The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Oh, aren't you on the warpath tonight!
I understand American racial sensitivities. In American movies you can't have an all-white cast anymore. It must be inclusive. The reason why Disney movies set in classic Europe feature a racially diverse cast - all-white is simply taboo, outdated.
But we are not Americans. We are Europeans. Lots of separate peoples with our own histories and languages. Just like Chinese, Maoris, Aztecs. None of these would be portrayed nowadays by a cast that resembles contemporary America rather than they themselves. That would be ridiculed as cultural insensitivity or even imperialism. But the European is denied this courtesy. We are overlooked to be indigenous peoples too. Why, it appeared earlier that when I spoke of misrepresented indigenous peoples you assumed I meant the Sami. Who actually did get the courtesy of accurate representation, for fear of cultural insensitivity. Which is precisely the issue. Why do some Norwegians get accurately portrayed, and their countrymen not? Because the latter resemble White Americans, and by extension a white culture must be presented as being diverse and inclusive. (Again, I shan't even touch upon the very problematic issue that apparently the Sami, closely related to the Finns, is 'orientalised' into an exotic other, a native, but his often barely distinguishable Nordic fellow countryman is considered a coloniser, a default culture, an American White by proxy whose culture must be rendered inclusive)
I'm used to American animosity when I raise this issue. An American asking for an all-white cast would face hostility, be ostracised. But they fail to understand that none of America's issues are my concern. I just want my people to be accurately portrayed. Or not. Which is perfectly fine too - an American movie can simply feature an American cast, that's in itself not at all offensive or cultural appropriation. Provided everybody is treated the same. A Black classic Norway army captain ceases to be a problem when Mulan features a Black classic Mongolia army captain. But that currently seems highly unlikely.
I did come here to discuss the new Frozen songs!
