Creating Black Characters *with intent!: Image

Creating Black Characters *with intent! on Tumblr

Image ID: pdf of a word document that reads as follows:

"Q2: How do you think you see or experience the world and media in comparison to white or nonblack people with a shared gender identity?

“I think as a Black trans man, you just kind of have to expect that you just won’t see yourself both in the world and in media, unfortunately. There aren’t any stories about our experience, and I don’t think that many people can name a Black transmasculine/man or nonbinary character. In the real world, specifically white trans people don’t understand the distinct loneliness you feel as a Black trans person. For example, in social media, we have to dig and prod to find others like us because we are inherently not “algorithm friendly.” In real life, even if you have access to physical queer and Black spaces, you’ll often find yourself being either the only Black trans person in both communities. While I often find it easier to connect and bond with other trans people of colour, sometimes there are Anti-Black sentiments or stereotypes that can really sour a lot of relationships and connections (although thankfully this hasn’t happened too often in my personal life).”

“I think I have a kind of hyper awareness of when people’s ideas of genderqueer identity or queerness in general are only based on the white US queer lens. I guess because it’s something I’ve had to contend with the whole time I’ve known I was queer.. like, I’m African. Like straight from the motherland African. Almost all of my family is there, English wasn’t my native language, etc. etc. and I’ve always felt like in order to “seem properly African” I’ve had to revoke some of my queerness in a way, like people around me view Africanness as some kind of inherently backward thing where they just don’t understand alternate gender expression. As if my gender is me “acting white” and “renouncing my culture.” Experiencing that sort of myopic view of queerness first hand made me more sensitive to it in media. It’s apparent when people know about expressions of queerness and gender beyond the white Euroamerican norm! Look up queer communities around the world! The ways queerness is ingrained in different cultures!! Adorned and styled hair isn’t inherently feminine!!!!! Sorry that last one is a pet peeve of mine but almost never when discussing non-cis Black people do I see anyone bring up the difference in how things like hairstyles can change gendered association in a Black context. A lot of time among queers cutting hair short/leaving it uncomplicatedly styled = masculinity and the inverse is femininity, but that’s not universally true!! Another thing I find generally annoying is the assumption of the Black person as background, and their experiences either never explored in a Black context (like with what I mentioned above, Black expectations of gender) or just not explored at all.”

“I’m looking to see a familiar face. A happy Black person just being their entire self unapologetically. In comparison to nonblack people, I feel like we should be careful about how we represent masculine features. Too many times It’s perceived as gross or too much to have Black features. A lot of the time I see European/White Centric standards, in terms of fashion, makeup styles and more “trans goals”... And I just wish we’d respect people who present & look differently (because sometimes someone’s mind might go to undesirable or ugly). Whether that’s their Black features or trans scars or clothing or whatever. Don’t be weird about it!” End ID

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