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ah, yes, once again, people treating the culture of my forbearers as costumes that can be swapped in and out for shits and giggles and ao3 kudos, as if my race and culture and 3500 years of heritage are as lulzy to nie huaisang being a squid
I thought I had seen just how fucking stupid fandom could be, but no, after 25+ years, I just saw someone defend racist, cultural erasure by saying that mxtx should be criticized...... for incorporating.... Taoist principles into.....her xianxia work
in case you’re wondering what this is about, there is now a fic on ao3 where the Lans are Jewish, and it is specifically tagged as “canon compliant”
it is only canon compliant if you erase many things about the Lan that make them specifically Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist.
it is only canon compliant if you erase many things about the Lan that make them specifically Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist.
further, this person was told that there was controversy about this, that Chinese heritage people had been hurt in a prior instance of this and you know what they did?
the person wrote this fic anyways.
the person wrote this fic anyways.
so many times in my life, i’ve been taunted by racists making noises that sound like Chinese to an English-only ear, while stripping the sounds of cultural meaning and context, all done with the knowledge it will hurt people like me.
ask yourself how this is different
ask yourself how this is different
when people say, if you don’t like that kinda fic, don’t read it, you know what I hear?
“go back to where you came from”
“go back to where you came from”
when people unthinkingly ascribe Japanese clothing or terminology or ideas to MZDS/CQL characters, especially to mock them, you know what I hear?
“all you Asians look alike anyways”
and we all know that “Asians” is the polite version of this, and that it’s usually a slur there
“all you Asians look alike anyways”
and we all know that “Asians” is the polite version of this, and that it’s usually a slur there
when people say, look at those Chinese diaspora shit-stirring again, making people feel uncomfortable when they just want to have fun, you know what I hear?
“You’re okay, because you speak English/are here legally/keep your head down and work and don’t complain.”
“You’re okay, because you speak English/are here legally/keep your head down and work and don’t complain.”
in case you might be wondering just how intentionally racist this person is, please note it appears the author of that fic has now deleted at least one comment politely pointing out that this topic has been discussed and people have said it is not a good idea
this is not being done out of ignorance
this is being done out of willful, “fuck you, I do what I want” spite, and if you want to know exactly how fandom responds to this, look at all the positive comments so far on the fic
this is being done out of willful, “fuck you, I do what I want” spite, and if you want to know exactly how fandom responds to this, look at all the positive comments so far on the fic
final note: i’ll leave it to someone else who is better versed to talk about this, but this is apparently an erasure doubleheader b/c I’m told it’s very clearly a “you did zero fucking research on actual Chinese Jewish practices and history!”
hurray!
hurray!
sorry, not the end, because just look at this racist shit from the author’s tumblr, which has now been deleted:
please look at these comments to the fic and re-consider any thoughts you might have had about this is being just one person with bad opinions.
authorial doubling down on the “um, it’s obvious that Chinese religion and culture should be treated as lightly and open for lulz as Nie Huaisang being a squid”
no, I was not joking on the thread opener. this person actually thinks like this.
no, I was not joking on the thread opener. this person actually thinks like this.
why am I posting these caps of the author absolutely showing their ass and of all their friends being asses?
because people should keep it in mind the next time there’s a narrative about how Chinese or Chinese heritage people get mad too easily about cultural nonsense in fandom
because people should keep it in mind the next time there’s a narrative about how Chinese or Chinese heritage people get mad too easily about cultural nonsense in fandom
Because I guarantee you. Nothing will happen to this person. They will get a bunch of hits. Lots of people will leave them positive comments. They will come away feeling as if they have done nothing wrong, and maybe write some more spite fic.
There will be no consequences.
Except to Chinese and Chinese heritage people in fandom who were hurt, who get tarred as “shit-stirrers” or “always starting drama” or “over-sensitive,” whose culturally-thoughtful fics will not receive the validation this steaming pile got.
Except to Chinese and Chinese heritage people in fandom who were hurt, who get tarred as “shit-stirrers” or “always starting drama” or “over-sensitive,” whose culturally-thoughtful fics will not receive the validation this steaming pile got.
Please consider whether this kind of discussion should, in fact, be described as “drama” or “wank” in the same terms people argue about top/bottom discourse or shipping
The author of that fic reduced Chinese culture and religion culture to a prop, to something as easily written
The author of that fic reduced Chinese culture and religion culture to a prop, to something as easily written
and lightly handled as Nie Huaisang as a squid.
Should fandom talk about the concerns Chinese and Chinese heritage folks with similar flippancy? When this level of nonsense happens on the fucking regular, on an almost monthly basis?
Should fandom talk about the concerns Chinese and Chinese heritage folks with similar flippancy? When this level of nonsense happens on the fucking regular, on an almost monthly basis?
bottom line:
go read the comments of that fic and see all the people praising the author, saying how great the fic is, how smart the fic is, how they liked the interweaving of Chinese and Jewish elements
re-read this deleted response by the author
go read the comments of that fic and see all the people praising the author, saying how great the fic is, how smart the fic is, how they liked the interweaving of Chinese and Jewish elements
re-read this deleted response by the author
who specifically finished this fic to spite people who might be hurt by it
who has now gone back and deleted multiple direct comments from people telling them this was a bad idea
who was deleting similar comments from ao3 until it became clear people noticed
who has now gone back and deleted multiple direct comments from people telling them this was a bad idea
who was deleting similar comments from ao3 until it became clear people noticed
and then doubled down on saying that erasing Chinese culture was like writing NHS as a squid
fandom doesn’t have real consequences for bad faith actors like that.
fandom has already had real consequences for the CN/heritage folks I’ve watched burn out on racism like this.
fandom doesn’t have real consequences for bad faith actors like that.
fandom has already had real consequences for the CN/heritage folks I’ve watched burn out on racism like this.
the author has now changed the tag to “canon compliant in the sense that all novel events take place”...
...while also deleting 30+ comments , inc every comment that was even mildly critical, including ones from cn diaspora saying they enjoyed the fic but hoped for re-tagging
...while also deleting 30+ comments , inc every comment that was even mildly critical, including ones from cn diaspora saying they enjoyed the fic but hoped for re-tagging
the commenter is not me, btw. i never heard of this person until their shitty responses to polite and reasonable asks started showing up on my fandom radar a couple days ago.
In case there was any doubt about this fic being fueled by spite, since the author is now deleting left and right:
the author is so desperate to avoid any kind of accountability??? like?
like, if you thought the changing of the tag meant the author felt bad, uh. the author deleted even these almost immediately.
like, if you thought the changing of the tag meant the author felt bad, uh. the author deleted even these almost immediately.
