how the white gaze shapes cartoons.

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[@harriyanna]

hi, so there was a point where i said something along the lines of "white people take up most of the population" and that was in reference to where i live. i live in AMERICA, there for so much of the work that poc in this country make will be effected.

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

I wa so confused when you said that like "what? no there isn't!" thanks for clearing it up. 😭

[@Shadow08707]

I’m Latino and I’m really disappointed in myself that I thought as a kid that all the kids in Dork Diaries were white. I’m not too surprised I did because I wasn’t told much about Hispanic and Latino culture by my family and never learned Spanish. I’m glad I at least know now that one of the characters in the books is Latine like me.

[@towel1636]

White latinos exist too

[@vixxexo6855]

There are lot of latinos that have pale skin.

[@Shadow08707]

I know that there are white Latinos and Latinos with pale skin. When I was talking about how I thought that all the characters are white I meant white and non Latino.

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

@@towel1636 Yeah but it's preeeetty obvious that op is not a white Latino. 🤨

[@purpleprincess2197]

I think the most surprising thing about Dork Diaries was finding out the author is black. I remember being super excited when she finally put a photo of herself in the "about the author" section rather than a drawing, but it also made me wonder why Nikki wasn't also black. Even though I subconsciously clocked that Nikki was white, I didn't imagine her as such because I have a tendency to imagine the main character looks like me unless otherwise stated. My dad also looked scarily similar to Nikki's, and my mom agreed, so I would imagine her as a light skinned black girl. I also imagined Chloe and Zoey as black since my best friends at the time had very similar personalities to each. Despite this, I caught Zoey's full name being Zoeysha and how she says people have said she looks like Beyonce in the second book, so she stayed black while I saw Chloe's last name being Garcia and technically made her afro-latina due to her name but so she would still resemble my friend in my mind. That being said, I still ended up coloring Nikki to look white by using the peach colored pencil for her skin and light brown for her hair. Something else that's interesting is a change I think happened between the original print of the first book and the Super Squee edition was that certain changes outside of art were made. I found this out when I wanted to show my mom a section where Nikki was apologizing to God for falling asleep in church, which I found relatable. I didn't find it in the Super Squee edition but I found my original copy and it was in there. This made me wonder what other changes were made since I originally thought the Super Squee edition only came with updated artwork. One of those changes that I'm pretty sure happened was the races and ethnicities of Chloe and Zoey being explicitly stated in the Super Squee edition. If I'm remembering wrong, it still shows how often people raised in Western countries default to white even when the information is explicitly stated. But if I'm right, the author made the change to make sure her audience knew Nikki's friends were not white. I found out the girls' ethnicities without it being explicitly told, but maybe the author felt the need to state it outright. At the time, there were talks of a movie and I can imagine the author wanting Nikki's friends to be correctly cast, and given how the average Western brain defaults to white, it was probably a good way to make sure the casting directors did it right as well as to hopefully show fans that the casting was done correctly since they can sometimes get really upset if they think the casting is wrong. But this is just speculation.

[@sissysovereign1294]

As a black girl this is very shocking but cool to hear tbh. I loved Dork Diaries a lot when I was younger,as I really enjoyed the stories and art style.

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

I would have loved an Afro-Latina or Asian-Latina Chloe! But her being mestiza is cool too! And I too saw Nikki as Black, especially because a friend in fifth grade outright said that she was.

[@tyronechillifoot5573]

I’ve said this before but cultural segregation is very real and alive thing

[@sapphic.flower]

I read Dork Diaries in my early adolescence and I thought everyone was white tbh. It's cool that there was always a bipoc lens behind the book but it's sadly not something everyone, including bipoc readers, would've caught on to because of its White-centric designs. It really would've been cool to have read a teen-girl series like Dork Diaries that was undeniably in the shoes of a girl of colour! It's a shame the publishing industry centralizes Whiteness and many bipoc creatives are taught to think like White consumers as a result. I'm not sure if this genre of YA books still exists but I wonder if it's finally diversified with the current culture (I say as America is experiencing bigoted book bans)

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

So did you not read the first book where Zoey's full name is literally stated to be "Zoeysha Ebony Franklin" and stated that she was African-American?

[@sapphic.flower]

@@imthebossmermaid3648 I did read it but if there was a line that explicitly stated she was African American, I guess it didn't stick in my mind which could've possibly been my adolescent ignorance having already decided Zoey's race. Also, her name wouldn't have indicated anything to me because I'm not American. But I still think it stands that certain character designs make it harder to distinguish a character's race which may have been intentional of the author in order to get more readers.

[@anee4298]

The pbs intro always makes me happy 🩷

[@kenrickbautista6141]

"Yeah, I stole that from PBS Kids. Whatcha gonna do? Fight me?" Cracks me up every time. 😂🤣💀

[@Victoria-_]

@@kenrickbautista6141same 😂😂

[@enchantingmirage]

I gotta repeat everytime. XD

[@tyjordanflophour]

Based on how some people interact with media, I can see how the pressure can stack when just talking and living how you do can be "a little abrasive" or "alienating". Awful how it goes one way where seeing characters that look like you in media is a tall order, but not having "enough" or any characters that are already everywhere is part of an agenda. Just like how they did back in the day, you can't wait for execs to see you to think your work matters. You're what makes your story important. Internalizing that is the hardest part, but it won't get done if you don't do it.

[@peanut4820]

This is the very first time I've learnt Nikki and the author is black and these books were my childhood!!

[@daisanity6457]

I used to color in my Dork Diaries books when I was younger, like I think when I was 10? And like, I've always been proud of me getting everyone's skin tones and hair colors accurate except for Chloe, I gave her dark hair and pale skin. I still feel ashamed for that to this day.

[@SeanWinters]

That's dumb, why feel bad about making a fan edit? What, is pale skin ugly?

[@shirlecemcghee]

This is dedication. This is in regards to the content production. I will sit and enjoy my 🍵 as I listen.

[@quinndepatten4442]

One of the things I struggle with is that I don't really feel connected to the black experience as a black person. It's not that I can't see the effects of my families history reflected in my emotions, thoughts and behavior, (I actually would have never found out if I hadn't seriously reflected on myself. Due to the alienation, resentment and internalized racism I have as a neurodivergent and trans black person.) I struggle to feel black. Thus reflecting it in my art is hard. But thanks to this video, I feel the urgency and the desire to reflect that experience more so. I feel like black culture is such a big part of American culture. I feel like the colonialism present in the attitudes towards blackness and black people in media can be addressed and challenged by me in spite of everything.

[@fannypackmocha2287]

FIRST !! I get excited when you post a new video 🥹

[@asanitheafrofuturist]

I need to revisit Langston Hughes now that I can probably understand his poetry more!! I was in maybe 8th grade last time I checked out his stuff

[@ellapastoral]

Literality the only reason i knew that dork dairies had bw as an author is beacuse of YOU. i literally was shocked omg

[@S.i.p.03]

Grey’s anatomy rightfully claimed it’s spot as the #1 medical drama in the history of television. Though this series brought Black stories to the forefront in ways previous shows failed to accomplish(Richard Webber and Miranda Bailey are the backbone of the series), it is still indisputably a show that caters to the white gaze. The series’ creator, Shonda Rhimes, would go on to create How To Get Away with Murder and Scandal, both shows featuring a black female protagonist. These shows never achieved the same prominence as Grey’s(white female protagonist), and while all of these series have strengths and weaknesses it is interesting to note that the series with black leads were subject to much harsher criticism than Grey’s. Through this alone, it can be discerned that black people are valued much more in roles that contribute to white stories rather than their own. This opinion should of course be taken with a grain of salt coming from a black male heteronormative(for the most part) perspective, but the point still stands nonetheless.

[@S.i.p.03]

Forgot to put “magical negro”

[@Lola-qy9yt]

I disagree scandal and how to get away with murder were pretty big. Even though grey anatomy are big her other works contributed to her bringing a billion dollars to ABC network.

[@danic475]

love that you're doing this topic!

[@oh.kaylahh]

off topic but this is my favorite drawing of yours yet

[@ThatFlamingFroggo]

White people actually, aren't the majority. Like, English is the most common language out there, but that is closely followed by Manderin. White European folk, take up about 9 percent of the world's population. Han Chinese folk, take up 11%. The rest, is everyone else. White folks might be a majority for the time being, in certain countries, but that is quickly changing. Especially, with more mixed/biracial kids in the mix, like myself. I am Black and white.

[@vixenvxce1063]

Over 80% of the population consists of non-white people. White is definitely not the majority nor the default. English also can't compare to the sheer amount of minority languages continually used throughout the world and history. In fact, the biggest racial/ethnic groups are Asian people. It's weird how people don't know such basic information.

[@harriyanna]

my bad. i should have been more specific. i live in america and white people take up most of the population here.

[@nicatina]

They're still the majority and the most dominant group in the race.

[@vixenvxce1063]

@@harriyanna That makes sense.

[@vixenvxce1063]

@@nicatina They're not the majority, but they are the dominant race.

[@SeanWinters]

"How the black gaze shapes the music industry"

[@afrolens9532]

*creates so much of it and is exploited for it*

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

@@afrolens9532 *it gets used in media that doesn't even contain Black people in it, showing that we are just a funny hip fad to them*

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

Your problem with Euphoria and Black culture is so true and is my exact same problem with Turning Red! Especially the twerking scene like 😬

[@Crystalcreates33]

4:54 i loved watching the drawing process

[@corduroycrook]

Late but I was just thinking about this the other day. I had a really sad moment when I realized that regardless of what a black creative person does if it wants to reach main stream consumption it has to directly appeal to white audiences. Whether its whitewashing, reinforcing stereotypes, shelfing/fridging, or just scurging anything too specific to black culture etc its what w***** people want to see. And frankly they'd be more willing to watch, listen, read the same media if its coming from another non-poc.

[@asanitheafrofuturist]

Busy ass day for me but Imma watch this first chance I get!!!!!

[@harriyanna]

thank you so much i really do appreciate it!!!

[@asanitheafrofuturist]

@@harriyanna no problem! Just now seeing this would have responded earlier if I had! I did give the video a like and I can't wait to watch you discuss this topic!

[@zuzualjamal9462]

When I was a kid I didn’t know what colored people were and the difference between poc,black,and white people 😭 (I’m arab and a half fourth black white)

[@haunted_muffin]

thank you for the video. As a white person I always thought the story was telling more without fully dipping its toes--as they say, and I really wish it went into the aspect of that. You know, rather than ignoring it obviously.

[@enchantingmirage]

About Dork Diaries, a lot of older fanarts with Zoey draw her as white. Can't exactly blame them for that tbh. But it's still really upsetting. It made me so happy to see Zoey with braids in the newest book. 😊

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

I love your pfp! Is that the toon me picrew? I used it for my ocs lol.

[@enchantingmirage]

@@imthebossmermaid3648 Yes it is. ^^ But, it's not temporary. I hope to replace soon.

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

@@enchantingmirage Don't you mean it's not permanent or it is temporary?

[@enchantingmirage]

@@imthebossmermaid3648 I meant it's not permanent. I'm hoping to change it. Sorry, it was really late when I sent that reply... 😅

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

@@enchantingmirage It's ok girl lol we all make mistakes!

[@asanitheafrofuturist]

2:22-2:31 THAT part

[@Imwalkinhea]

Rachel is BLACK?!?

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

YES!!!

[@AsexualGoddessofComics]

Honestly that’s my dilemma now the whole I have black characters but I feel like white people don’t interact cause they can’t relate so maybe I just push my white characters more ig? So like o had a KZbin channel devoted to asexuality then I realized I wanna focus on my comic art now most of not all my characters are Ace right? Sometimes they talk about it but how many times can you really talk about being aroace without it feelings alittle forced? But I realized people still don’t interact with them and idk if it’s cause they’re black or maybe they just don’t like the comic it’s weird but this whole white gaze dilemma def comes up a lot when I think about it. Like even outside the characters if it’s something I get more traction from (having a KZbin channel based on talking about asexuality or only making posts about the black Ace experience that go viral) it’s giving no one cares unless I’m doing what THEY want or what makes them feel good. Idk if I explained it right

[@AsexualGoddessofComics]

Also you ever notice how in shows where there’s so many characters of colors white people will pick the white characters, like I know a lot of people can relate to Luz from the owl house and Willow or whatever but they grapple to amity and Hunter and I get it to some degree but I wonder if those characters were poc would they flock to Belos? Or Eda and her family more???