#make the lesser representation of all these characters. u end up wanting their og white/male versions back for very nuanced reasons

[jesncin]

Hi it's me again (the person who asked about Harley in CC).

This isn't really an ask, I just figured if I did the first anonymously I might as well keep that up now, which is why I didn't make this a comment instead.

I kind of figured her Jewishness had something to do with why her case was complex. I kept waiting in the show to see if they would reference her being Jewish, since Asian Jews exist even if many people seem oblivious to that fact. Anyway, they never did. So it ended up feeling like they just decided Asians had more diversity points than Ashkenazi Jews (maybe they do, but personally I don't like to rate different minorities on how rewarded I will be if I include them). But since she's only visibly Asian, then that especially puts a light on how they are only diversifying their story in a shallow way, since being Jewish isn't always visible (and isn't visible in Harley's original design), and they are trying to look as "diverse" as possible, rather than actually consider the implications.

I feel like with Harley, it could have actually been a great chance to move away from Ashkenormativity that is so present in Western media.

I wish she was at least allowed to keep her accent, I miss it, because I knew what it meant.

Not gonna lie, did not expect this to be so long. I guess this was bugging me more than I realized. When I wrote my original ask, I guess I was trying to confirm a suspicion, and when it got confirmed I just let my thoughts spill out of me. Anyway, I'm not trying to erase the fact that Harley is half-Jewish with this. Interfaith families deserve to be regarded as such. I think it's just hurtful because out of the major Jewish DC characters (Batman, Batwoman, Hal Jordan, Superman (allegorically)), she is one of the few that people actually know is Jewish, and who's Jewishness often impacts her character.

If there's a perspective you feel like I'm ignoring with this, please tell me. I'm always open to learn.

Pretty much all this! If I was to add just a little bit of additional interesting information was that I too was holding my breath, thinking there was a possibility that Harley's Jewishness would show up in CC even after the casting news because her voice actress (Jamie Chung) is married to a Jewish man. Their wedding incorporated Jewish traditions and even now the two have baby twins who are raised in an interfaith family and celebrate holidays from both heritages. How cool would that be for someone to have that personal experience and bring that to Harley!! But alas. Nothing in CC.

Even when Harley was white, her Jewishness has been chiseled away in a lot of adaptations lately. Which is so sad when her character is literally defined by Jewish identity and a straight up real Jewish woman. We're entering this insidious era of "representation" where characters are being superficially race or gender bent for "diversity" while taking away what made their original characters radical to begin with.

Lois went from being this no nonsense, exceptional career woman to regressing to being less than her 50s era. Now she needs the help of two men to get hired by the Daily Planet and the lesson is "I might not be as career savvy, but at least I got my man" in MAWS. But she's Asian now so you're a racist loser if you hate that. This is the case for sooo many characters in modern adaptation now and it's sad seeing people easily fall for it.