#I saw someone say MAWS has good POC rep because there are POC main characters and man. Is that it? That's all it takes now?

[jesncin]

I'm still sitting on my Caped Crusader thoughts (gotta let them cook in the oven longer) but it is making me think about the concept of "race-bending previously white characters" to make a cast of characters "more diverse". Early on I felt when adaptation did this, it was largely celebrated because any representation was sorely needed. But as that practice became more common, I feel there's a level of complacency with being critical of these often lackluster palette-swap attempts at representation.

I think "we made the character BIPOC now because why not and we need more diversity" just isn't a good enough reason anymore. If you're only adding in "representation" because it makes your story and therefore you look good, then you came in with opportunistic intentions. These identities are lived cultures, histories, and experiences ripped from their context so that the cast isn't so white anymore. BIPOC fans should be allowed to be critical and expect more than that.