#it's not because you're prejudiced against that you should in turn discriminate

[randomnameless]

@zeroabyss replied to your post “Reading a certain script and spotting things I...”:

For me this situation is a lot more nuanced than others, since Soren by his own past was treated as an outcast by Laguz as a Branded. It’s not great of course, but he’s an actual victim of prejudice as a child who ended up impacted by that. It’s one of the reasons the Laguz treat Branded is such a flaw of theirs continuing the cycle. Branded as a whole generally don’t like their Laguz side as a result, which we know. Since they can at least “pass” for being human and will be treated as people. Whereas Laguz can tell by instinct alone.

​Indeed, Soren has his own reasons to be prejudiced against the Laguz, and iirc since he was around Gallia when he was young/meet Ike, he already faced the beast laguz's brand of indifference when he was younger - which is why he, most likely, so viciously attacks and insults Mordecai, aka, blue teddy tiger bear, when they first meet.

While his backstory with Laguz is not comparable to Jill's - who was legit raised/indoctrined since her wee days to think they're subhumans so to her it's a natural thing to call them there is no animosity, and who has to "unlearn" what she grew up with - Soren's BG isn't developed at this point (I think? i don't remember if POR supports are chapter timed?) so we have a situation where Ike (the player) is very severe and angry at people who insults and discriminate at the Laguz (Jill and several NPCs), but some members of the cast still insult/discriminate against Laguz, and by the end of this game (FE10 shows some growth!), even doing all optional conversations, they do not grow - which is sort of rich, given how the protagonist wants people to grow out of their initial prejudices and ultimately work together.

Hell, even Shinon, the loudest Laguz "hater" in FE9 gets to support a Laguz, Janaff, and they ultimately sort of make-up, with Shinon wanting to learn more about Janaff's life experiences.

I know Soren's growth will happen in FE10, he will ultimately help Skrimir - a laguz - without calling him a subhuman or any names, and even suffer/tolerate his stupidity.

And yet, in FE9, his behaviour sticks out, maybe more strongly, because he is supposed to be close to Ike and Ike actively fights against any discriminatory prejudices/feelings in his own group.

So while Soren has his own reasons - that explain his behaviour but doesn't justify it in the slightest - FE9 fails to adress and condemn his prejudice like it does to Jill, Shinon, Lethe and even Stefan* - who has a similar background! -, save for that line where Ike gets a minor injury due to Soren insulting Mordecai and Lethe.

Jill talks to Lethe and her character arc is growing past her prejudices, Lethe talks to Jill/Ike and finally accepts to have Beorc allies/friends, Shinon talks to Janaff and sees him at the end of their support as a fellow being with life experiences and not a suhuman anymore, Stefan talks to Mordecai and they ultimately became friends...

I know the devs always intended for Tellius to be a duology, so maybe they reserved his character growth for the second game (I still hope they didn't want to nuke supports as they did from day 1 !) - but as FE9 stands, it's as if we're told "Soren can still be prejudiced as fuck in this game and it won't cause any problems because he will grow in the next game".

Which is... sort of meh tier writing.

*Just like Soren, Stefan is a branded who "insults" Mordecai, but he later talks to him, shares more about his POV and own prejudices (why he thinks Laguz hate Brandeds on a racial level), saying he and Mordecai cannot be friends, until Mordecai says he doesn't give a fig about his universe laws and will befriend Stefan nonetheless.

[snapedefender]

Different anon. Honestly why are you all so extra?! What does it even mean if you're not attracted to black people you're racist?!!! And you can't even see what is wrong with that sentence. You are racist if you hate them or discriminate them in any way, or if you don't respect them as you should as a human being, but there's nothing wrong with it if you're not arttracted to them ffs, if you are well I am happy for you all, but honestly.... This tumblr extra nonsense has to stop.

Same goes for black people, you don’t call them racist just because they don’t fall in love with white people

hey my man not dating a whole race of people because of their race is literally the textbook definition of racism, you’re choosing to see them as their race first and human beings second, that’s why people get mad about it. 

maybe i’m not being clear enough: by choosing to say ‘well i’m not attracted to black people’ what you’re saying is that despite the fact that black people - like white people - have a huge amount of variety in their appearance, you couldn’t be attracted to a single one of them. why? because you’re seeing their skin color first. 

and there are a lot of studies that show that white people will predominantly choose to date white people, but also that black people will predominantly choose to date white people as well. and sure, part of it might be personal preference, but pretending that racial bias has no effect on our sexual attractions - esp when white skin is seen as beautiful and dark skin as ugly, when white characteristics are seen as “classically beautiful” and nonwhite characteristics aren’t, when people of color are struggling under beauty norms written by white people - is beyond naive. 

there’s a difference between not being attracted to someone for a certain characteristic (they aren’t tall, they have blue eyes) or personality characteristics (they’re a dick, they have too much fun, they don’t treat certain things you like seriously) and between deciding that you can’t be attracted to a single person in an entire race. i don’t know how to explain it more clearly than that. 

and tbh….. there IS also a bit of a difference between white people saying “i won’t date black people” and black people saying “i won’t date white people.” because a lot of the time when black people say they won’t date white people, they’re saying it because white people are and continue to be the oppressing majority in their lives. a lot of the time, they’re not saying they can’t possibly be attracted to A White they’re saying that white people have discriminated against their community and that makes it difficult to want to date one. which is…. understandable. for the same reason i’d understand a trans person saying “i won’t date cis people” - when you’re from a minority group, dating someone who is from the majority group, especially when members of it have oppressed and discriminated against you, is really tough. (for example: i’m hesitant to date straight guys because i’m a little afraid of them & their reaction to my sexuality.) that’s a VERY different feeling from “i won’t date black people because i can’t be attracted to a black person.”

(also listen to me right the fuck now: black people cannot be racist toward white people. racism toward white people (in america and in a lot of the western world) does not exist. racism is a system of hierarchy and oppression. can black people be biased or prejudiced about white people? sure. but it’s a very different thing and much, much less toxic and the reason why the idea of “reverse racism” is ridiculous. black people being biased against white people doesn’t get white people killed or hurt in any significant way. racist white do and have gotten black people killed and hurt in very significant ways.)

also this doesn’t just apply to black people and white people. i’ve had white people tell me they don’t date latinxs/asians/natives…. basically any nonwhite group. i’ve also had black people tell me they don’t date those groups either - which, yeah, is prejudiced. (once again: racism is murkier here bc black people don’t hold positions of power over other nonwhite people and therefore can’t oppress them.)

this isn’t “tumblr extra nonsense” (lmao…. as if social justice and the social sciences that have determined that people do discriminate in their preferences about potential partners were invented on tumblr years ago amirite) this is me saying: yes, it’s racist. yes it’s transphobic. i don’t get why y’all so up in arms about it because it feels pretty basic to me: saying you can’t possibly be attracted to a group of people solely because of their race/gender identity/religion is discrimination. it is refusing to see them as a human being - because you’re not. you’re seeing them as their race, their gender identity, their sexuality, their religion. 

and like…. idk why caring about shit has suddenly turned into “being extra” but yeah i do care a lot about this shit so i’m not going to stop being “extra” about it.