So today I was watching a friend play Horizon Zero Dawn, and a black character came on screen and I went “Ooh I like him”.
And my friend accused me of only liking him because he was a black character in a video game.
Now said friend was in a bad mood at the time and a little snappy, so I’m trying not to be hurt over what she said.
But I’ve been laying in bed now and thinking it over.
I liked the way his hair, dreads, was pinned over the top of his head, and that the sides of his head were shaved. I liked the tattoo, blue, on his face. I liked the shape of his face, the angle of his jaw, the shape of his nose.
I like that Horizon Zero Dawn actually put in POC into their game (though I’ve only seen bits and pieces and I haven’t played it).
And yeah, maybe I went !!! at the fact he was a black man. But that’s because I’m realizing how important representation is in media, and I’m happy for my POC friends that things are getting a little better in that. It’s not perfect, no, and there’s a long way to go before media properly presents POC and other oppressed groups.
It’s frustrating that I’m trying to be more open and aware only to be shut down or called a SJW. I wish being nice to and excited for my friends and loved ones from oppressed groups wasn’t met with rudeness and exasperated sighs. I want to put diversity in all my creations. I want to put people like me, gay and ace and disabled, into my creations. I want to put people not like me into my creations.
I don’t want to feel guilty for being aware and inclusive as I can be.