White Privilege and Straw Man Arguments

white privilegeThis blog post is the first in a string of posts that I will try to post to the site daily from now on. The pieces may not always be very long but I am trying to commit to writing one article everyday from now on. The pieces I post on my Instagram-wmoviegrapevine- will probably serve as the inspiration for these longer pieces.

Today, I came across a post from a user on Instagram. Like my first Instagram account-moviegrapevine- this user’s content focuses on movies and comics. However, there is the odd post that will tackle a political or racial issue and this user demonstrated that his views are pretty liberal, just like mine.

Anyways, today he posted a piece discussing how he was growing increasingly frustrated with accusations of “white privilege” being levied at him. The way he sees it, that term means he was born with a silver spoon. I was able to discuss the post with him in a private message and we both cleared up each other’s confusion. However, the post did bring up some pretty prominent straw man arguments that get applied to the discussion of racism and white privilege. White privilege is a system of benefits that benefit white people and it is important to understand it is a complex issue.

  • White privilege does not mean that all white people are racist

 

The user I talked to mentioned that he hated getting lumped into the same group as racists since he was not racist himself. I have previously discussed how many racists will not admit to being racist in this supposedly “colour-blind” era. However, I believe that this user truly isn’t racist.

Realize that even if you are not racist, you benefit from white privilege. For example, cops are more likely to view you as innocent (Chaney and Robertson, 2015) and you are statistically less likely to get jail time ( as opposed to fines, probation etc.) for criminal charges, especially drug charges. Having a “white” or racially ambiguous name (like Jacob, David) can also help you get more callbacks for interviews if hiring managers are judging candidates only by resumes. Some people might want to argue that “ghetto names” might be a factor, but realize that the resumes in this study were manufactured to have the same level of skill. If merit is all that matters in this great colour-blind society, then who cares about a name? Also, many names are definitely not ghetto but are still not “white names”, like Jamal or Cadeem (my name)

 

  • White privilege does not imply that white people do not work hard or that minorities should not.

 

People love to say that anyone who discusses racism has a “victim complex” or is too busy whining to work hard. Acknowledging racism and working hard are not mutually exclusive. Successful black people, like Obama, have acknowledged the impact that a legacy of racism still has on black people nowadays. Many black scholars, athletes and entertainers have all discussed racism at one point or another. My mom never raised me to think that I should not bother working hard because of racism. She raised me to believe that I would have to work twice as hard as a white person to get the same level of success.

If you are a white person who works hard and never asks for any “handouts” then realize you probably still benefited from having a “white” name on your resume. If you don’t have a white name, fair enough, you don’t benefit from that privilege. How about the privilege of cops being more likely to see you as innocent (Chaney and Robertson, 2015). How about living in a nice neighborhood, without people wondering how you make your money or if you actually belong in the neighborhood. Benefitting from these privileges doesn’t mean you’re racist, or that you’re lazy. It is just a fact that there are many benefits you reap even if you are oblivious to them or openly oppose them.

 

Works Cited

 

Chaney, Cassandra and Ray V. Robertson. (2015). Armed and Dangerous? An Examination of Fatal Shootings of Unarmed Black People by Police. Journal of Pan-African Studies 8 (4), 45-78.

Whitewashing and Double Standards

Some may be familiar with the term, “whitewashing”, which is used by online communities to describe instances of characters of color being portrayed by white actors in live action films. As many will be quick to point out, Hollywood is a business. A business whose largest domestic segment is middle-class white people, which is why Hollywood films are crafted to appeal to this demographic (Stoddard 27).

Studio executives also believe that crafting a film for this demographic requires white actors, since they are deemed more relatable for other white audiences. However, racially homogenous China is Hollywood’s biggest international market. This is despite the fact that Asians comprise less than 3% of Hollywood’s lead roles. Although a country like China may look past the race of actors to enjoy a film, it is assumed that American audiences cannot do the same. White actors are deemed as normal and universal.

Predictably, instances of whitewashing often result in online debate, where some argue that whitewashing is no big deal since “It is acting after all” or that any critics should just “let the movie be”. For many readers, they have either used these arguments before or heard them from someone else. In many ways these arguments echo a valid sentiment: we should be color-blind. Let’s not judge someone’s race, only their talent or marketability. However, it is a fact that Hollywood is more willing to take risks on an unknown white actor over a minority one, indicating that white is inherently viewed as more marketable (Stoddard 373). This also means it is easier for an unknown white actor to get roles that can eventually lead to them becoming a marketable box-office talent. Also, the true test of this color-blind theory is if it applies to instances of actors of color playing notable white characters.

Exodus: Gods and Kings

The most recent example of whitewashing controversy that can be used for comparison is Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), where ancient Egyptians are portrayed by white actors. Like Ridley Scott said, he couldn’t get the movie made if his lead actor was “Mohammed so-and-so”. Scott previously said that Egypt was a “confluence of cultures”, which is what explains the white actors. However, the Mohammed comment makes it clear that minority actors were never considered for the part. In addition, the only roles that went to minorities were those of servants, guards or soldiers.

DF-00727R - Seti (John Turturro, background) presents the future leaders of Egypt: Ramses (Joel Edgerton, left) and Moses (Christian Bale).

Seti (John Turturro, background) presents the future leaders of Egypt: Ramses (Joel Edgerton, left) and   Moses (Christian Bale).

Although the instinct may be to argue that Exodus is a mythical tale, Scott said that he did not want to treat Exodus as a fantasy, since real historical figures like Ramses II are portrayed. The race of Ancient Egyptians is still contested and the purpose of this article is not to say that the casting is necessarily incorrect. The purpose is to study how Exodus’s casting is defended with arguments such as “best actor for the part” and “marketability”, while instances of race changing in other films are criticized when minorities are cast.

For many who grow tired of online debate about these issues it is easy to become defensive and fall back on the “just a movie” argument. However, it is also interesting to compare the reaction that a film receives when a minority actor portrays a white character. In the case of films like The Hunger Games, Fantastic Four (2016)and Star Wars Episode VII (2016), there is even greater excuse for changing the race of actors since the stories are not inspired by any historical figures or conflicts. Yet instances of black actors getting roles in these films resulted in a flurry of online racist remarks. Along with the aforementioned films I will also be referencing The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) to study how audiences react differently to whitewashing, than they do to instances of minorities playing white characters or inhabiting roles that they deem more appropriate for white people.

For many who grow tired of online debate about these issues it is easy to become defensive and fall back on the “just a movie” argument. However, it is also interesting to compare the reaction that a film receives when a minority actor portrays a white character. In the case of films like The Hunger Games, Fantastic Four (2016)and Star Wars Episode VII (2016), there is even greater excuse for changing the race of actors since the stories are not inspired by any historical figures or conflicts. Yet instances of black actors getting roles in these films resulted in a flurry of online racist remarks. Along with the aforementioned films I will also be referencing The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) to study how audiences react differently to whitewashing, than they do to instances of minorities playing white characters or inhabiting roles that they deem more appropriate for white people.

The Hunger Games

Rue, from The Hunger Games, was described as having “dark brown skin and eyes” in the book. The author also said that Rue, and the character Thresh, are “African-American.” However, Twitter provided a refuge for hundreds of angry fans after they either heard about the casting of a black actress (Amandla Stenberg) for the part. A Canadian fan began identifying racist tweets about the casting by using “#hungergames”, and he eventually compiled hundreds of tweets and posted them on his Tumblr, Hunger Games Tweets. If audiences were truly color-blind, would they write tweets like “Why is Rue black?!?!” Or “I was pumped about The Hunger Games. Until I learned that a black girl was playing Rue.”

 

rue-hunger-games

Racist Twitter

Another defense mechanism is probably to argue that these are just a few idiots online. Why bother analyzing them and thinking they represent anything significant? The problem is that hypothetically, these people who criticize this casting could be the same ones denying any discussion of casting discrimination when a character gets whitewashed. This isn’t just one troll, these are hundreds of people from only one case study. As the website’s anonymous creator, “Adam” says, “That tweet was very telling in terms of a mentality that is probably very widespread.” It is important to acknowledge and understand the double standard present in audience reactions to race-changing.

Color-Blind Racism and The Fantastic Four

MichaelB.Jordan

Michael B. Jordan as The Human Torch

Although the increased discourse of color-blindness is ideal in theory, groups such as the American Psychological Association have denounced it because they realize that people who claim to be color-blind are more likely to support racism. As a result, scholars have coined the term “color-blind racism” to describe this new, superficially post-racial mindset.

Color-blind racists view racism as an issue of the past, which leads to a denial of racism and a belief that all races receive equal treatment. With this mentality it is easy to ignore any alleged whitewashing, since color-blind people don’t acknowledge discriminatory casting. For a colour-blind racist, race should be a taboo topic since they believe acknowledging race perpetuates racism. The discussion of racism is only relevant to a color-blind person if the act of alleged racism is deemed damaging to whites, which demonstrates the racial bias of this colour-blind veil. To colour-blind racists, whiteness is normal, while color is seen as threatening or subversive.

To color-blind racists, the casting of Michael B. Jordan as the Human Torch in The Fantastic Four can then be interpreted as an example of minority privilege. Instead of seeing Jordan’s casting as a selection of the best actor, color-blind racists see this casting as an example of minorities getting special treatment. The belief in minority privilege then frames whites as the targets of “reverse discrimination”.

Although there are numerous examples of whites playing people of color over the past ten years, color-blind people will ignore or rationalize these changes and then focus on the fewer examples of minorities playing white actors. While 30 Days of Night (2007), Dragonball: Evolution (2009), Prince of Persia (2010), The Last Airbender (2010), The Lone Ranger (2013), Pan (2015), Aloha (2015) and others are defended for various reasons, The Fantastic Four becomes an easy target for colour-blind racists.

Like Rue and The Hunger Games, Twitter provided a refuge for racist comments when the casting was announced. The Fantastic Four casting is incorrect; Johnny Storm has always been depicted as white. However, if audiences were truly color-blind then Michael B. Jordan’s race would not be a problem for the casting. Online comments would not say the casting is an example of “political correctness”, or that it is “racist”. Shouldn’t there be more comments arguing that race doesn’t matter, and that studios simply pick the “best actor for the part?” Even if his sister is white in the film, that should not bother someone who is truly color-blind, since they do not see color. Jordan is already familiar with the complaints. As he said in May, “Some people may look at my casting as political correctness or an attempt to meet a racial quota, or as part of the year of ‘Black Film.’

Quick Comparison: The Hobbit and The Last Airbender

Avatar:The Last Airbender (ATLA), set in a fictional world, was a particularly interesting case of whitewashing since the casting was sometimes defended by arguing that the fictional world makes the intended race of the characters irrelevant. Even though the creators have described the series as a “fictional Asian world” and said that they wanted to create a fictional world like Lord of The Rings, but use their love for Asian cinema to take it in a different direction. The show and its depiction of Asians was also a source of confusion for some since Asian characters were not depicted with the stereotypical markers audiences are used to in Western TV and cinema, such as slanted eyes and yellow skin. Since the show was influenced by Korean animation, ATLA’s animation style reflects the practice of avoiding these markers.

1/2006

ATLA’s Asian character. Aang (front) and the Inuit characters Katara(middle) and Sokka (Back)

Some audiences may see the characters depicted in anime and assume that they are not meant to be Asian since they lack these markers as well, but these characters are judged by Western standards. Another way to think of it is by using the example of a stick drawing. If we draw a stick person in a country that is mostly white, such as America, England, France etc. we will assume the stick person represents a white person unless we give the figure stereotypical markings e.g. brown skin, curly hair.

In Asian countries, such as Korea or Japan, where the population is over 90% homogenous, they will assume the stick figure represents an Asian person. This principle also applies to their animation. The confusion only arises when their animation is exported to other countries, where audiences get hung up on the appearance and ignore any other signs of an Asian world, or an Asian-inspired one.

People will decry the presence of black extras in The Hobbit, a world inspired by European mythology. Yet people will also defend the casting of white actors in The Last Airbender, a world inspired by Asian and Inuit architecture, clothing, mythology and philosophies.

The Last Airbender

Pictures displaying the whitewashing of the Inuit characters, Sokka and Katara.

(Some may be quick to get defensive, ignore the brown skin and point to the blue eyes as a sign of whiteness. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, there are individuals who have the ability to manipulate the element of their tribes or groups: earth, water, air and fire. The eye colour serves as an indicator of a character’s element. In the show the Air Nomads have grey eyes, the earth nation members have green eyes, water tribe members have blue eyes and the Fire Nation have orange eyes.)

These blatant double standards cannot be ignored. Double standards where criticism of whitewashing is ridiculed as the work of “unemployed” people with nothing better to do, while minority casting generates rants about the negative influence of political correctness.

 

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

The last example I will use from this article, and the second one from this year alone, is John Boyega’s casting in Star Wars: Episode VII. When the first trailer for the film debuted Boyega was briefly glimpsed in a stormtrooper costume.

Black stormtrooper

At this point, we could not be sure whether his character used it as a disguise, like Luke and Han did in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. However, many disgruntled fans believed he was meant to be a clone of Jango Fett, like the soldiers from the prequel trilogy. The only time Jango Fett was pictured without a face-concealing helmet was in the prequels, where he was portrayed by Maori actor Temuera Morrison.

jango

However, the producer of the television show, Star Wars: Rebels, indicated that the last of the clones would be “old and grey” by Episode IV. Any stormtroopers pictured in Episode VII will be people recruited from the general population. This means that Boyega’s character is not meant to be a clone of any previous character. However, the damage control came too late for Boyega, who also witnessed a flurry of online racism that led him to tell critics to “Get used to it.”

According to a 2015 Hollywood Diversity Report, 1 in 10 films have a minority lead. This is despite the fact that America is becoming more diverse and despite the fact that Latinos comprise the largest portion (over 25%) of American moviegoers, even though they are only 16% of the population. Additionally, only 7% of Latinos identify as white as of 2010. This demonstrates that the out-dated notion of needing a white actor to draw in a bigger audience is overstated and only serves as an excuse to limit the roles available to minority actors, and in some cases, take those roles away and give them to a more “marketable” white actor. This only creates a cycle of unemployment where minority actors are not given the same opportunity to display their talent, since they are not seen as marketable or relatable enough.

Directors and actors who are involved in whitewashing rarely voice a critical opinion of the casting, with director Cameron Crowe being one of the few to openly criticize his own casting choice. While Joel Edgerton said he empathized with those who opposed the Exodus casting he also added, “it’s not my job to make those decisions…I got asked to do a job, and it would have been very hard to say no to that job.”Additionally, few actors speak out against instances of whitewashing, possibly because they fear backlash from potential employers.

Meanwhile, the few instances of minority actors receiving a role that could go to a white person are met with an onslaught of racist comments. From The Hobbit, to the The Fantastic Four and Star Wars, people will throw out the same arguments about representation and racial accuracy that they would ignore if a character was whitewashed. With this warped mindset, it becomes easy to see “reverse-racism” as the real problem in the film industry, and even America as a whole (Bonilla-Silva and Dietrich 192).

Is race-changing ever a right thing to do? That is not the question of this article. The question is do we react in a consistent, logical way to instances of race changing. Or are their obvious preferences in what we choose to care about?

Works Cited

Baker-Whitelaw, Gavia. “Ridley Scott Responds to ‘Exodus’ Backlash.” DailyDot. DailyDot, 29 August 2014. Web. 16 July 2015.

Bonilla- Silva, Eduardo and David Dietrich. “The Sweet Enchantment of Color-Blind Racism in Obamerica.” The Annals Of The American Academy of Political and Social Science 634.1 (2011): 190-206.

Brook, Tom. “How The Global Box Office Is Changing Hollywood.” BBC. BBC News., 20 June 2013. Web. 10 April 2015.

Chan, Wilfred. “‘Star Wars Episode VII’ Actor John Boyega Takes Aim at ‘Black Stormtrooper’ Racism.” CNN. CNN. 1 December 2014. Web 17 July 2015.

Chesler, Mark A., Melissa Peet and Todd Sevig. “The Political is Personal: The Influence of White Supremacy On White Antiracists’ Personal Relationships.” White Out: The Continuing Significance of Racism. Eds. Ashley W. Doane and Eduardo Bonilla-Silva. New York: Taylor and Francis Books, Inc., 2003. 253-267. Print.

Dickens, Donna. “316 Days Until Star Wars: Lucasfilm Quietly Confirms Stormtroopes Aren’t Clones.” Hitfix. Hitfix, 4 February 2015. Web. 17 July 2015.

Helen, Neville, Roderick L. Lilly, Georgia Duran, Richard M. Lee, LaVonne Browne. “Construction And Initial Validation Of The Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale.”Journal of Counseling Psychology 47.1 (2000): 59-70.

Jones, Alice. “Ridley Scott, it’s about casting ‘Mohammad so-and-so’, it’s about realising you have a duty to make stars of non-white actors.” The Independent. The Independent, 28 November 2014. Web. 16 July 2015.

Holmes, Anna. “White Until Proven Black: Imagining Race In Hunger Games.” The New Yorker. Conde Nast, 30 March 2012. Web. 17 July 2015.

Lawler, Kelly. “Crowe Apologizes For Emma Stone Casting.” USAToday. USA Today., 3 June 2015. Web. 23 July 2015.

McClintock, Pamela. “The Secret To A Smash Movie? Lure Hispanics.” The Hollywood Reporter. Hollywood Reporter., 2 October 2012. Web. 10 April 2015.

“Questions Related To The Last Airbender.” Racebending.com. Racebending., 2011. Web. 19 July 2015.

Romero, Dennis. “How Hollywood Keeps Minorities Out.” LaWeekly. LA Weekly., 25 February 2015. Web. 13 April 2015.

Rosen, Christoper. “Ridley Scott Addresses ‘Exodus’ Casting Following Whitewash backlash.” The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 29 August 2014. Web. 17 July 2015.

Roxborough, Scott. “Joel Edgerton Addresses ‘Whitewash’ Criticism of ‘Exodus’.” The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter., 19 August 2014. Web. 22 July 2015.

Santos, Ridley. “Just Saw The Hobbit: Officially Over The Concept of Fandom.” Groupthink. Groupthink, 12 December 2013. Web. 17 July 2015.

Stoddard, Jeremy D. “The Burden Of Historical Representation: Race, Freedom and ‘Educational’ Hollywood Film.” Film and History: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Film and Television Studies 36.1 (2006): 26-35. Print.

Toro, Gabe. “Joel Edgerton Addresses Controversy Over Exodus: Gods and Kings Casting.” CinemaBlend. CinemaBlend., 23 September 2014. Web. 23 February 2015.

Toro, Gabe. “Michael B. Jordan Addresses Controversy Over Fantastic Four Casting.” CinemaBlend. CinemaBlend., February 2014. Web. 22 February 2015.

“USA.” Quickfacts. United States Census Bureau, 31 March 2015. Web. 10 April 2015.

Valby, Karen. “Team Hunger Games’ talks: Author Suzanne Collins and director Gary Ross on their allegiance to each other, and their actors- EXCLUSIVE.” Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment, 7 April 2011. Web. 16 July 2015.

Vasconcelos, Eduardo. “Interview: Avatar’s Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante Dimartino.” IGN. Ziff Davis, 6 September 2007. Web. 17 July 2015.

Weaver, Andrew J. “The Role of Actors’ Race in White Audiences’ Selective Exposure to Movies.” Journal of Communication 61.2 (2011): 369-385.