered asexual in a moon colony, so you have to study and consider the setting. 

But, just like race, if it doesn't matter, then why write it? Dumbledore was gay, and his sexuality made absolutely no difference on the plot, so it was hinted, but ultimately left out. Gender identity in Palahniuk's Invisible Monsters plays a greater role, and thus the issue is worth mentioning. Write what you think will enrich your work. Don't do it on moral compromise or just to add diversity. Only assholes do that. 

On a general note, assuming all characters are white and straight unless otherwise stated is not wrong, the same goes for assuming black and gay or any combination possible. Relating to characters is not uncommon, and for some people, it's the purpose of reading. If you're white and straight, you'll definitely see some of your personal traits in the characters you identify with, and there's no sin in that, especially if race, gender identity and other characteristics are never disclosed.

Literature can be a vehicle for social awareness, diversity and acceptance, but it's not its ultimate goal. So, next time you're writing, consider your motives: Are you making a social justice manifesto or just telling a story? Both are good, and conflating them is fine too. However, you don't have to do it all the time.

And remember, the only absolute rule is to write in any way you like. 

[thescriptor]

Creator's Workshop: The elusive mystery of documents.

By Adrian B.

Have you ever heard about the Voynich Manuscript? If you haven't, you should seriously read the Wiki article, because it's interesting as hell. 

The Voynich Manuscript, considered "The World's most mysterious manuscript" dates to the early 15th century. Written in vellum, the ponderous book comprises about 240 pages and it's divided into six sections: Herbal, astronomical, biological, cosmological, pharmaceutical and a collection of recipes.

The detail: Nobody knows what does it say.

The manuscript is written in a strange, unidentified script, which is not consistent with any extant language at the time. Statistical analysis has shown distributions similar to those of natural languages, and the flow of writing is smooth, but unusual things, such as triple graphemes and lack of obvious punctuation, has led some scholars to think it could be a hoax. In fact, one of the best hoaxes of all time. 

Pretty, isn't it? 

Authorship is disputed. Some say Roger Bacon is the author, given his skills on practically everything and mysterious personality, others say Voynich himself fabricated the whole thing. At the moment, we don't know much of the manuscript, and investigation continues, which in short means we have no idea of what it could be, where does it come from and what purpose does/did it serve.

Let's suppose it's all a hoax.

Fabricated artifacts aren't uncommon. You'll find them everywhere, in any culture, religion and place in the World. The skill required to make them look and feel authentic is of otherworldly nature, but doing so gets easier with time. They serve the purpose of filling historical gaps and taking advantage of the reactions caused, but, what about using them for creative purposes? In your world, they could be real if you want to. 

You could add flavour to a fantasy story by creating an old codex, maybe add some mystery to your detective novel with an unusual letter or create a whole new religion for your world with a sacred text. The possibilities are infinite. 

Fabricated documents add a great extra value to your writing, and sometimes can be the basis of your whole work. The Whalestoe Letters by Mark Z. Danielewski is the perfect example of a companion to an already great book, and Bram Stoker's Dracula, one of the earliest examples of epistolary novels, is made up of almost every kind of fabricated document.

Documents can also create interest for your work, sometimes other than literary. I call it the Dan Brown effect (sorry if you don't like his works, but the guy surely knows how to create convincing artifacts). Many works have attained the status of legends after people started using them as guides to crack cyphers and solve mysteries. 

So, go ahead! Create your documents and artifacts. It doesn't matter if you write a New Earth Galactic Bible or a single-page encrypted letter, make it fun, but remember, there are things you should consider:

Plan ahead:

Even though writing can be just done without planning and still be awesome, when creating an artifact or document for your writing, planning ahead is advisable. What purpose does it serve? Why is it important to your story? Unless you want your work to be based on the document, knowing how to fit it into the story is vital.

Design carefully:

The great thing about documents is that they have personality. Letters are written in a certain way, with details, medical histories have the signature style of the physician who examines the patient, codexes (like the Voynich manuscript) have details that make them curious. Take time for design. 

Be careful with the timeline: 

It'd be silly to read a document of old written the same way a new one is written. Language changes, even in fictional universes. Style and redaction too. Also, don't give future or present info if that's not the purpose of the document. 

The rest is up to you! Who knows, maybe you could write a +1000-page encrypted novel and leave it in front of CIA HQ, The Pentagon and the White House. Can you replicate H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds impact? Try