Minorities - Blog Posts

This- this is SO true

important!!!

transcript:

A person with a somewhat masculine voice says in a higher pitched tone, “Blue hair is weird!” They then change their voice to their regular tone, and say, “I’m gonna teach you this how I would teach a child. I don’t know your life story, but for the sake of making this an educational video, I’m gonna use stereotypes, so only take what resonates with you.

One child is born in a seemingly functional, to their awareness, loving family, while the other is getting quite the opposite. You can’t choose that you’re born with it, so you’re put out in this world and the majority of your peers are like you, and the majority of your teachers, parents and authority are like you, and the majority of the media out there is showing people like you. So all of the kids that are not depicted by this media feel erased and different immediately from the time they’re born, how they are born. You may feel too feminine as a boy, too masculine as a girl, like you’re in the wrong body, like you don’t think exactly neurotypically as everyone else, you’re too thin, you’re too thick, you’re too dark, you’re not dark enough. Kids like this immediately understand the struggle of not being accepted by the majority, and if it’s not the peers doing it, keep in mind they have the same authority and media only depicting the majority of one type of person.

So both the outcasts and the masses are gonna ask the same question of how do I fit into society, and the majority of the authority and media is gonna be saying things like “God is the answer,” “man marries woman,” “girls are this way, boys this way.” You have a set amount of rules that if you have no reason to question, you’re not gonna disagree with. But when this world has taught you it’s not for people like you, you’re gonna ask, “why is it that way?” which brings us to, “who is teaching us this?” Oh, people from this era or earlier, who’s making this stuff, people in this era or earlier, “Let me do my research on who taught them that stuff.”

A common flaw with human beings is that they accept societal norms that are only in place for a little bit over their lifetime because they never lived to see a reason to question it. When you are born in a world that’s seemingly against you, you have reason to research why these traditions are in place, and you say, “Wow, if I happened to be born in the 1900s, pink was for boys and blue was for girls, and cheerleading is for boys and heels are for men, and the bible was changed to be anti-gay”. It’s almost like what we are taught is unreliable and not inherently factual, and in the time this was being taught, no one in the masses was disagreeing.

Everyone’s born in a box, but we weren’t all born with default settings, so we learned that humans can express themselves however they want. The way you think that only natural hair colors is normal, or how you dress is the right way, or blue hair automatically makes you weird, or pronouns equals liberal, that is taught to you. If this existed in the 1900s, this would be awesome [he points at blue hair], and this would just be english language [he points at pronouns]. When you’re wildly accepted by the masses, I see why you wouldn’t want to step down, you’re at the top of the pyramid. But the reason that we dye our hair blue is that the only people that wildly accepted us are other people who weren’t afraid of being different.

Now listen, maybe you just like authentically being a part of the masses, maybe your true self likes this stuff, that’s fine. But you also have to acknowledge that you were taught to avoid anything that would get you bullied or a negative reaction by the masses. So therefore, who’s really the top of the pyramid? [He flips the pyramid drawing upside-down].”

End transcript.

People are sleeping on interior chinatown😭

It somehow mocks but is also a tribute to TV and movie tropes, its about minority representation in media and its infinite nuance, its about self confidence and personal growth. Evolution of buddy cop films, evolution of chinese kung fu films, law and order, jackie chan, the side character’s story, the fourth wall, the narrative.

Its amazing, sweet, intentionally cheesy done well.

Plsplspls, i need to talk to someone about it💀✋🏻

Note To Society #32

Nobody should ever have to fear public officers because of their race. That’s fucking insanity.

Note To Society #27

Racism absolutely exists, and there are thousands of articles and videos out there that prove it. Before arguing that a minority (especially one you aren’t a part of) doesn’t suffer from discrimination and oppression, do your research and educate yourself. Just because you don’t experience it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

But I’m Special!

A lot of people seem to think they get a pass on problematic arguing tactics because they're a minority or an activist or what have you. You don't get a pass. It's not going to fly if you say "there are multiple bad things/reasons for a bad thing, don't try to focus on one." You don't get to say " *I* don't experience that problem" when someone says a problem exists, and not get called out on it. You don't get to badger someone who has made it clear that they don't want to talk to you about a subject, and have it be okay. I'm not buying it when your response to being called out is a tired variation of "I guess you're not capable of talking about things rationally" when someone doesn't put up with your tactics. Not only will your behavior be called out, but your hypocrisy will be called out as well.

I think I genuinely want to end it all. Nobody cares about me, not in a way that matters anyway. I constantly get discriminated against simply because I'm a foreigner, and they make it incredibly difficult to navigate all the legal stuff in my new country. And even if I do have everything in order, sometimes I still get denied simply because "fuck you, that's why".

I'm also struggling with severe mental illness and trauma, which at this point I only expect to be neglected even further. Not to mention dysphoria and being trans amplifying the above tenfold.

I just don't see the point. I want to withdraw from society. It doesn't deserve me.

Dark times all around but there are still people out there who love you

Do not hurt yourself, do not hurt others, get help, talk to someone, anyone. Humanity has survived before and we can do it now if we all just support each other. My country and my people let me down and endangered my life but there’s nothing I or anyone else can do about that so let’s try to spread the love that is so clearly lacking.

Most autistic writers will advise you to have, at the very least, two autistic characters in your story, if you want to have any at all, and I'd say this applies to pretty much every marginalized community and minority.

Stereotypes are easier to fight if you have multiple examples of a community in your story and show how different two or more individuals can be despite the one or few thing(s) they have in common.

Writing x Characters When You Aren’t x, A Masterlist

x: a variable used to represent something unknown.

We’ve seen an influx of questions about how to write stories based around characters of color, disability, non-binary, etc. when the author does not fall into these categories. Rather than have these posts take over the site, we’ve decided to compile a list of resources to help our fellow writers become more educated about writing what they do not immediately know. However, this list is not the end-all-be-all of knowledge; one should always try to learn from someone with first hand experience in any topic. The world is constantly growing and changing, and because of that, there will always be more to learn. The admins at Plotline Hotline want to help writers form respectful, informed, and realistic characters that broaden the narrow range we see in literature today. 

*Be wary that some of the topics listed below contain sensitive material. Reader discretion is advised.* 

As always, the links I found to be especially apt will be in bold. Topics are listed alphabetically, excepting the “other” section.

Culture

Appropriate Cultural Appropriation

What is Cultural Appropriation? [1,2,3]

Cultural Appropriation Is, In Fact, Indefensible

Voice Appropriation & Writing About Other Cultures

Diversity, Appropriation, and Writing the Other [List]

Disability

Writing Disibilities [1,2,3,4,5]

Guides to Writing Deaf or Hard of Hearding People

National Association of the Deaf - Resources [List]

World Federation of the Deaf

Using a Prosthetic Device

Prostehtic Limbs (Character Guide)

How NOT to Write Disabled Characters

A Guide to Disibility Rights Law (United States)

Timeline of Disibility Rights in the United States

Social Security Disability: List of Impairments, Medical Conditions, and Problems [List] (United States)

How to Write Disabled Characters: An Opinion Piece

Artificial Eye Resources [List][Various]

Adapting to the Loss of an Eye

Misconceptions and Myths About Blindness

Blind Characters: A Process of Awareness

Writing Blind Characters [List]

Types of Learning Disabilities [List]

Diversity

A Guide to Spotting and Growing Past Stereotypes

How to Prepare to Write a Diverse Book

The Diversity of Writing

Why Diversity Matters for Everyone

Writing a Driverse Book [1,2,3,4,5]

Diversity, Political Correctness and The Power of Language

Diversity Book List [List][Books]

Basic Tips To Write Subcultures & Minority Religions Better 

Basic Tips to Avoid Tokenism

Gender

GLAAD Media Reference Guide - Transgender

Creating Well-Written Trans Characters

A Few Things Writers Need To Know About Sexuality & Gender Expression

Trans (Character Guide & Bio Building)

A Non-Binary Person’s Guide to Invented Pronouns

Gender Neutral Writing [List]

Keeping a Trans* Person a Person  

Suggestions for Reducing Gendered Terms in Language [Photo]

How to Review a Trans Book as a Cis Person

Writing Characters of Different Genders [List]

Understanding Gender

Gender Spectrum Resources [List]

Gender History

Illness 

Writing Chronic Illness [1,2]

The Spoon Theory - Also pertains to disibility

About HIV/AIDS

Sexually Transmitted Diseases [List]

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sex and Gender Differences in Health [Study]

All Chronic Illness Topics [List]

Coping with Chronic Illness

All Cancer Types

A Day in the Life of a Home Health Aide/Health Coach

Fiction Books With Chronically Ill Main Characters- Not Cancer [List][Books]

Neurotype (Including Mental Health)

Writing an Autistic Character When You Don’t Have Autism

Depression Resources [List]

What to Consider When Writing Mental Illness

Stanford Psychiatric Patient Care

Inpatient Psychiatric Questions and Tips

Don’t Call Me Crazy [Documentary]

(Avoid) Romanticizing Mental Illness [1,2]

A Day in the Life of a Mental Hospital Patient

State-run vs. Private Mental Hospitals

Mental Disorders

Mental Hospital Non-Fiction [List][Books]

National Institute of Mental Health - Mental Health Information [List]

Writing Autistic

What Causes PTSD?

Remember, Remember: The Basics of Writing Amnesia

ADHD Basic Information

What is a Learning Disability?

What is Neurotypical?

Race

Writing Race: A Checklist for Authors

Transracial Writing for the Sincere

Is my character “black enough”

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

Challenge, Counter, Controvert: Subverting Expectations

Writing With Color: Blogs - Recs - Resources [List]

Writing People of Color (If you happen to be a person of another color)

7 Offensive Mistakes Well-Intentioned Writers Make

Description Guide - Words for Skin Tone

Religion

Religion in Novels: Terrific or Taboo?

How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The Religion

Writing About Faith And Religion

From Aladdin to Homeland: How Hollywood Can Reinforce Racial and Religious Stereotypes 

Sexuality

Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity [List]

Writing Gay Characters [1,2,3]

American Civil Liberties Union - LGBT+ Rights

LGBT+ Rights by Country or Territory

History of Gay Rights

Gay Rights Movement

LGBT+ Culture

Gay Myths and Stereotypes

LGBT+ Studies Web Sites [List]

LGBTQ Youth Issues

LGBTData.com

Overview of Gay and Lesbian Parenting, Adoption and Foster Care (United States)

Other

How Doctors’ Offices—and Queer Culture—Are Failing Autistic LGBTQ People

Five Traps and Tips for Character Development

Developing Realistic Characters

I hope that this list will provide topics a writer may not initially think to research when writing. If there are any resources that you think would be fitting for this list, please let us know! We want to have as many helpful sources as possible to maximize learning opportunities. 

Stay educated,

xx Sarah

So true! It’s almost amusing how often power dynamics gets brought up in Anthropology because literally almost everything depends on it!