This post is very interesting and topical, as I've been considering the same issue of late. I can't speak for your other fandoms, but from a BtVS/AtS point-of-view, there are - sadly - almost no canonical characters of color. From Buffy, I can name Kendra, who appeared in a handful of episodes and was quickly killed off, Mister Trick, and then in Season Seven, there was Potential Rona, Robin Wood, and that freaky one-off demon played by Ashanti. From Angel, we have Gunn and Jasmine, who were African American, and Gavin, who was Asian.
It's a sad state of affairs.
All I can say is that I greatly enjoy Kendra and Gunn and would like to write more of them, but 1) I'm retiring, and 2) there's so much little canonical development of those characters, that it makes them extremely difficult to write. Gunn was a core character for four years, but the audience knows virtually nothing about him, save he'd been fighting demons since he was a teenager, his sister Alonna was turned, and he was once in love with Fred. That's it. After four years. BOO. It's not that I can't write Gunn or that I don't enjoy writing him, it's simply that there are other characters whom I prefer more, and race is irrelevant. I always put him in ensemble pieces because his POV is needed - he's the one who usually cuts through the BS - but it's difficult for me to see him in a romantic light, because I always felt his relationship with Fred was very forced.
Kendra/Xander, FTW! (minus that freaky accent)
So, that leaves us with Jasmine, whom I will never write because her character is inextricably linked with the assassination and later destruction of Cordelia; and frankly, there are better villains in this verse (which is also my reason for negating Trick - lame). Gavin was nothing, though he most likely could work well as a minor player in a fic or a PWP with Lindsey and/or Lilah or something. All that's left is Rona, who I actually really liked. I thought she was cool in that she questioned authority (especially Buffy's) and wanted answers to good questions. She very much reminded me of pre-Finch Faith. I always wanted to write Rona/Xander, not only because I want Xander to be with a Slayer who is neither Buffy nor Faith, but also to contemplate the reactions from other characters toward the relationship.
As for my other fandoms, there are no major black characters on Supernatural; there have been minor ones, but they tend to die quickly. In Harry Potter, I can think of Lee Jordan and Dean Thomas, but no others. Xena had a few memorable characters of color, but as that show was very episodically-driven and Xena/Gabrielle was the ultimate relationship, every character besides them were secondary.
Many cult shows for which the fans build a strong fandom are noticeably lacking characters of color, specifically female characters of color. There are shows which suffer a complete lack, others which produce minor characters of no import, others which produce minor yet memorable characters, and those who have strong secondary/lead characters but don't write them well or explore who they are people. So who's at fault? The writers, for not writing such characters? The producers, for not insisting they do so? The networks, for not demanding a more inclusive cast? Viewers, for not demanding the same thing? Fandom members (including readers, authors, and artists) for not writing those few characters who do exist? I think it's a mixed big.
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Part One
Date: 2008-05-05 11:14 pm (UTC)It's a sad state of affairs.
All I can say is that I greatly enjoy Kendra and Gunn and would like to write more of them, but 1) I'm retiring, and 2) there's so much little canonical development of those characters, that it makes them extremely difficult to write. Gunn was a core character for four years, but the audience knows virtually nothing about him, save he'd been fighting demons since he was a teenager, his sister Alonna was turned, and he was once in love with Fred. That's it. After four years. BOO. It's not that I can't write Gunn or that I don't enjoy writing him, it's simply that there are other characters whom I prefer more, and race is irrelevant. I always put him in ensemble pieces because his POV is needed - he's the one who usually cuts through the BS - but it's difficult for me to see him in a romantic light, because I always felt his relationship with Fred was very forced.
Kendra/Xander, FTW! (minus that freaky accent)
So, that leaves us with Jasmine, whom I will never write because her character is inextricably linked with the assassination and later destruction of Cordelia; and frankly, there are better villains in this verse (which is also my reason for negating Trick - lame). Gavin was nothing, though he most likely could work well as a minor player in a fic or a PWP with Lindsey and/or Lilah or something. All that's left is Rona, who I actually really liked. I thought she was cool in that she questioned authority (especially Buffy's) and wanted answers to good questions. She very much reminded me of pre-Finch Faith. I always wanted to write Rona/Xander, not only because I want Xander to be with a Slayer who is neither Buffy nor Faith, but also to contemplate the reactions from other characters toward the relationship.
As for my other fandoms, there are no major black characters on Supernatural; there have been minor ones, but they tend to die quickly. In Harry Potter, I can think of Lee Jordan and Dean Thomas, but no others. Xena had a few memorable characters of color, but as that show was very episodically-driven and Xena/Gabrielle was the ultimate relationship, every character besides them were secondary.
Many cult shows for which the fans build a strong fandom are noticeably lacking characters of color, specifically female characters of color. There are shows which suffer a complete lack, others which produce minor characters of no import, others which produce minor yet memorable characters, and those who have strong secondary/lead characters but don't write them well or explore who they are people. So who's at fault? The writers, for not writing such characters? The producers, for not insisting they do so? The networks, for not demanding a more inclusive cast? Viewers, for not demanding the same thing? Fandom members (including readers, authors, and artists) for not writing those few characters who do exist? I think it's a mixed big.