I think what bothers me the most about Nehemiaâs death is more what came after. It solidified, for me, that SJMâs dealing was more prejudiced than an honest mistake. Because I think the greatest indicator of oneâs intention is their reaction and subsequent progress. If SJM released TOG and then after receiving and listening to the criticism, changed the way she wrote black/poc in ACOTAR and CC, then I could have taken her writing of Nehemia as a blunder, and not of an indicator of her being racist.
But, SJM, after receiving a lot of criticism about how she handled Nehemia not only ignored the criticism, but she DID IT AGAIN, to another woman of color, for the same fucking reason. And then her handling of black/poc becomes even more violent from this point forward, and just really disgusting. We have F/enrys, who literally is tortured for A/elin, willing to literally die to save her, and bound to her in a blood oath. Then the treatment of both of the âgoodâ queens. The ugly, violent, and extremely weirdly coded language around Demetraâs death. F/eyreâs narration sexualizes her, and gives not even a second thought after she died for them. Sorscha is forgotten so quickly by the narrative itâs sickening. Her death little more than shock value.
Almost everyone WOC is characterized as closed off, villainous at first, or as rivals. Not one of them are just introduced as smoothly as the white characters. The Summer Court shitted on, and they still fight for the people who stole from them in the middle of a war.
The pattern concerning POC is insanely racist. I need people to stop thinking of racism as something thatâs okay so long as itâs not intentional. Itâs an ideology â people are interpellated into it, most racists donât think theyâre racist. But SJM isnât unaware, sheâs never even tried to change, and the fact that sheâs consistent in her treatment of POC insanely racist. The fact that she felt comfortable using the death of a black woman to sell her books literally reiterates how she treats woc/poc in her books. And if that ruins your fandom, than idk what that says abt you but hey...I just want to let you know that I literally have zero sympathy for racists and their apologist. Like zero, zip. If your idea is that itâs not racist, then idk what to say. You literally canât get any more racist then SJMâs depiction of her POC.