Marauders Era fandom doesn't understand how to properly do diversity. There's no "let me explain" or "hear me out". There's no "I think they don't" either. Now, of course, this doesn't include every single fan within the fandom; that would be extremely unfair of me. I don't want to lump anyone with the same thoughts and opinions I have into that category.
Although it isn't every single fan, it's still most fans. I've seen a lot of things in just a year, and I've gone through different experiences. One thing I've seen and one thing I experienced is racism and naivety. (Transphobia and harmful queer stereotypes will be saved for another day, whenever that may be)
I'm sure not everyone means to pull the "Whoa There!!" moment — meaning that I know that there are plenty of fans who don't mean to do what they do — but stuff like this can't keep going on. There are MANY instances where I've read a fic or even just a one-shot on here and I've seen harmful stereotypes regarding race targeted at a character they headcanon to be a different race. Let's take Mary for example.
No, in canon, Mary doesn't have a defined race. She's simply a name, so I don't mind, and I really do enjoy the African/Black headcanon everyone seems to agree upon. However, for some time now, it's been painfully obvious to me that some of you don't understand the life of a black girl, COMING FROM A BLACK GIRL with pure African roots. Y'all - those who I'm talking to - take the headcanon but do nothing with it at all, and this is really connected to how the fandom treats characters that aren't originally included in the Marauders group.
But surprise! This isn't just for Mary or Dorcas or even Pandora. This is also for James Potter. Why are people saying, "Yeah, Mexican/Latino James Potter!" Or "Yeah, Punjabi/Desi James Potter!" and then turning around to make him do the stupidest shit anyone could clock as a harmful stereotype? Why is NOBODY doing research? RESEARCH before you write something that has to do with a group you are not intimately familiar with. That way you WON'T write something that could make a mass amount of people angry!!
I am so tired of seeing the same mistakes done over and over and over again. Back to Mary, stop making this poor girl go through the wildest romance crap. I've never had to say something like that in my whole life. It's not cute anymore. There's a whole issue behind the "black girl losing to love" thing that I don't want to get into, so please, go search it up yourself.
But yes that's all for now, thank you for coming to my Ted talk
