I have something that’s really on my heart right now about the limits of a purely representational politic that maintains the pretense that just putting marginalized people in certain roles is somehow revolutionary. I need to share.

I respect that Padme wanted to build w/ the Gungans. But she did so without a real critique of power relations on Naboo & in so doing, tokenized Jar Jar. Like all tokens, he was set up to fail. I’m sure somewhere there was another Gungan actually qualified to serve in the Senate.

Just because you literally are friends with one Gungan doesn’t mean you just leave them in your stead in the Senate where you know they are not the right person to be appropriately wary of political threats. Now when Palpatine seizes power it’s his fault? That’s unfair.

What Padme did was like when an office has one intern of color and you put them in charge of something huge with no real training or mentorship and then when they fail you’re like “well we tried diversity once, didn’t work”

I mean I’m not even from Naboo and off the dome I can name a more qualified person - Boss Nass. He actually had experience in government?! He was an independent. And I think he may have actually ended his tenure as Boss before the Clone Wars started so he may have been available.

obvi Padme is the worst judge of character in film history. even with that in mind, it’s too familiar. a powerful person who uplifts a marginalized person because “diversity,” knowing full well they don’t have the training or structural support to succeed. You hate to see it.

anyway thanks for listening y’all