New rule about use of term "racist" or "racism"...

[Baramos]

The issue is more the people being unintentionally racist and don't see it as such, and now, they see people making comments about how they merely want source accuracy and think "That's just like me!" while ignoring the fact that they said things that are just plain wrong in addition.

I think that was my issue. Obviously it is debatable whether wanting the race of an iconic character to remain the same throughout different mediums is racist or not.

But some of the posters said outrageously racist things about black people as part of their arguments or rationalizations. They would have been better served keeping it simple instead of delving into their reasons because some of their reasons were racist.

In any case, I guess the rule is just not to call specific people racist. I would just report their post at this point, I guess.

I'm dreading the live-action Akira movie in which they will recast all the Japanese teens as Americana-friendly whitebread kids. Does that make me racist?

 

[Majik1387]

How often does homophobia and sexism come up in casting threads, though? I can't remember the last time I saw a poster complain that a gay actor couldn't play a superhero,

Man of Steel Clark Kent/Superman thread(pre-Cavill), Justice League casting thread

or that a woman couldn't be one.

Wonder Woman movie thread, Ms/Captain Marvel movie thread

As for me, I have no problem with racebending as long as it's for secondary characters. Main characters who have an iconic look should be accurately represented in the movies.

Agreed

 

[JewishHobbit]

How often does homophobia and sexism come up in casting threads, though? I can't remember the last time I saw a poster complain that a gay actor couldn't play a superhero, or that a woman couldn't be one.

I'm fairly certain the new rule is encompassing more than just casting threads. I've heard quite a bit of homophobia talk on the hype over the years, primarily in religious discussions. As for sexism... that's not really something I think about or notice, but it's in the same vein and should probably be included. I know it bothers some of the wonderful lady posters we have around here.

 

[runawayboulder]

It seems to me that the "new" rule goes without saying.

If you're going to accuse someone of being racist in a post, you better be damn sure they were actually being racist and not just saying it because you suck at debating a topic.

 

[Majik1387]

The sexism posts are very apparent in anything in regards to females on these boards. From "fat" Anne Hathaway, to Aunt May an Mary Jane fan wet dream, to Enchantress using Jane as sexual bait, to any actress appreciation thread to the hotties threads.

Most people turn a blind eye to it unless it gets in the really creepy category.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

I remember being around for those. Who really knew who Heimdall was anyway? As for Nick Fury, what killed me was that it's wasn't even race changing. There actually is a black Nick Fury.

who ironically was based off the actor who was playing him, so i never got the outcry

 

[runawayboulder]

The sexism posts are very apparent in anything in regards to females on these boards. From "fat" Anne Hathaway, to Aunt May an Mary Jane fan wet dream, to Enchantress using Jane as sexual bait, to any actress appreciation thread to the hotties threads.

Most people turn a blind eye to it unless it gets in the really creepy category.

There's a warning right at the top of the Celebrities forum about it, so I wouldn't say there's a blind eye to it.

 

[Darthphere]

who ironically was based off the actor who was playing him, so i never got the outcry

I just hate Sam Fury and anything related to The Ultimates. Give me Steranko's Nick Fury any day of the week.

 

[Thundercrack85]

The Nick Fury one is just odd. They just wanted Nick Fury to become Samuel L. Jackson in the comics... for some reason. I don't think race was an issue there.

 

[runawayboulder]

Can we just agree that the movie forums are pure evil?

 

[Teelie]

I really don't care if characters are recast as a different race/gender/sexuality though what their sexual preference or ethnicity is seems the least important to their status as a super hero. Does being straight or gay or another race give them more power? Please, be responsible if you want to smartass reply on that one. I can totally understand a character "coming out" as important as is breaking up the monochrome of so many iconic heroes. It's modernizing them to the world of today. That we rarely had anything but straight white male/female heroes is a relic of an outdated society.

A character who is otherwise unchanged from being their race/sexual preference doesn't make them a lesser character and even their gender in most cases would at best require a renaming (outside the fact virtually every hero, regardless of gender, is far superior to the average human).

Although I'd prefer consistency to it. The only "issue" I'd have with Johnny Storm would be, is he biracial, adopted or are they going to make Sue the same as well (whatever direction they go with)? It doesn't have to be something brought up as anything but a line to explain it away but it would be kind of weird to have two siblings of different ethnicities and not even acknowledge that aspect of their family. None of that even matters to the story but it would help avoid confusion over why two seemingly unrelated people are infact brother and sister.

It probably would be better had Reed Richards been the one they are considering but I imagine that would go over about as well with people complaining but it would have been a simpler change.

I've seen most of the legitimate concerns but those are easily countered by the fact the comics have already done far worse "transgressions" to the characters than merely changing their skin color. The whole thing does boil down to changing the perception of an iconic hero and that's always hard for some people to stomach even if it is only cosmetic. Doesn't mean some of what's been said is acceptable or right, just highly personal to those who object, for whatever their reasoning.

TL;DR: I don't care what they do as long as it isn't convoluted or stupid (well for a movie based on FF anyways. Come on, this series has not had the best live action adaptation history).

 

[BestGirl]

Man of Steel Clark Kent/Superman thread(pre-Cavill), Justice League casting thread

Wonder Woman movie thread, Ms/Captain Marvel movie thread

I'm familiar with those threads, but the main objection to homosexual actors and female superheroes I've read is that the public won't embrace them. I see a difference between that argument and "Superman can't be played by a homosexual because I find gay sex gross and disapprove of the lifestyle!" or "Batman being made female is just PC genderbending! A woman can't be a superhero, period!" Maybe I'm just splitting hairs, though.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

The sexism posts are very apparent in anything in regards to females on these boards. From "fat" Anne Hathaway, to Aunt May an Mary Jane fan wet dream, to Enchantress using Jane as sexual bait, to any actress appreciation thread to the hotties threads.

The people who call Anne Hathaway "fat".... I wonder how skinny they are!

Most people turn a blind eye to it unless it gets in the really creepy category.

I think sexism (and its friend "misogyny") is a much bigger problem on these boards than racism.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

I'm familiar with those threads, but the main objection to homosexual actors and female superheroes I've read is that the public won't embrace them. I see a difference between that argument and "Superman can't be played by a homosexual because I find gay sex gross and disapprove of the lifestyle!" or "Batman being made female is just PC genderbending! A woman can't be a superhero, period!" Maybe I'm just splitting hairs, though.

But by saying the public won't accept a gay actor's portrayal I think they're projecting their own feelings and implying something's wrong with the homosexual lifestyle. I don't think there's malicious intent, but it is a little homophobic.

 

[runawayboulder]

The people who call Anne Hathaway "fat".... I wonder how skinny they are!

Exactly.

It's easy to snipe at people from behind a keyboard.

 

[Schlosser85]

Anyone who calls Anne Hathaway fat is delusional.

I remember the outcry some people made about Heath Ledger playing The Joker, bringing up Brokeback Mountain and calling Ledger gay as a reason why he shouldn't be The Joker, ignoring that

A) Ledger wasn't gay and had a daughter with Michelle Williams

B) Christian Bale had a sex scene with Ewan McGregor in Velvet Goldmine and Liam Neeson made out with Peter Sarsgaard in Kinsey, so by their "logic", they're too "gay" to play Bruce Wayne or Ra's Al Ghul.

I also notice there was an outcry about Ledger being "gay" just because he played a fictional character in a movie, but no one seemed to say anything about Bane being played by Tom Hardy, who's very nonchalantly blabbed away about how he's had sex with dudes before.

I know Brokeback Mountain was higher-profile than Hardy's comments in some random magazine, but I just found it amusing.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Anyone who complained about Ledger playing Joker because of BB Mountain is straight up homophobic. No ifs, ands or buts. That's just insane and pathetic.

 

[Schlosser85]

Yup. Taking homophobia to the level where you're homophobic against people who aren't even gay.

Sadly, I remember quite a few comments along those lines when his casting was announced, and for months afterwards...

 

[Majik1387]

The people who call Anne Hathaway "fat".... I wonder how skinny they are!

Also, this notion was mentioned in the Catwoman thread during/after last year's Golden Globes Awards.

I think sexism (and its friend "misogyny") is a much bigger problem on these boards than racism.

Entirely agreed.

But by saying the public won't accept a gay actor's portrayal I think they're projecting their own feelings and implying something's wrong with the homosexual lifestyle. I don't think there's malicious intent, but it is a little homophobic.

Hit the nail on the head.

Anyone who calls Anne Hathaway fat is delusional.

I remember the outcry some people made about Heath Ledger playing The Joker, bringing up Brokeback Mountain and calling Ledger gay as a reason why he shouldn't be The Joker, ignoring that

A) Ledger wasn't gay and had a daughter with Michelle Williams

B) Christian Bale had a sex scene with Ewan McGregor in Velvet Goldmine and Liam Neeson made out with Peter Sarsgaard in Kinsey, so by their "logic", they're too "gay" to play Bruce Wayne or Ra's Al Ghul.

I also notice there was an outcry about Ledger being "gay" just because he played a fictional character in a movie, but no one seemed to say anything about Bane being played by Tom Hardy, who's very nonchalantly blabbed away about how he's had sex with dudes before.

I know Brokeback Mountain was higher-profile than Hardy's comments in some random magazine, but I just found it amusing.

I find it amusing a well, but sadly come to expect it at this point.

 

[Schlosser85]

I think sexism (and its friend "misogyny") is a much bigger problem on these boards than racism.

Considering we've had entire threads devoted to discussing female bodies like they're slabs of beef, I agree.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Who was the mod who was banned for homophobic remarks years ago? We were just discussing him recently.

 

[Schlosser85]

I don't know, news to me.

 

[SuperFerret]

The funny thing about the Ledger Joker thing is that the Joker is sometimes portrayed as having somewhat romantic-like interest in Batman.

It seems to me some people's interpretation of "racist comments" are way overly sensitive.

I wasn't in the thread from the beginning of the debate,so I didn't read every post,but from what I saw,most of the comments were like:

"I want the character to look like the way he did in the comic for the last 40 years"

"This is just PC/stunt/Trank playing favorites- casting"

"I wouldn't want a white actor playing (Black Panther,Luke Cage,Blade,etc)"

And some were acting like these were racist comments spouted by flaming racists. Clearly,if you think those comments are racist,you needed the "new rule" in place.

Should I comb through that thread and find you the posts that were racist, or are you content with assuming that those of us who had issue with the comments in that thread had taken umbrance with comments of the type that you suggest we did.

 

[Snow Queen]

B) Christian Bale had a sex scene with Ewan McGregor in Velvet Goldmine and Liam Neeson made out with Peter Sarsgaard in Kinsey, so by their "logic", they're too "gay" to play Bruce Wayne or Ra's Al Ghul.

....I must find these movies.

Spoiler

 

[Majik1387]

Velvet Goldmine is too awesome for words. You must get it.