I’m sorry for bringing this up AGAIN but I think I finally found a way to articulate my thoughts on the “Sow” situation with she-ra

see I guess my problem is people tend to bring up implicit bias when they discuss this particular issue and how the creators of this character were expressing an implicit bias against black people

and on the one hand, his design may vaguely resemble some old stereotypes. but on the other, every “farmer” stereotype within the character’s design has also been applied heavily to white farmers. To the creators these were most likely farmer stereotypes.

but I also want to argue that, for a white ally, failing to make that connection between black farmers and slaves is... the opposite of implicit bias? if a white person looks at a black farmer and sees a slave, they are the problem.

“But they should have seen the issue!” They do not have generational trauma. They are treating this character exactly as they would have if the character was white. The connection was not made because farming≠slavery to us.

does this mean it’s not hurtful? no. of course it can be hurtful to people with generational trauma who do see it and are reminded unpleasantly of the abhorrent way my ancestors treated theirs.

but you can’t fault the creators for a connection you made and that they failed to make, when in truth, all it means is that they do not immediately associate black people with positions of slavery.

additionally, from what I can grasp, each of bow’s siblings seemed to do something they were passionate about or excelled at. so this wasn’t menial labor, and the character probably owned and controlled his own land

If you can’t see that any resemblance to slavery was unintentional, then I feel that is a lack of perspective on your part, not theirs. and it seems like such a ridiculous thing to STILL give them shit about when they apologized.

Also if you think no one is still giving them shit, for the record, I would not have brought this up again if I hadn’t seen it. Today.