#i also don't want to assume that all east asian viewers want sophie to be east asian

[mermaidsirennikita]

Why do you say if Sophie exists on the show at all? We know they're doing the 3rd book for season 3 and they're gonna start filming soon. At this point I think it's extremley unlikely that we're getting a gender-bended version of Sophie just based on everything we know of the show and this production. There's a better chance of us getting a white Sophie (which is definitely not happening due to the bad optics) so idk why this is still up for debate.

From what I've seen the Sophie as an East Asian woman fancast was started by East Asian fans who wanted to see themselves represented and it picked up steam in the fandom.

I think I already said that I have no issue with the way East Asian fans feel about Sophie being East Asian, and I think their desire to see an East Asian Sophie is of course valid; but I honestly think that some white fans that are dead set on Benedict being with a woman use that to shut down the idea of Benedict being with a man. I know that, because I've seen them do it. It's usually used in conjunction with the "you're a misogynist if you don't want Benedict to be with a woman" argument. A lot of people discuss this show online. "(Some) East Asian viewers want Sophie to be East Asian" and "(some) white fans use that in bad faith arguments" are two things that can both be true.

And I say "if" because we don't know. We won't know until we know. I don't know why you phrase things as "definitely" this, or "definitely" that. Do you work on the show? Because if you don't, I don't think there's any way for you to know more than anyone else.

It's literally just my opinion and the way I phrase things as someone who has zero inside knowledge of what the show's doing, dude. I don't know why it would bother you.