#Child Abuse Mention #Sexual Abuse Mention #Domestic Violence Mention #long post #page stretcher
I’m honestly so glad that Miri made this post because it’s the one that I haven’t had the energy to make for the last three years. Other cute things that fandom jumps onto when a latinx character is involved:
> Mexican family regardless of character bg, “broken English” speaking parents/grandparents (and always with that phrase), blatant internalized homophobia, religious fervor, tacos/burritos, giant over bearing families, predatory families, emphasis on having children, white prize/adelantar la raza rhetoric, aggressive poc, whitewashing in art, food used as a character descriptor, less educated, random piñatas/sombreros, gang affiliation, poverty, virgin/whore dichotomy
Look I get it, these are the images that are the stereo types that media has provided you but also consider the following
The Impact of Media Stereotypes on Opinions and Attitudes Towards Latinos (2012)
The Latino Media Gap: A Report on the State of Latinos in US Media (2014)
2015 Hollywood Diversity Report
More Than 200 Years of Latino Media in the United States
Inequality in 700 Popular Films: Examining Portrayals of Gender, Race, & LGBT Status from 2007 to 2014 (2015 these are GREAT and published yearly check em out)
The Latino Disconnect (2016)
(etc etc etc the research on this in regards to poc is literally everywhere)
Please, please, PLEASE, please, when you are writing a latinx character (or any poc or marginalized character) and you mention something that has to do with their cultural identity/marginalized identity, are you writing something you Know and understand or something that has been regurgitated to you? Would what you wrote about that latinx character be out of place in an anti-immigrant, anti-latinx political cartoon?
Also keep in mind that what Miri said about some things being culture locked is true. We can joke about la chancla, el huarache, o el cinturon because we’ve lived them. Also note, that these jokes are a coping mechanism. Regardless of how we look back on it, this physical discipline is a form of child abuse (2002).
With that said, different cultures approach discipline differently and “1) All behaviors are found in all cultural groups. 2 Some behaviors are demonstrated more so in some cultures than in others, but the first point still applies
3. Individuals within a particular culture display the traditional traits and cultural markers of that group to varying degrees… from “not at all” to “exclusively and intensely”. These variations can be due to ethnic group differences with the larger culture, socio-economic status, degree of acculturation to the mainstream society, gender, religion, and myriad other factors.”
Also keep in mind that if you talk to millennial latinx you’ll find out that this type of discipline is becoming more uncommon as we recognize that this was abuse and refuse to repeat it with our own progeny. If you are writing a story that takes places in the distant future and still include la chancla as a cheap joke, you are misunderstanding the implications of fearing la chancla or anytime an adult raises their hand/voice at you.
Similarly, don’t use this in regards to characters that would 100% not be about that life. Bianca Reyes, mother of Jaime and Milagro Reyes, who is a nurse, would never physically discipline her children this way. There have always been parents that don’t condone corporal punishments, to assume that all Latinx families have used this form of discipline is a gross stereotype.
Stop using child abuse as a punchline.
As for the heavy internalized homophobia that slash writers love to include for latinx flavored angst, please take a moment to google how our communities (especially our indigenous communities) continue to feel the severe effects of colonization and catholicism in several aspects of our lives.
Also: Nearly 1 in 4 Latinos are Former Catholics (2014)
ALSO STOP OVER SEXUALIZING AND FETISHIZING LATINXS, I don’t need a link for that one you can easily look into that yourself
ALSO: How does the latinx character you’re writing refer to themselves? Their family? Do they identify as latino/x/@, hispanic, chicano/x/@, american, mexican-american, afro-latino, cubanos, guanacos etc? There is a history and context for each of these terms that will reflect on the social/political views of the characters. Also, How socially conscious are they?
Characters like Jaime Reyes, who is a super hero in a border town has definitely Woke and canonically dealt with socio-political issues.
(And for the love of everything, spend some time on http://www.pewhispanic.org/ )
If you are non-latinx and writing about these communities, please keep your mind opened to the feedback of latinxs. If they are saying aspects of your writing are harmful, SIT BACK and LISTEN. Do some research! If other latinxs say no, no, it’s not problematic it’s fine, DEFINITELY DO RESEARCH. Keep an open mind and find out what you don’t know, research the controversy. Five, hell even three years ago I was still learning about all of this and couldn’t grasp why things were fucked up to beyond the fact that they felt “off.”
Admit that you are still growing and learning and then go out and LEARN. Accept that you will be continuously learning, we all are.
We also recognize that as a writer, as a person, you are not putting out stereotypes in a conscious effort to be harmful. But here is the thing, my friend, my pal, the big life lesson to be taken from this huge as fuck text post, are you ready for this??????
intent does not reflect impact.
alternatively, the road to hell was paved with good intentions etc etc etc
if you accidentally elbow someone in the face while opening an door for them, you don’t act defensive about it, you acknowledged that you hurt them, apologize, and do better next time.
