As an outsider, how can I fix the Hunchback of Notre Dame for better Rromani representation?
Ke96 asks:
See my post I’ve shared where I’ve mentioned you and some other users:
[Seeking] Advice on reworking The Hunchback of Notre Dame for its 30th anniversary
From your post linked above: Some of it was influenced by the Romani YouTuber Florian, who goes in depth about Romani culture. Since he kind of gives some points, I agree with. Which I can greatly sympathize for all of you, even if I’m not Roma. This is also to help commemorate a flawed but underrated Disney movie that’s turning 30 as of this year. Since I want to know what parts of the story need changing, at least the Romani parts that need improving.
Since I’m wanting to find some advice on how to rework parts of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Specifically the Romani parts that I do agree is a bit misguided and ignorant at best, while very dubious at worst in representation. So if you were to rework the story(Even when you keep the basic outline of the story of either the novel or the film adaptations, mostly Disney), what would you change or alter to make it more accurate to the Romani people? As well as what do you think of the 4 notes of some of the story ideas I’ve came up with after looking at some of Florian’s YouTube videos?
Hi @ke96
As the WWC mod team knows well - HoND is a special interest of mine, so although I am not Roma and will not be speaking to that, I got this.
Also, I invite and defer to any Roma readers’ feedback and insights in the comments.
SHORT ANSWER:
If you’re celebrating the anniversary, just write the version you want. You have to choose which version you’d like, that’s not our job here – we don’t tell you how or what to write. As you describe the role and jobs, or appearances and actions of the Romani cast, feel free to adjust as needed to whatever you feel is more appropriate. Just write it. You can’t fix what doesn’t exist. How do you know if it works or not, if you don’t do it? Just go do it. Everything else is getting ahead of yourself.
LONG ANSWER / An Open Letter to Writers on Media Literacy and Introspection:
Your goal as stated is “course correcting” and better “educating” audiences on Roma in HoND. Those goals imply the authority to both know and educate, but self admittedly, you’re having trouble meeting the bare minimum for that standard.
Your question about “reworking” or “fixing” HoND for better Roma representation is a question of media literacy. First off, why you? Specifically, why you? I don’t think the savior trope is intentional, and I know you’re self aware of it, so I won’t address it other than to say it’s there in the margins.
As Florian has said himself, HoND has the most widely known Roma heroine, and yet its many iterations were and are written by white western men who use Roma as props. Yes, Roma are expanded in media representation and yet their representation is simultaneously often regressive and harmful in how they are portrayed. This fact is not new to Roma audiences. On writing this – surely Roma readers could do it themselves, and yet have chosen not to. Might there be a reason for that? I think so.
For the same reason I’m not holding my breath for a Thai writer to rewrite The King and I, or a Desi author to rewrite the Jungle Book, or an Arab poet to reimagine Aladdin, etc. I don’t believe that BIPOC writers spend our creative labor, energy or imagination trying to live in the stories that fetishize us. In that same vein, while I would totally be down for a Roma writer to reimagine the story – I also recognize that, believe it or not, the story might not be worthy of their time.
As Mod Rina and former Mod Marika went over in regards to writing cultures not your own:
“If you aren’t ready to engage with a culture and its people directly, then I think you should wait until you are.” - Marika
Now, I know you’ve tried. You’ve tried many ways – but your efforts so far just don’t stick the landing, given your goals, although it isn’t for lack of trying. Wanting to set the record straight and speaking from a position of authority are not the same thing. Because feeling strongly about something, and also having the knowledge and skillset to enact change around that are… again, different.
So, I think your enthusiasm is fantastic but also possibly obscuring the bigger picture, which is that there is a bigger picture. It’s a hard sell for anyone to come in and say they want to re-write a story that’s progressive in visibility, but regressive in construction by… revising the story’s regressive elements NOT from the lived perspective of those portrayed.
If you want to write it for yourself, or to celebrate - that’s great. Do it. But when an author takes on the goal of ‘educating’ on someone else’s culture, the expectations and community response will grow stronger, and it becomes a bigger thing.
Good luck and Godspeed,
- Melanie 🌻
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