The Day Rue "Became" Black

[@Yharazayd]

two years later and i'm making a pinned comment for this video. people comment yearly that i missed the point of the onion tweet and although i totally could go through each comment and respond, i don't want to anymore. i *know* the onion is satirical. no i didn't miss the point. if your satire about how cruel people are being to a little girl includes being just as cruel to a little girl, it's not good satire. the onion even deleted the tweet and issued an apology for this because although we can all agree it was well intentioned, it was horribly executed. how does piling on more insults about a child even highlight the absurdity and cruelty of how the child is being treated anyway?

[@roykoopa4real]

oh wow i hadnt even noticed this video was that old

[@jessical4866]

I've watched a ton of Onion videos and read Onion articles, and I flinched when I saw the tweet calling out a young actress by name followed by a sexual insult. Despite knowing (and supporting) the Onion's brand of parody and humor, I had to double take to confirm that it was really them who did that. I'm glad to hear that they deleted and apologized for what they did, but I can't imagine being a preteen and knowing my public ridicule and insult is actually funny to some people.

[@biohazardbin]

oh well

[@justash3665]

the satire doesnt make it ok, even if its a joke you should not be calling a CHILD a c-word

[@ruffboimags]

like, you didn't. they shouldn't have used that word to describe a real living child. It was satire, but it was bad satire. Period. I cannot believe people are-- no, I can, but I'm deeply annoyed by it. :/

[@rachelorvis3166]

Holy shit "when I found out rue was black her death wasn't as sad"??? Bruh imagine being a young actress hearing that. That's so horrible

[@JasmineJ_]

No just the actress. Imagine what it feels like to be black and hearing that. People have become more and more comfortable vocalizing their racial micro aggressions. Its truly a sad world we live in, especially for those of us that are black just because of our skin tone.

[@betsycheddar]

@@JasmineJ_ I can confirm, as a darkskin black female, made me sick. Does literally anything stated in this video surprise me at this point? No. I’m 16, and at 11 I had people asking me to see my baby when I was holding a bundle of gym clothes on my walk from school. It’s a part of life, same with the casting decisions. I cherish darkskin female actors every time I see them for this, but sadly they are mostly only seen in movies talking about slavery, oppression, or are solely focused on race. We aren’t allowed to be normal, or kids.

[@JasmineJ_]

@@betsycheddar I myself am a dark skinned woman. I completely understand where you are coming from. I have had similar experiences and continue to go through it into my 20s. Unfortunately colorism doesn't go away, even within your own race but I choose not to let it define me. I am proud to see that more movies and shows are being made with color blind casting or showing dark skinned actors/actresses in leading roles and roles that are beyond them being oppressed and I hope to continue to see people that look like us thrive in Hollywood. Growing up in the 90s, I didnt see many people outside of oppression movies where actors looked like me and Im glad that is now changing despite non black people still fighting against it.

[@louradean9293]

@@JasmineJ_ bcus of the delusions of "freedom of speech"

[@jourifrank2794]

@@JasmineJ_ It's no longer micro, THOSE ARE MACRO AGGRESSIONS

[@PeggyKoneko]

I remember talking to a friend about this outrage when it first happened and her saying "well the book describes her skin as being dark enough to blend in with the trees and I've never seen a pink-barked tree."

[@jkbutterfly3142]

Gold 👌

[@Virjunior01]

@Average Commenter for real. Like sure, you could argue that Star Wars had "forced diversity," but did it really matter? I honestly didn't like any of the new trilogy, but I _did_ like Tran's Rose... at least up until that stupid crash. My distaste for the movies had zero to do with Finn being black, Rei being a woman, or Rose being asian... and I don't think that's really why Tran got such awful treatment. I think there were just racist gatekeepers who kept throwing in the diversity angle in efforts to explain why the movies were bad as a shitty dogwhistle.

[@hinasakukimi]

@@Virjunior01 honestly i don't see how you can argue star wars had forced diversity

[@Virjunior01]

@@hinasakukimi that's part of exactly WHY you can argue it did. Nobody knows. That's why it shouldn't have mattered. But that's how freaks were able to weaponize it... simply stating something in an authoritative tone.

[@sneakyelbow2254]

There are some trees that have pink or white bark though, just saying.. (I'm sorry 😳 I know comments like this are why I don't have any friends and nobody talks to me at parties..)

[@piekazkout1620]

Imagine reading the book wrong, thinking a major character is not black, going online and making it public that you read the books wrong.

[@norelle28]

...and be applauded for it nonetheless. They get so many reassuring comments from others who are equally as unable to comprehend what they're reading. It's how most internet arguments start. One person isn't able to comprehend what they just read, gets outraged and won't back down, even if proven wrong.

[@joshconnorr]

I remember that music artist from your pfp, can you remind me what her name is?

[@myrthe4196]

I’ve made the mistake the other way around. I honestly thought Christian Grey was a black man for like half the book. I needed to reread the first part of the book again to see I mistook his description with that of his trainer.

[@greengibblets78]

@@joshconnorr I think Mariya Takeuchi

[@joshconnorr]

@@greengibblets78 right on

[@madi1288]

i literally cannot fathom the fact that some people were not as sad when rue died simply because they "realised" she was black. people make me sick.

[@TombNGloom]

After the BLM riots. I'm not surprised 🤷‍♀️

[@onetime5411]

White people being racist what’s new

[@meredithhateseveryone6706]

When I watched the movies, I wanted to punch Marvel for what happened to Rue.

[@freddiemedley5580]

When I watched the movie I wasn’t that sad for Rues death. I couldn’t see why I was supposed to care about Rues death over Marvels. Both were kids who were pawns sent to die in the games. Also we had like three scenes with Rue so how did anyone actually care about her character?

[@madi1288]

@@freddiemedley5580 i think it's fine not to be sad over movie deaths, i'm exclusively talking about people who were sad over her death in the book, before they noticed her race, and became indifferent because she was black.

[@doukzu]

I like how a major argument was that because she wasn't white she wouldn't "remind Katniss of Prim." as if her personality wasn't... what reminded her of Prim...

[@Aristochronic]

They literally can’t even wrap their minds around how someone else can identify with a person of color. And yet they claim they’re not racist.

[@lavacaqueri5454]

It's because they have never felt empathy towards POC.

[@kennedyjojackson1202]

Or her age... Everybody seems to forget that Prim and Rue were about the same age

[@roniyarose9470]

Also you can have some similar features, like height, build, or having similar face shapes etc. while being different races, and personality is definitely a big factor. Also they were both quiet, cute little girls. Why wouldn't Rue remind her of Prim?

[@gonnacry442]

They sound like they never had siblings yo 🙄

[@elliesbrains]

“When I found out Rue was black her death wasn’t as sad” Some people shouldn’t be allowed access to the internet

[@stephengrant4841]

All of the comments in that section are just as bad really, even some of the "tamer" ones. People who would insist they arent racist because they know its bad yet go on to say the stuff they did

[@Astroprojectshun]

that one was pure dehumanisation

[@Dorkeydaze]

Pretty wild

[@pearlcnrd]

Some guy on youtube just said the same thing about sarah a character in the last of us

[@elistari1050]

.....That's so disgusting. What if it was a young girl REALLY getting killed? Some of these people down-right deserve to be jailed and shunned from society. "Wasn't as sad"? Literally disgusting.

[@vikaziza1506]

The funniest thing is, that Rue reminded Katniss of her sister because they both were little girls who needed someone to help and protect them. It's stupid to think that they needed to look alike so Katniss could feel sympathy towards Rue.

[@ForeverBlooming-05]

Honestly! I loved the hunger games and I’ll continue to, i always seen rue as katniss other sister.

[@anapplepie306]

I feel like one of the points of that whole arc was that Katniss was sympathetic to someone so different to her yet so similar to her

[@Jk_hbngfvg]

But remember, the people who thought that probably actually behave this way

[@MissKashira]

They didn't need them to look alike, they needed her to be white, because like one of them flat out said, "I'm not gonna feel bad when she dies now that I know she's black." The whole reason Hollywood hesitates to put minorities in lead roles is they fear that white audiences won't be able to empathize with people of color.

[@nashashasha]

True! I always imagined Rue's resemblance with Prim, like they have similar attitude and posture. If I'm not wrong, there was a description of how both looked 'fragile' and 'delicate'. Honestly, I think the cast of Hunger Games the best so far❤

[@cherryjumpropequeen]

Her being black is actually really important to the plot in a way...the fact that Katniss sees Prim in Rue despite skin tone is actually a powerful message on anti-racism. She doesnt see Rue as BLACK, she sees her as a scared little girl.

[@IronheartvsMiles]

White's in real life are racist, katniss is not.

[@PixieLem0nz]

EXACTLYYYYY. No matter what these kids look like skin color, hair, WHATEVER, they’re all still scared children regardless.

[@Kayla-qe8vj]

This is a really great point! I also think Rue's and Prim's actresses do resemble one another quite a bit. They both have a softness and delicateness to their features which perfectly aligns with their descriptions in the novel.

[@peterparker9954]

Also this franchise is feminist without being on the nose about it like in recent Disney films

[@lone6718]

100%.

[@brett8460]

The book literally described Rue and Thresh as black. Even Suzanne Collins said she meant to write them as black characters. Racists were mad that the little girl they spent weeks crying over was black instead of the white girl they had envisioned because they refused to believe the words that were staring them straight in the face.

[@francesatty7022]

"And most hauntingly, a twelve-year-old girl from District 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes, but other than that, she's very like Prim in size and demeanor." Racists just decided to gloss over that part...

[@rayphillips5237]

Also, If their small brains couldn't comprehend the words on the paper, district 11 is a predominately BLACk district.

[@thedarkestpath7464]

@@francesatty7022 yeah, even reading the book in middle school I never thought Rue was white lmao, tbh the movie casted them just the way I imagined and as was described, so these people just be lacking comprehension skills.

[@thelegitpotato1248]

I genuinely don’t get what the deal is with those people …no ones lives are worth less than anyone else, period. and Rue is an amazing character and I cried so hard when she died. No one should care what race she is (and its black)

[@kianaw.8096]

@@thelegitpotato1248 why would you prefer your own race over another?

[@PaulaSantos-uo7xi]

How the comments called the actress "not cute" and "not innocent" just for being black ended me. Like how can you say that and still try to say youre not racist. She was perfect as Rue.

[@disastermidi1990]

Yeah exactly that’s just a self report on their part

[@lavellelee5734]

whenever someone says "im not racist but...." we know whats coming next

[@littlesadeo]

@@lavellelee5734 its always racist

[@miticaBEP07]

They still looked cute and innocent in The Hate U Give, where they were a grownup. They have an air of delicacy to themself that is rare in current teen actresses.

[@littlesadeo]

@@miticaBEP07 But they replaced a girl who was supposed to be dark skin with a light skin girl

[@suki9268]

Absolutely broke my heart when Quvenzhané replied to the reporter "I'm still a little girl." :'(

[@adoragrayskull]

Timestamp?

[@sydneypierce7722]

Pietra Assumpção 23:36

[@thetriplethreat3]

The fact that she was conscious and self aware was staggering. And like you said, heartbreaking

[@adoragrayskull]

@@sydneypierce7722 thank you! And rly, how her faces closes when she says that! So terrible

[@judithkim4050]

@@thetriplethreat3 people underestimate children so much, and the fact that they are very aware is part of why inequities in our society are so harmful and ppl gotta fight

[@not_the_useless_cake856]

People must’ve completely forgotten or ignored that line about “dark skin.” I imagined Rue to look pretty much exactly like she was in the movie, aside from the hair style.

[@Sleepyratcoon]

Same

[@thuydungie]

literally, people are frickin blind

[@jaden_skywalker]

Yeah I've always thought of her as black

[@wl9162]

The statement that "a character is black, therefore it's less sad when they die" says so many profoundly monstrous things about our society...

[@tereziamarkova2822]

What gets me is that this person clearly realizes what they are saying is horrible... And they still go out there and say it?! M'dude, if you happen to feel that way, just shut up and be ashamed of yourself! What do you think is going to happen?! The only people you get any possitive response fron are going to be racists, which... If that's who you're adessing your tweet to, why all that song and dance about feeling bad about it?!

[@MrOzzification]

@@tereziamarkova2822 The whole thing was a big mask-off moment. A lot white racists exposed themselves. But worst for me was that it was all young people. Being very loudly unbashed in their hatred for black people. Usually I'd be unsuprised if it came from older boomer types (not that they're excused in their racism either) but this whole mess from a generation of youth all probably younger than 25 at the time? Yeah that doesn't bode well.

[@sophiem7791]

if that’s the goal they chose the wrong actress

[@thatonekidfromkindergarten4495]

If someone isn’t horribly racist race doesn’t matter in the tragedy of a character’s death, the writing does. 🤦‍♀️ I hate people

[@SoulDevoured]

I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't very intentional. Especially when being racist to "troll snowflakes" was very popular back then. I think the most common thing of that nature we have now is the phrase "Hitler did nothing wrong." Very few people actually believe it, or even care if it's right or not, they just enjoy being assholes.

[@purrsuasively]

imagine being 9 years old and having to correct an interviewer "well I'm still a little girl" you can literally see her start to answer his question, realize what he said, and correct him. she literally wasn't even in the double digits of age yet and she's being talked to like that? and currently, quvenzhane is still a minor! she's 17!

[@cherrytries2922]

Time stamp? That’s awful

[@purrsuasively]

@@cherrytries2922 im not sure. i dont wanna rewatch the video, but it was when she was being interviewed and he asked a question like: "when you were a little girl.."

[@wilsowallis]

@@cherrytries2922 23:35

[@serenitysubs933]

damn she young

[@a.n.j.5101]

That’s disturbing

[@Shades781]

"Why'd you cast a black person to play a black person?" "Cause she's a black person..." Sums it up well.

[@dokessezeaka5159]

Well... She's biracial

[@Shades781]

@@dokessezeaka5159 Well yeah, she is that too. She is still black, even if it's only half way, I just mean that people ask ridiculous questions and don't read the character descriptions.

[@lya1592]

@@dokessezeaka5159 biracial people who have a black parent/grand parent are still black (edit) I'm realizing now I made this comment without any explanation. Yes black and white biracial people are biracial, there's no denying that. But a mixed person who passes as black has little to no white features excluding maybe a lighter skin tone. They are still biracial, but these people who were harassing amandala and other young girls like her didn't stop and say "well at least she has some white in her," because they didn't see any white. They saw another black girl and they wanted to tear her down.

[@dokessezeaka5159]

@@lya1592 no they're not, why do black people fight so hard for biracial people to be considered black? White people don't do the same. And before somone says "well white people will still see her as black", because WE can define who is black... Not white people. Let biracials be called biracials, why try to erase the other part of their identity?

[@lgslli]

@@dokessezeaka5159 because as a biracial, I don't give af about my other side 💀💀💀

[@JackSmith-kc5ei]

I love the headcannon that katniss's dad was indigenous, with his knowledge of the land he passed on to his daughter as well as his olive skin and straight dark hair while Primm favors their white mother in looks.

[@margaretconnor5623]

Not to mention the high cheekbones. I remember that vividly and was so sure that Katniss was indigenous in some way. Olive skin, straight dark hair, high cheek bones. I saw Katniss of having indigenous descent from that description.

[@RoyaltyAC]

I thought this too!

[@najrenchelf2751]

Some think he was Covey... :)

[@kevinthunder3375]

Doubtful. I don't there would be any left by then considering there is so few now. Katniss's probable maternal grandmother was Maude Ivory, who was white with blonde hair.

[@kevinthunder3375]

​@@margaretconnor5623I think Collins wanted to be ambiguous. Lots of people from different backgrounds have olive skin. I think she wanted it to be left to the imagination.

[@TayePurks]

It absolutely broke my heart when Quvenzhané had to stop the interviewer and say “well I’m still a little girl”. She is such a smart and well spoken child!

[@sampepper7682]

I hate how so many people were mad that they hired a dark skinned girl for Annie. She is just a little girl and I was so mad

[@TayePurks]

@@sampepper7682 also you name threw me off lmao

[@TayePurks]

@@sampepper7682 I swear I’m not trying to plug my own shit, but the last video I made was about why I disagree with the choice to cast her as Annie.

[@sampepper7682]

@@TayePurks Oh cool. I'll check it out. I was just trying to say how I don't like how people disscredit her because of her skin color

[@sampepper7682]

@@TayePurks Lol why is my name weird? lol

[@atinyevil1383]

How could anyone look at Amandla as Rue and think she’s not cute, sweet, and innocent? How? She’s too pure for this world! Being black doesn’t change that!

[@msjkramey]

I think that having a black actor ended up being more poignant as it was a subtle way to recognize real life shit like redlining and monoracial neighborhoods. Not to mention that it hit me harder that it didn't matter at all to Katniss that Rue didn't look like her sister. They were the same age and had a similar resilient personality that created their bond. I think if Rue hadn't tragically been killed, Katniss would have found a way to have 3 victors in the final standoff. Love is love. Yes, there's nuance, but she loved that little girl

[@Call-me-Al]

I had not read the books and I was incredibly impressed with the movie casting because the actress was so damn great she made Rue feel like the sweetest angel descended upon this earth and even I wanted to bloody adopt her. Katniss seeing her sister in her made 100% sense to me, and her death hit me way harder than I thought possible - the actress was that damn great. It was deeply disturbing to find out that what some others saw when they watched the movie wasn't an incredibly sweet child, but some "subhuman". How disturbingly monstrous of them.

[@atinyevil1383]

@@Call-me-Al agreed. The character is 12. Amandla was 12. How do you see a little girl and think that she’s deserving of harm? Especially over the colour of her skin. I will never understand that.

[@byrnetdown6076]

because they don't see black people as people it's horrible:( i watched these movies as a kid whiLe i read the books and i never questioned Rue being black at ALL i was just sad such a young vulnerable child involved in the story to begin with... and it was awful to see her die rues death is always the hardest to watch

[@msjkramey]

@@Call-me-Al yes! Rue's actress was beautiful and talented. My only criticism is that the flower/improvised funeral scene wasn't like I pictured it in the book. I imagined armfuls of flowers because the book spent so much time talking about how much time/energy Katniss wasted collecting so much because of her intense grief and the way she hyperfocuses on things. But the movie's depiction was probably more realistic than my head cannon 🤷

[@avadae9126]

“some old guy is playing haymitch” haymitch is literally an old guy in the books

[@molly3713]

people that complained about the casting proved time and time again that they had absolutely no reading comprehension

[@marianaortiz5489]

as if JD werent an old guy too😂

[@kaylinn452]

Right! And he turned out absolutely perfect imo.

[@SoTangerine]

@@marianaortiz5489 exactly, they're about the same age 😂

[@kathywilliams1593]

Haymitch's games were the second quarter quell (50th hunger games) he was around age as Katniss's mom and people are mad. He around 39- 42 years old in the first book.

[@_gremlinboy]

I always thought it was so natural and sweet that she basically described rue as reminiscent of prim in every way but skin tone. There was power in that, the idea of seeing a little black girl in the same light you see your little white sister. It really sucks to hear that people ignored that line entirely so they thought the kids had to look the same in order for katniss to care about rue.

[@rominaforcadell8848]

Me, being in a country where everyone is mixed, that sometimes a parent is blonde, and the child black, but they look exactly the same, except for the skin tone. 👁👄👁 Seriously, I never knew about this controversy, and I've read the book and watched the movie, and actually found cute the connection between Katniss and Rue, I even cried when Rue died.

[@MissCaraMint]

It's kinda like when you have a child, suddenly every child you see reminds you of yours. At least that's what my mom said. She can't stand watching children get hurt in any way in movies and stuff.

[@rominaforcadell8848]

@@MissCaraMint Kinda, but there are some children that look more similar regardless of their color skin or hairtype. I mean, as someone who draws, I tend to see people look more alike when they have similar face complexions.

[@katm8128]

@@MissCaraMint I’m the exact same way, except towards the little brother who I raised. He brought out the motherly instinct in me I never knew I had, and seeing children get hurt in any form makes me nauseous

[@minminnnn]

@@rominaforcadell8848 what country is that?

[@cherrycola5928]

Rue’s death was the saddest death in the hunger games trilogy. She was so kind and innocent and young. I got a little choked up when they showed her covered in flowers. Rue was such a wonderful character and I wished she could’ve stayed longer

[@LmaoMoni]

I was like 10 but STILL bawled my eyes out.

[@beastofbussycreek]

That scene still makes me cry like a decade later

[@jimjimjimmy7793]

@@beastofbussycreek Reading her death had me crying but the movie seem like they gave her such little time because it's a movie.

[@myrtomylona5286]

I bawled my eyes out when they sent her the bread. It was a such small but meaningful gesture, that probably cost them a lot of money they didnt have.

[@pyroshayniac1090]

Rue and prim and finnick all tie for me. They’re all horrifying.

[@barrywilliams991]

"Did you watch Annie as a little girl?" "Well, I'm still a little girl." PWNED!

[@conjuice8433]

Honestly shit like that just makes me sad

[@markfoster1520]

I never noticed it......before.

[@heathercalun4919]

And it's not even like she was trying to be sassy. She was just giving a straightforward answer and put him in his place without even intending to. I didn't like the new Annie. Too much autotune, not that I liked the original that much either. But Quvenzhene is adorable and a half.

[@Karin-fj3eu]

It's so sad watching her not even noticing it at first and then being like hold up

[@Thochii]

as an author this is a problem that i see come up all the time. the current story i am working on features a black main character with multiple descriptions of him having dreads, his family members wearing their hair in protective styles, and just outright saying hes black. i sent a draft over to some peer-reviewers a few months ago, got positive feedback and left it at that. later, i sent them some drafts of cover art to figure out what might draw the most attention and most of them, without any shame, told me that they thought the mc was white, some saying they pictured him with blonde hair or blue eyes. its horrific to me that even today many readers, particularly white ones, still dont process any text that describes the characters as anything other than white.

[@antwaunmcdowell2236]

What's one of your books I would like to read one?

[@katgreer6113]

That's scary...

[@BlackRose-rp7kv]

What the hell 💀💀 idk if this is funny or scary that people be changing the races of characters they read about like is it on purpose or accident even 😩

[@rjsblanket3024]

They just lack reading comprehension, most people can figure out the character is black tho 👍

[@hanmira]

Ignorance is bliss they say

[@Rikkilover17]

isnt it ironic that Collins is literally showcasing how all children are innocent and can be gentle regardless of skin color... and then those comments can ONLY see someone as innocent if they are white?

[@dandum302]

And blonde,the ultimate innocence 😌

[@Katya_Lastochka]

No, no one said that. Youre inventing arguments to rebuke.

[@minjjis]

@@Katya_Lastochka did you even watch the video? someone literally said ‘awkward moment when Rue is some black girl and not the little blonde innocent girl you picture’.

[@sm1purplmurderedme583]

@@Katya_Lastochkaokay white woman. get out pls we’re tired of you and your bs

[@Sh12pen]

​@@Katya_Lastochkacongrats on your illiteracy being documented for the years to come

[@manouka]

the fact that so many people were saying "it doesn't suit the character" dude what? so your skintone affects your personality sheeeshhh how did I not know that?

[@timothymclean]

Though to be fair, I'm willing to guess that race does affect those people's personalities. They'd probably be less racist if they weren't white.

[@manouka]

@@timothymclean yeah, definitely, I think having to deal with racist comments has to affect you, but it's different for everyone so it doesn't make sense to think you know someones race based on what they say

[@shankaka_99]

the only way it could ever affect your personality is the culture and experinces (racist experiences from white people) that came with it

[@iamisaid2295]

well actually your ethnicity does of course influence your personality in a small way.

[@iamisaid2295]

@@timothymclean haha, "less racist if they weren't white". jeez, travel a bit. google it. the most racist nations are not what you have been led by your nose ring to believe.

[@Cy_an1d3]

The comment about picturing Rue as an “innocent blonde girl “bothered the hell out of me. what about Rue inherently makes her less innocent by being a black child? She is still the pinnacle of innocence and a great representation for prim in general, the whole point wasn’t for them to look similar, it was for Katniss to understand that most children who are put into the situation are not equipped nor should never have to be equipped to deal with it. And a glimpse at what could’ve happened if she hadn’t volunteered. She’s an adorable little girl, with an innocence that makes you want to protect her, but simultaneously a wisdom that perpetuates through her death.

[@morganqorishchi8181]

Honestly what that comment reveals to me is that the readers are racist but missed the part where Katniss isn't - Katniss doesn't need Rue to be white in order to feel empathetic and loving towards her, or to be absolutely devastated by her death. Or in other words, that commenter is closer to that of the people in the Capital running the Games than it is anyone heroic. And they STILL didn't pause and go, "Huh. Is it a bad thing that I think like the villain and not the hero?"

[@TheApryl]

Studies have been done on this, and white people DO see little black girls as less innocent than white girls. What really gets me is the fact that the people they studied saw black girls are more sexually promiscuous. GiRLS. CHILDREN. Knowing that at any given time, the people around me are comfortable sexualizing children (as long as they're black) makes me sick. Have you heard of the black sex trafficking victim who was charged with prostitution? The one who was a minor? Oh, which one? Take your pick. It happens damn near every day. If they defend themselves against the monsters who are hurting them, they're charged with murder. I hate it here.

[@sarahcraze2183]

she was literally described to have dark skin in the books? im so confused rn

[@janerecluse4344]

​@@sarahcraze2183 Yeah, dark brown. I was picturing everyone as mixed, because it's the future of the U.S., but I was like, "okay, Rue has heavy African admixture and we'd call her Black in present day, got it."

[@sarahcraze2183]

@@janerecluse4344 ppl with biracial parents can still turn out darkskin just saying

[@ArielLVT]

Rue's casting was perfect. She was exactly like I pictured her when I read the book.

[@saraa.4295]

And she did have similar maneurisms as Prim! One thing i loved about the books was that there was racism, but drawn among other lines than we do now, showing the emptiness of it all...

[@fart63]

Her death scene was one of the most impactful I’ve ever seen (although I could be biased because of nostalgia) and it was definitely the best in the movies

[@sonofaspyder3000]

I avidly read the Babysitters Club when I was little. In the first book I read that was from Jessi, a black girl’s point of view, early in the book she says, “My family is black. I say that because if I didn’t, you would imagine us as white.” And that’s stuck with me since.

[@radioactive_baby]

I love the babysitters club books

[@janerecluse4344]

Daaaamn, MIC. DROP. That writer must have been so frustrated. 😂😭😂

[@opunejumbo1468]

@@janerecluse4344 The writer is actually a white woman, that's the amazing part. And they are so diverse, the characters. It's wonderful. I was such an avid reader of the Babysitters Club - still am

[@handgun559]

Meanwhile, everyone who isn't white is like "wtf, no I wasn't?" People tend to assume characters are what they are. It's rarely racist.

[@reiix_0]

I love TBC as well, it used to be my favourite series, and it's amazing how a book as old as it is includes so much representation. That line is so damn powerful bro...

[@oovoojaver4604]

“Not to be racist or anything” *then proceeds to say racist and hurtful things*

[@theblondeone181]

Why did I just think of that video of that chick going: “Not to be racist but Asians-“

[@anneliesejackson507]

@@theblondeone181 Where is the video?

[@margaretcollins2374]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/haPdpoOPltpqldk

[@naterra5707]

Happens all the time

[@jennytaylor3986]

Istg, next time someone says that in front of me I'm gonna put a finger to the lips and say "then don't speak". The words "not to be racist" are ALWAYS followed up by something racist. Apart from people making fun of people who say that kinda stuff, I've never seen it otherwise

[@Paulxl]

The "I'm still a little girl" clip broke my heart.

[@selenawilson9085]

Same.

[@Dorkeydaze]

It’s crazy to think a literal 12 year old is seen almost essentially as like 16 while the same age for White girls is automatically seen as being younger and more innocent

[@cheriajohnson]

I literally stopped the video to find this comment..we're just simply not allowed to be children for childhood sake..shit is depressing...

[@Dorkeydaze]

@@cheriajohnson It’s pretty sad. Especially since how wide spread it is I mean it’s so profound in society I think honestly you could put an Asian man in a room and he had to choose to save 1/2 girls one a little blond girl with pigtails and the other a dark skin black girl with an Afro I mean we all know who that man would save

[@esobelisk3110]

@@Dorkeydaze why specifically an asian man

[@komos3719]

"Oh, they're not white? Can't extend my empathy" My brother in christ, that is RACISM talking

[@cwytchsparks]

"BuT i'M NoT RaCisT" 😒

[@iluvpink1176]

When he said “have you watched Annie as a little girl” and she said “well I am still a little girl” my jaw dropped wtf

[@yanimann2879]

ik right

[@elizabethcarmona8909]

I'm so proud of her honestly

[@babiegirl526]

Why didn't he say like " did you watch Annie when you were little" like not in that way why he word it like that

[@HannahFortalezza]

She replied so well to his shitty question. Yes! She clearly was a little girl still there, how could he not see that?!

[@charlieblake4434]

Unpopular opinion but I know what the interviewer meant. I don’t really think he meant anything bad by it. I watched Annie when I was like, 6. Not when I was 12. I was a little, little girl. He worded it weirdly, that’s for sure.

[@breathJONNYstay]

I love how she stopped real quick “well, I’m still a little girl 🤨” like dood, do you not see me? Lol

[@Quoxz]

That part made me sad. Like, yeah, buddy - she's still a little girl.

[@adoragrayskull]

Timestamp?

[@kaythekat913]

@@adoragrayskull 23:34

[@wanderingaesthetics7849]

Sad, but good for her for 1.) being so self-possessed 2.) not take any nonsense from an older (male) interviewer.

[@sigh824]

@UC6sZauq5pNhelqc7DGmJv-g idk I think a 4 yr old not thinking of herself as a little girl is different than a 40 yr old man not seeing an 11 yr old as a little girl. Also no I lived in ny when I was little, white plains and brooklyn, there’s no regional aspect. She’d still be considered little before 13.

[@mariedit9935]

I HATE when someone says "It's not racism, I swear!!!" when they have a "problem" with a black character. Black characters specially female ones always get less mercy from fandom communities.

[@kloggmonkey]

like "not to be racist, but i just can't/don't want to empathise with a black person"

[@sif_2799]

But isnt it the other way around, too? Isnt it normal to identify or to empathise more with ppl who look like you/your environment? My best friend is Asian and she recently said she finds all children cute but asian kids just really form a connection to her heart like no other children can and it's not that they act differently, it's simply the looks and the familiarity of it.

[@deej5608]

Facts

[@sif_2799]

@bangtan trash Tbh I have no idea why I commented that. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the original comment 🤔 and I'm not on any sns so I didnt know about the hate, that's really a strange phenomenon

[@yamyam493]

wait, what do you mean? Like people aren't allowed to have problems with characters who happen to be black? Or that people shouldn't have problems with characters for being black?

[@ksis86]

Rue’s death being “less sad” is a crazy take. It reminds me of when that KZbinr interviewed the head of the KKK and he said he felt bad for “fatherless black children” but not as bad as he feels for white kids 💀

[@crapshoot]

In this case the comment literally said #ihatemyself. I don't think they're standing by their racist biases, unlike the head of the KKK

[@Inconstructionmaybe-x5v]

What?!.

[@SnowpawShaw]

Both examples are literally so horrible I'd expect them to be satirical bits in The Boondocks..... somehow they're real....... America is diseased.....

[@goodnplenty1873]

As a black woman who read the book, I was overjoyed when I read the character description and immediately imagined a dark skinned adorable black girl. Not hard to do. Didn't get, olive, blonde, or light out of it anywhere.

[@neisha_with_a_t3441]

Same and I cried just as hard In the Cinema when she died

[@leoninenoble]

I sobbed so hard when Rue died in the movie. I never even knew this was an issue; I was younger and wasn't on the internet at the time. It's surreal knowing this kind of shit even happens because I didn't know it was a thing till now. My god

[@hannahc3317]

@@leoninenoble that's my response, too.

[@JohnBoulden]

White dude here. When I was in the service this film came out. By this point in my career I had already been to Afghanistan, and read one of the books down range. The first I think. It was 2007 and I was at Bagram, so yeah. When I got to Minot AFB in 2008 I was placed in a dispatcher position. One day we got a brand new troop, and I thought of Rue. She was a tiny thing, looked like just may have had to put on some weight just to get to basic, and here she was in the Nuclear Security Zone. I drank alot that night. The next day at work I asked her if she ever read the book. She had. I hoped she makes it at the time, and if my math is correct she should be a Tech Sgt by now. I worry about my white brothers and sisters who have never actually known or worked with people of color.

[@kuruminamino3648]

@@JohnBoulden what a wholesome comment💖 Thank you for sharing your story! :D

[@marad786]

The tweet admitting to feeling less sad about Rue's death after Amandla Stanberg's casting was wild. Imagine broadcasting to the world that you inherently value fictional white children's lives more than their black counterparts. I'm glad you made a video about this topic 💜🙏

[@Kevin-rg3yc]

yeah i remember first reading that comment when it went viral back in 2012 it took me a full back to the room bc wow imagine how horribly racist you have to be to write that?

[@lunalu2174]

ok i haven´t watched the full video and i haven´t read the book, but when I read I remember that rue read as black. Were people not expecting her to be black? Wasn´t her whole district black people now that I think about it? i don´t understand!

[@millsrome]

not only they value fictional white people over fictional black people, racists value fictional white characters, or more stupidly, their perception of a character's whiteness over real black people, over a real little girl

[@pifroge6398]

*666 likes*

[@asifallintonothingne]

@@lunalu2174 So in the book, Rue is very briefly described as being black. Not a huge paragraph or anything, but it's established. Maybe some people missed it, that happens, fine. And maybe some were willfully ignorant or got caught up and forgot... We can have a whole other discussion of white-washing characters in ones head while reading, but in the end the real crime was the vitriol that went to the studio, the actress and everyone else... For a canonically black character being played by a black actress. Sigh.

[@a1yssum]

It's always made me mad that even in cartoons, the black female characters would have lighter skin than the black male characters. Like lighter skin = more feminine or some shit.

[@letiziavottero262]

tbf i think they do it with every race but ye representing black female characters as always lightskinned people sets a bad example, especially for children.

[@shay1812]

@@letiziavottero262 "they do it with every race" yea that's also bad and kinda highlights the point even more.

[@hollybartlett7017]

When someone pointed this out to me I couldn’t stop noticing it!! You see it all the time. Some colourist trope that associates beauty with lighter skin

[@letiziavottero262]

@@shay1812 exactly. I'm sorry if i didnt explain my point correctly, but what i meant is that we need to have more dark skin representation, since for example, i've seen a lot of dark skinned people saying that their skin is ugly or not good since its so dark, when in reality skin color shouldn't matter in our selfevaluation. What i was saying with 'they do it with every race' was that in animated media male characters, no matter what race they are, tend to be slightly darker than their female counterpart.

[@letiziavottero262]

@@6_blocks_under as i answered someone else just now, i didn't mean to say that we should center lightness as perfection, what i meant to say was that in animated media and drawings, there's this idea that a male character is always slightly darker than their female counterpart no matter the race, but im not saying that that is correct, in fact i think there should be wayyyy more representation of every type of person, not just the ' idolized' version of whatever category of people.

[@jasminhohn722]

How???? How can they call a little girl all these names??? And then claim "not to be racist"??? For goodness sake, she did such a wonderful acting job and I cried so hard❤

[@BinturongGirl]

I cannot imagine how a person can be look at themselves literally saying "I care less about their death because they are black" and not see a problem with it. It's absolutely sickening that they think that's OK to think, nevermind say out loud and expect others to agree with.

[@6thgraderfriends]

Right? "Call me racist if--" because you are if you think like that. That's how it works.

[@falconeshield]

They probably grew up to become MAGA voters

[@wigglemelon8807]

The "justice" system does it all the time.

[@TheChannel110]

It’s weird and terrifying what people are taught, but I feel like I was taught that blonde women that look a certain way I care less about, I make sure not to treat them different but I’ll naturally think they’re going to be annoying and fake, I’ll I can do is be aware and mindful

[@Mai-sx3yf]

I can believe it because there are still racists. There have been also been studies that people feel less sympathy for people who don’t look like them.

[@moormeal]

I learned a lot from American racism when Amandla was cast as Rue. I remember reading a comment that said "i can't believe Rue is black, i imagined an innocent girl." Really said (says) a lot about how people see Black youth and how they are robbed of presumed innocence. Your video showed me that it was so much more explicit than i remember.

[@sleep_is_awesome2838]

It's extra sad because assuming black girls are "less innocent", it's because something happened to them that wasn't their choice. Now they are being punished for it.

[@kerri6011]

@@sleep_is_awesome2838 It's called adultification and black girls/ other nb pocs are expected to grow up and be more mature much quicker

[@sleep_is_awesome2838]

@@kerri6011 Yes and it's sad because it either reflects real life, or bleeds into it. I mean I'm not being cutting edge in thinking all children deserve to enjoy childhood right?

[@gabbybialas2291]

Wtf. I- that’s disgusting. I cannot believe someone would say that let alone THINK that

[@egg_shell4967]

This is exactly what i was thinking, you worded it perfectly.

[@takijahrichardson8752]

Rue was always black- I literally never understood the hate 🙄

[@trinaq]

Precisely, Rue and Thresh were described as having dark skin in the book, so there's no real issue to me.

[@lesbiangoddess290]

Neither did i

[@rahbeeuh]

Racism is illogical

[@michalovesanime]

@@rahbeeuh Bingo💯

[@marad786]

Imagine how deeply hateful you have to be to see Amandla's cute little smile fill your screen and get genuinely angry about it 😬✌️

[@andiralosh2173]

The quote about Rue not being an innocent white girl at the beginning hit me hard like... it's right out of the racist handbook. The characters I remember being pained to see die were Cinna and Rue, and I def cried when Rue died, because she's a sweet little girl. You can't make this shit up, from the commercialization of a book addressing class and revolution, to racists devaluing people whose characters are commentary on thier actual lower social status

[@stellablue1271]

I feel so sad. Dark skin little girls should not be seen as “not innocent” or more “grown”..... I’m literally crying. I have a little sister and she is my entire world and she has a deep, rich and beautiful complexion. This world is pure evil.... people ruin everything.

[@iGotBulletproof-Insomnia]

Bruh, my sister is innocent as hell, she doesn't understand the world at all and we are a black family. Every comment that implied Rue couldn't be cute or innocent because of her race both saddened and disgusted me.

[@Inurwalls02]

ikr

[@jessicasharpe1925]

It’s not great now but it’s so much better than 20 years ago. Let’s keep improving and we need people to continue speaking up and make it a better place for little girls like your sister.

[@deborahhanna9126]

There is definitely a bias but it has a lot to do with how little girls are currently portrayed in Tv etc. They are never shown as innocent because innocent is mashed up with naive and dumb. In the opposite extreme, they are too often oversexualized; They are shown instead as 'sassy' like a 40 y.o. divorcee with a cigarette dangling off the lip, as she twerks trying to look younger. Somehow the little girls all have the "attitude", backtalking but they get away with it because it is funny. It is a disservice because even shows that are well received are at a loss how to portray this aspect of youth. It is no longer the 1950's so there cannot be a 'Leave it to Beaver' perfect ideal nuclear family because they would be laughable. And while boys can occasionally perform hair-raising stunts, girls are still seen as being "young ladies" with perfect hair ribbons and a matching handbag, again as if she were a much older version of herself. When they figure out that girls are just female kids, there will be a lot more roles for skateboarders and kite flying runners and small girls with sweet faces.

[@SisterKnight]

I'm 35 so I was an adult that did not read the book when it came out, but when the uproar happened I did my research and read alot of that live on Twitter and website comment sections. It was waaaaaay more widespread and casual then this video can give creedance too. There were other adults my age talking reckless like that.

[@adri7352]

Imagine being that ugly to a 12 year old child. People are disgusting. Thanks for covering this, Yhara! 💜

[@trinaq]

Precisely, it's just so cruel, disgusting and demeaning to criticise a vulnerable child, simply because their appearance doesn't match with how you envision the character! 😡😤

[@pentamerone]

Star Wars fandom can surely relate.

[@gabrielleporter553]

People are so cruel when indeed by ignorance. How can people see a literal child and be so rude? I mean i know why... racism and bigotry... i’ve experienced it myself. people are disgusting for treating her that way

[@lesbiangoddess290]

@@trinaq The character is black tho. They envision her as white because it's the default. It's the race everyone goes to unless it's been explicitly mentioned at least twice within the book. We as black people and just minorities in general just cant exist for some reason *cough bigotry *cough. They envisioned her as white because it's the standard and everything else is just "other". That's why they casted a light skinned biracial girl instead of a dark skinned black girl (like in books) because she had to be "white adjacent" to be palatble to the audiencem

[@masonallen3961]

That's why racism sucks so much. It causes you to hate innocent children. Kids don't deserve hate. Let kids be kids.

[@kbee8517]

"Awkward moment when Rue is some black girl and not the little blonde innocent girl you picture" As if black girls can't be innocent, super obvious example of an adultification bias.

[@jmaldo92]

That person and everyone like them are plain ol racist

[@dra2521]

Book: "rue has dark skin" Racist comments: WHY ISNT SHE WHITE

[@cocktailonion696]

I think a lot of it comes from “she reminded me of my sister” her sister was blonde and white so Rue should be too. Instead of just the fact that they were the same age and had similar mannerisms and attitudes. Apparently in the minds of these people, you have to look exactly like someone to give the same impression as them.

[@dra2521]

@@cocktailonion696 yeah i understand WHY they thought this way. Which is exactly the problem. They have a mentality that people have to LOOK the same to relate to them. Which is rooted in racism.

[@jmaldo92]

@@cocktailonion696 then they skipped over the part that described her skin tone lol

[@thelemonwho]

I cried during Rue's death in the movie, because I cried over her death while reading... It doesn't matter that she looked almost EXACTLY how I imagined her while reading; she was an amazing character portrayed perfectly.

[@ivikivi8527]

"I didn't imagine her as black" No shit I bet you imagine all character as white unless the writer screams their race at you

[@jgr_lilli_]

Text: "The black girl blacked out of bed, her black skin blacking blackily, and blacked blackwards." White readers: "Huh, this is an interesting metaphor. Anyway this character is white."

[@SofiaBerruxSubs]

Wouldn't people imagine the characters looking like their own race?

[@SofiaBerruxSubs]

@@jgr_lilli_ um... Thats rude... Not all white people do that and two anyone can miss imagine a character that matches their race.

[@thepriscila7278]

@@SofiaBerruxSubs i read characters according to the race they were written

[@chanmarr8118]

@@jgr_lilli_ 😂😂😂

[@ivycoveredfilms]

Bruh it literally called her skin dark in the books- They’re trying to act like die hard fans but in reality they just weren’t paying attention.

[@mariesummers.]

The sad thing is, many of them probably were and just chose to ignore it and build up an image that they liked more, because how on earth could you be brown skinned AND sweet, innocent, and worthy of life?

[@sillyslicker1]

See, that's what's hilarious! They were so upset that their favorite story was being "ruined", but didn't even know the details of what they read? 🤣

[@jodoodles8584]

@@mariesummers. I do that, not with skin color but when I have a character with brown hair I may imagine them as blonde. But why the heck do I have the authority to get mad? I didn’t make the character.

[@not_obsidian]

And even then, Rue in the movie is nowhere near Thresh’s skin color (which the book explicitly states). She’s portrayed by a HIGH yellow actor. Like black people should’ve been reasonably upset with the casting (because _colorism_ ) not these shit for brains racists🥴

[@Ellimist000]

Yea really egregious, it's not even "brown skin" It's described multiple ways, as dark, satiny brown, dark eyes, her dog mutant is described as having curly fur. Between that and where it takes place and how District 11 is described, it's almost like the author was daring the controversy. 🤣

[@cburton98]

It’s so crazy how many people read the book and didn’t realise rue was black?? How can you read “dark skin” and picture a white person?? 😭

[@onekem]

Some people are just SLOW

[@vortor2728]

ikr and didnt it specifically mention "mahoggony brown" skin or something LMAOOO

[@schabowy6149]

@@onekem you know other people can have dark skin without being of black race, right?? South Asia??? Edit: okay I get it now. Y'all can stop replying

[@THIZZAVELI]

The same reason why jesus is always depicted as white.

[@onekem]

@@schabowy6149 That’s not the point.The main point is people thought she was white even though she was described as having dark/mahogany skin.Because of that,people still shouldn’t be acting surprised.I’m very aware that some people can have dark skin without being black.

[@bunnywavyxx9524]

this is why for the Ariel situation when people say "they shoudlve just made a black character/story" I always point them to this. Rue was written black. She IS a black girl in the books. Yet the immense backlash of her character in the movie also being black... just the same for ariel. it doesnt matter whether its a black character, written by a black person, originally black or not, they hate black people and hate seeing black people on screen.

[@ShaiLai]

Ariel is still white as described in the book and in several movies/series and previous adaptations. It's not the same thing. And btw character design is part of the character wether it moves the story or not🤦🏾‍♀️ Edit: y'all can stop tagging me now I get it, yt to blk good, blk to yt bad. Y'all mad that ppl don't want an already established character to have a useless race swap cause "iT dOeSnT aFfEcT tHe pLoT" yet get mad when dark characters are made lighter. Leave me alone I'm no longer talking with any of you snowflakes and hypocrites✌🏾

[@ShaiLai]

@sewerrat7418 she's just played by a black actress in the live action so not really🤷🏾‍♀️

[@IronheartvsMiles]

White's are racist, enjoy being racist and know they are racist. White's are not confused about white racism. Non white's are the one confused

[@Agatos8]

Personally my gripe with the new Disney adaptations is that they're not doing a good job with adapting anything at all. All of these films are subpar compared to their animated counterparts (and I'm not blaming it on the actors, CG artists or even the writers, not one bit), so they're not doing any favors to the cast involved with these projects. They're not doing good representation either: where's the actual effort put into representing Caribbean culture in this film supposedly set in the Caribbean? Where's the afro-caribbean voices in this? Am I, or anyone else for that matter, supposed to be content with Disney producing the most bland, superficial and monolithic take of my (or anyone's) culture and people, and call it a day? It's not that I dislike a black actress in the little mermaid role, is that I know the biggest production company in the world can do better, and still they make terrible, inflammatory decisions and let the actors take the brunt of it. I don't think I've seen a single press conference from any Disney exec defending Halle Bailey from the racist mobs, they're hanging their actors to dry for quick cash and mediocre films and they're getting away with it. No, casting a black actress on the role of a traditionally white character shouldn't be a problem unless we're talking about a biopic, adaptations should allow for that much. But race-swapping on its own shouldn't count as representation either: diversity goes beyond just skin color, representation goes deeper than that. GOOD representation IS deeper than that. These actors deserve better stories, better productions, and better public. We should start demanding these things much more vocally. PD: if I sounded angry in all of this, it was not my intention! english is not my first language. I'm 100% vitriolic towards Disney as a corporation though.

[@gabrielleeee-421]

exactly

[@boyinblue.]

I cried when Rue died, the actor played her perfectly. They put just the right emotions into their character and they were easy to empathize with. It is easy to have any child remind you of a sibling, the child doesn’t have to look a certain way it’s how they act (child like) that is the resemblance. The actor played Rue beautifully.

[@heyitsbrandon733]

I know! Me too!! I dont remember when this movie came out but I remember watching it in theaters and I was in TEARS when rue died. She was such a great actress and played the role perfectly

[@donnachaobrien90]

agreed.

[@derynashtonadventures5179]

I wholeheartedly agree. The character was so well done by her that I'm even considering naming one of my children after her. I love the character and the actress that played her, what does race have to do with it?

[@lizicadumitru9683]

Same here. I couldn't imagine another actor playing Rue as well as Amandla did. Her death had me silently sobbing and the short lived revolt in her district after had me punching the air with hell yeahs!

[@ethanheadrick7027]

Amen.

[@SabrinaRina]

I remember. I remember. "Rue is meant to be innocent and remind her of Primrose... thus can't be black."

[@bridgetspector6703]

Extra funny since the books literally described her as “like primrose but with dark skin” so like

[@doctorwholover1012]

Reading literacy be -1000

[@atinyevil1383]

Liiiiike...she says that Rue reminds her of Prim because she’s also small, sweet, adorable. She never says that she looks like Prim. Why are people like this!?

[@alejandrocervantes3624]

@@atinyevil1383 fr is it weird that eventho Amandla embodied all those qualities I caught NONE of those things from the girl playing Prim? 😭😹💀👌✨

[@aidoll3692]

Bruh this is a whole case study as to people percieving black children as less innocent than white children.

[@laffyraffy407]

What's funny about the whole idea that "white people can't relate to POC characters" is that my favorite Disney character growing up was Lilo Pelekai, from Lilo and Stitch. I'm white. She's Hawaiian. I related to her more than any other cartoon character because we were both friendless, bullied, and from 'broken' homes. Her skin color didn't stop me from seeing myself in her, for all the same reasons Rue's skin color didn't stop Katniss from seeing Prim in her. Any white person who says they can't relate to or empathize with a POC character *because* the character isn't white is racist, full stop.

[@SaKura-il8op]

I agree

[@libera7161]

[@artvulture456]

Fr, my favorite Disney princess is Mulan, I'm many different ethnicities but not asian

[@oofhehe1769]

I think it’s funny that POC have have to relate to white characters they’re whole life, but one black character it’s too much to handle for some of white people.

[@rebeccahicks2392]

@@artvulture456 Mulan's my favorite Disney character and movie, too. (I'm not Asian either.)

[@benelz8542]

Isn’t it Crazy that something as meaningless as our skin color matters so much to some people like forreal it’s not being pOliTiCaLlY CoRrEcT people are just born this way and the fact that bothers these people sooo much is crazy 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@romeyjondorf]

I mean, you are watching a video called "The Day Rue 'Became' Black." So, I would hazard a guess that you care a lot about this subject too.

[@janedoe1570]

Right? For the people who complain about 'everything being about race' they sure like to make everything about race.

[@benelz8542]

@@romeyjondorf you mean I care a lot about people not being Racist ? If that’s what you mean then Y E S sir 😂👍🙌lol

[@romeyjondorf]

@@benelz8542 You are racist if you want to turn a popular white character black. You are racist to black AND white people if you want to do that. Racist to white people because you are saying that the white character is somehow not okay staying as they are simply because they are white, plus it's cultural appropriation. And racist to black people because you are saying that black people have no popular folk heroes or historical figures or characters or anyone who is actually black so that you have to change a white character's race to black. What is that saying about black people? That they have no culture? You racist!

[@lesvianaura]

@@romeyjondorf playing a white character is not inherently culture appropriation. Unless its a movie like Brave that are about Scottish people in the 1500s- its fine. We aren't saying white characters are not okay, we are saying that most of the time that any race of people can play y'alls characters due to the stories not being about their race or culture. Everything you said about black people and our culture is just a straight up strawman argument.

[@staceynainlab888]

there is an episode of All In The Family where Archie is in the hospital and talks to a French man, not knowing what the man looks like. When he finds out the man is black he goes "you didn't tell me you were black!" the man replies "you didn't tell me you were white". Archie replies "white people don't have to go around saying it". He assumed everyone was white until proven otherwise. The attitude people have the white and straight is the default really annoys me. if a character is black, they're like "why do they need to be black? what does that add to the story?" I'm like well, what would them being white add to the story? same with sexuality, people go "what does them being gay add to the story?". well, what would them being straight add?

[@becuzMDsaidineededpersonality]

Damn that's really good point. Good catch.

[@dilaylad1903]

Technically, white people are the minority of mankind. There are more Asians, Arabs and Blacks than there are Whites...

[@elephant4053]

@@dilaylad1903 but we arent treated as a minority, so we arent one

[@25kid78]

Good point 👍

[@dilaylad1903]

@@elephant4053 In a social sense yeah, but I meant that there are less white people in the world when compared to the other races :)

[@lilbunny9833]

“Well I’m still a little girl “ omg that was so sad to me

[@mcleanephatha]

Very very sad omg

[@Jewelzbabiii]

My mouth dropped open ..

[@pinwheelart2825]

Omgoodness. The babies have more sense than the adults. Why did she have to point that out! I am done with this place.🤦🏽‍♀️🖖🏽

[@oprincesslivie02]

On average little black kids are perceived to be 5-7 years older than their actual age. It’s so sad

[@mcleanephatha]

I honestly don't think that he was being racist by saying that(the question itself isn't racist anyway). I don't even think he realised the weight of his question. Him seeing a little black girl as being older and more mature than she is so ingrained in him, that he doesn't even realise it.

[@trinaq]

I always found the entire backlash surrounding Rue and Thresh's race ridiculous, since they were both clearly described as "dark skinned" in the original novel.

[@lesbiangoddess290]

It's so dumb honestly like- did you guys read the damn books

[@StephenFrysmanboobs]

im clicking on this video like wasnt she described as black in the books? tbh its 10 years since I read them

[@lesbiangoddess290]

@@StephenFrysmanboobs she was people are just so racist that anyone who isnt white cant be seen as a child. Now that's fucking creepy

[@keepyourshoesathedoor]

@@lesbiangoddess290 Because they don’t picture the character as Black.

[@lesbiangoddess290]

@@keepyourshoesathedoor but why? That's the real question here. The video explained the link people unintentionally make between white skin and innocence. It's the brainwashing from the media that promoted eugenics and erased anyone who was darker than a paper bag. Did you not watch the video or what?

[@Isla-eq9qh]

It helps the story that rue is black- firstly it distinguishes prim and rue design wise, secondly it helps show that Karina doesn’t care about the superficial stuff

[@so.R4]

I’m Korean and only met a black person 1 or 2 times (briefly in a train station at 6 and 9) before I read the book or saw the movie, and even I immediately thought Rue and Thresh were black. No idea how people, especially anyone from America, thought otherwise, lol

[@so.R4]

​@21Justin Ly ......did we read the same thing? I said I met black people, then I read the book, then I saw the movie. If I met black people after I read the book, how could I have thought that Rue and Thresh were black reading the book, when I would have had no prior encounter with black people? The purpose of my comment was to say that I, a (then) child with next to no encounters with black people, minimal life experience, in an overwhelmingly homogenous environment, could visualize Rue and Thresh as black, while people who have interacted with black people almost every day since childhood could not comprehend a non-white character, even with a clear description of said character's appearance.

[@Mimiscellaneous]

@21Justin Ly I think they mean that they had only seen 1 or 2 black people in their life before they read the book and saw the movie.

[@ragentgreezy747]

Hello. I am black. Nice to meet you :)

[@ragentgreezy747]

@@so.R4 :)

[@DeathnoteBB]

Oh, no, white Americans are unbelievably racist. It’s perfect sense too, our country’s systems are rooted in racism so

[@chibiktsn3]

Ugh, I feel so bad for Amandla Stenberg, being any age and hearing those things about you is horrible, but given that she was just a kid... that is so depressing. She was also KILLED IT in her portrayal of Rue, but even before she proved her acting chops, she was adorable!

[@Ms.Magic94]

Yeah That had to traumatize her how could it not.

[@benjiecfelix5264]

Amandla's pronouns are they/them (upon looking up further they actually use both she/her and they/them, my bad! I thought they only used they/them)

[@thatsalotofdamage8568]

@@benjiecfelix5264 Did they change their name to Amanda or is that a typo?

[@benjiecfelix5264]

@@thatsalotofdamage8568 oof it was a typo, my phone's autocorrect changed it and I didn't realize Edited my comment w the right name + correction of information!

[@thatsalotofdamage8568]

@@benjiecfelix5264 ight thanks

[@MinaF99]

That tweet about rue’s death seeming less sad makes me want to throw up

[@saulitix]

It caused me physical pain to read it.

[@Joee003]

Some people should watch A Time to Kill and adress their predjudice

[@miurtouissi1093]

@IntrepidFinch wtf we all had the same experience!!

[@Alecexo]

Really? Cuz it was the one calling her a nigger that made me sick. Mind you. She was only 12

[@jaredcrane3845]

Seriously. What an asshole

[@TheydyGodiva]

Its also worth pointing out that Rue and Thresh are from District 11. According to the official map of Panem, 11 sits in what would be known as the American South today. A lot of it making up what would be Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. States that by and large have a predominantly Black population. It stands to reason that the tributes from these districts would more than likely be Black. Thats not saying wh¡te folks dont exist or dont live in 11, but Black folks are far more common in that area. So is it really that surprising that Rue and Thresh are Black?

[@NateIsNotOkay]

This is actually a really great point that deserves more attention.

[@TheydyGodiva]

@NateIsNotOkay I'm surprised more people didn't come to that conclusion. Seemed like it was common knowledge to me.

[@temporaneo617]

Great analysis. I only have one genuine question: why did you use that weird "i" in the word "white?"

[@TheydyGodiva]

@temporaneo617 skirt the algorithm. For some reason if it picks up those words in that order, it doesn't like it and the post gets suppressed.

[@temporaneo617]

@@TheydyGodiva wow that's awful

[@Shrilaraune]

I literally heard some of these comments about Rue in the theater after the credits rolled and people were heading out. As a black girl you can imagine how that felt.

[@LarrySonOfMilton]

I'm sorry you had to go through that ❤

[@isabel6954]

Im so sorry, this system is fucked up. This whole situation makes me really angry, I’m genuinely so sorry that you had to hear such ignorant people saying shit like that.

[@Shrilaraune]

@@LarrySonOfMilton Thank you 😊

[@Shrilaraune]

@@isabel6954 Thank you. I was and remain pretty heartbroken about it. At the same time, it almost guarantees I can't be blindsided like that again y'know? Like, people like this can't surprise me anymore, which can be a huge part of why stuff like this hurts--the sheer surprise of it.

[@HomeSweetHomegirl]

I’m so upset you went through this. I never even realised this was a thing. 😥

[@ardourjimin2533]

Amanda is half white and still got treated so badly so imagine if rue was played by a darker little girl...it wouldve been absolute chaos💔

[@FoxyChariot]

Rue is not even dark brown. She’s really light by black community standards. It could be argued that casting a mixed race actor is still somewhat a concession. But nonetheless, I can’t believe she got that much hate. I’m with you, if they cast a dark girl, they would have rioted for real

[@UsulPrincess]

@@FoxyChariot I'm full black, and I think Amandla is light brown, not really light-skinned. I guess I don't see it because I have a very light sister who would be considered "yellow" (she looks quite a bit like the singer Mya).

[@FoxyChariot]

@@UsulPrincess I’m Amandla’s color and I’d say she’s as light as you can be without getting into white passing territory Mya and Amandla are close to the same shade IMO. In some shots she’s Amandla’s color and in others she has a more yellowish tone

[@20YearSoul]

@@UsulPrincess Amandla is light skin, she's close to Mya's color. Mya and her just have different undertones. Light skin is wider spectrum than cool undertones

[@LegendarySpaceRipper]

Plenty of people get treated badly because of twitter pests. That does not mean that she was treated badly by everyone. You get twitter pests threatening to kill/rape writers like JK Rowling because they had an opinion that the peasants of Twitter disliked. It was shitty for people to attack a child like they to to one who played Joffrey. This only blew up because racism is mentioned as the reason. People in the limelight get stalked, threatened to be killed or raped for opinions or simply existing yet you do not always hear anything of it. There is also the issue of criticism being considered abuse. There is a big distance between it. I been in loads of discussions yet someone will claim racism because someone disliked a character. Look at any group of Invincible. People get called Nazi for criticising Amber's behaviour.

[@loli_cvnt5622]

It's kinda scary how many people can't see how Katniss could relate her to Prim in any way because.. she looks different from Prim? Like.. how shallow are your relationships? Where's the childhood trauma?

[@TombNGloom]

FR. do y'all have any meaningful connections???

[@onetime5411]

It’s a reflection of themselves, if they can’t relate to her, why would katniss they expose themselves everytime just pay attention

[@Zivanovaable]

The first thing I tought about them was shallowness at finest.

[@randomusername3873]

Isn't this the same narrative that people use to race swap characters? That you can only relate to people that "looks like you"?

[@whensomethingcriesagain]

​@@randomusername3873People who don't know much about it, sure, but it's one of the weakest arguments in favor of it, other and better arguments include (but are not limited to): minority characters can draw parallels with real aspects of society that make themes more pointed and resonant, minorities are chronically underrepresented in culture as a whole and this type of casting gives more chances for minority actors to get recognition and build profiles to reduce this problem, "white as default" is a huge problem that needs to be corrected in general and having character casting more reflective of society as a whole helps reduce this problem, and there are studies that show exposure to diverse sets of characters has a similar effect on curbing racist sentiments in people as having diverse groups of friends, which is a hugely important benefit in dealing with social problems in this day and age.

[@kilimanjaro5537]

“Because POC only exist for political correctness and not because they’re people” 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. Can we get an applause for that statement.

[@ningmushii]

Exactly, and I always get upset seeing how more black people are getting the spotlight in shows because its not for representation or just because they're a good actor(although they do give us representation and most of them are good actors), but because they are trying to get brownie points, and make a political statement to prove they aren't racist and that we are equal(basically because of all the attention towards BLM.)

[@Octobris]

PRECISELY. also, let me screenshot and show this to my friend who genuinely thinks that about POC in media and tends to violently criticize any movie or series with black/brown main or supporting characters, even though black/brown people... You know... EXIST.

[@jairusjackson7799]

Yes 👏 we 👏 can👏.

[@Bluntz1289]

Tell that to the crazy sjws 😂

[@m00nwalker32]

They started doing that with women to lately I’m so sick of this shit

[@johnmclean8414]

I think a really poignant anecdote I read was Kerry Washington (a gorgeous woman) was portrayed as a 'Damsel in distress' in Django. When asked about this trope, her response was 'There are no woman of colour ever portrayed as this in mainstream American movies' and she didn't take any grievances with this - the opposite actually. As a white dude even thinking about it I never even considered this. Most woman of colour are portrayed as angry and physical; not beautiful and feminine. It made me reflect a lot on my own cognizant biases. To say the actress who portrayed Rue as anything less than a beautiful and talented little girl is baffling.

[@animeotaku307]

It wasn’t just about desirability, though that plays a role too. It was playing the metaphorical “Princess in the tower” whose rescue forms the crux of the plot. While the “damsel in distress” role gets criticized for reducing a woman to an object or prize, this is mainly through a white lens. For black women, it means getting to be vulnerable and let someone else take care of them, something that is often denied to them. Add in the unfortunate fact that missing black girls and black women in trouble get far less attention than their white counterparts and it’s easy to see why they’d see value in a role where they’re not only desired, but have someone go through hell and back to protect.

[@johnmclean8414]

@animeotaku307 very good additional points thanks

[@BetterWithBob]

The damsel in distress is just something that's been appropriated by pop feminism and demonised, ignoring the historical context. A damsel being kidnapped or imperilled was to show how evil the villain was because she was a complete innocent who couldn't have had anything to do with whatever conflict, and rescuing her was to show her as someone of great importance. She wasn't rescued because she was useful or had something the hero wanted - she deserved to be rescued because it was the right thing to do, and the innocent should be protected. Realistically, it's impossible for someone to be able to save themselves all the time. Complete independence and needing no one at all is a sign of emotional IMMATURITY because we humans are built to need people. One of the biggest problems in the world right now is human trafficking, and the people are kept in line by being conditioned to think they're there of their own free will, and part of saving a victim is getting them to accept help Kerry Washington hit the nail on the head that there is something very empowering in a story that's driven by the need or want to save a black woman's life, and that encourages the black man to do something chivalrous for the black woman, since African-Americans didn't get to have that fairy tale. A damsel in distress story doesn't reduce a woman to a prize or object - it tells the reader/viewer that the damsel is someone of great importance simply for who she is as a person, rather than being a head of state, having knowledge or skills etc. There's nothing wrong with that trope, only if it's overused

[@NeyamRye]

True

[@thebwordpod3315]

She's literally referenced as black in the books wtf I swear to god katniss says that she's got dark skin and curly hair like 10 times and she only reminds her of prim because of the way she carries herself and the her manerisms

[@nagisamizuno872]

Yeah it was probably to emphasize how painful her death was since she was around the same age as Prim which shows she was so young

[@generatoralignmentdevalue]

You're right but also I know that from watching the entire video, just saying.

[@MyFictionalChaos]

LITCHERALLY THOUGH. Im confused. She's always been black. The fans who were confused or "insulted" when she "became" black just can't read

[@genev37]

EXACTLY omg these people are so dumb

[@RaetheSaint]

I remember reading The Hunger Games in middle school and tearing up when I read Rue’s description. She was one of the first Black girls I read about that wasn’t a slave

[@forrest3]

I mean that’s not technically true just because this is the hunger games and district 11 wasn’t exactly depicted as a free place... then Rue was killed for sport on an elitist tv show.. I don’t think she was a very free person.

[@FerBaide]

@@forrest3 yes, but every character in the story is in the same situation (sans Capitol people).

[@ollieno971]

@@FerBaide yeah and in a lot of ways she was the catalyst for the revolution, the very reason why at the end everyone else was able to be freez

[@DevelopingCharacter]

That's why I was confused about the outrage when the movie came out. It was crystal clear to me that Rue was like me.

[@thatwrengirl]

We read this series as a class at my school afterreading the first book in the "Seeds of America" trilogy by Laurie Halse Anderson. Even though that trilogy is set during the American Revolution and the protagonist is enslaved in the first book, it's really good and sheds light on life at that time. However, it bothers me that Rue is the first non-enslaved Black female representation in a class novel that year. I'm always looking to add more positive representation to our class readings if you or anyone else have any suggestions. Novels, poetry, or short story suggestions appreciated!

[@janatomlin1296]

When she had to correct the interviewer… When she literally had to say I’m still a little girl literally looking confused

[@sweetsadi27]

She warmed my whole spirit when she stopped and corrected him👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@Pllayer064]

That guy is a proper weirdo what the fuck

[@HolandaChiquita]

I'm white and live in a North-Western European country I read the first Hunger Games book before the film came out. And I remember distinctly that Rue was described as having brown skin. I had to write a book report, and commented that I liked the attempt of the writer to have characters of multiple ethnicities/colours in the story. Because most of the previous books we had to read were mostly fully white. I made the comparisons with some older books I knew, that had darker skinned characters in supporting roles or as shared main roles. We talked about it during class and fellow students that were not white came up with the suggestion to read books with a non-white main character. Which we luckily did, it is so important. I can't imagine how people overlooked that Rue was black.

[@VelcroPoodle]

I literally screamed when that comment about Rue being black and "not innocent." I'm upset, my dog's upset, my day is ruined.

[@MindfulMya]

If anything it makes her even more innocent because of the racist oppression that takes place. I was so mad when people said that. Because I was like did you all forget to read the books?

[@eb7446]

I remember that comment being re posted on tumblr at the time. I never forgot it.

[@gracehaven5459]

When the dog is upset shit got real

[@SammieMousie]

Don't let something like that ruin your day. Imbeciles and their bigotry is really not worth your time.

[@doglovingirl]

I don't think people realize how damaging this was, as a young black girl who was excited to see one of her favorite books being brought to the screen and then go on the internet and be crushed by the racist comments. I remember reading the person who said Rue's death would be less sad because she's black and my heart just sinking...

[@SuperSparklesGurl]

I’m sorry you saw that. I can’t imagine how painful that was.

[@rickwrites2612]

That's terrible. I'm so sorry. It never should have happened.

[@jasperpretzle]

Holy fuck what? What is wrong with people? 😭

[@frenchfreye]

You and me both

[@puppydogs68]

….to like or to not like…it’s at 665 likes now….

[@minusseasons]

This video made me so angry, I had no idea people were so horrible to that little girl. Gross. Side note though: Lenny Kravitz as Cinna was one of the best casting choices ever and no one is going to tell me otherwise.

[@azuki_O]

I'm sorry but i have to tel you that they in fact, cast Cinna to play Lenny Kravitz. You've been bamboozled.

[@riotgrrrlzgaming]

Re: Lenny Kravitz...right?

[@mamajenkins1981]

You’re right and you should say it

[@vladimirtchaikovsky6228]

I also want to mention this: His daughter, Zoë Kravitz, had auditooned for a film series (which is Divergent). At the same time, the main lead of the series, Shailene Woodley, had once auditioned for Hunger Games as Katniss.

[@itsyourmumsgf]

literally, i wasn't that attached to Cinna in the books but he plays him so well in the films he turned into one of my favourite characters as soon as I watched them.

[@marinalodi6313]

also, I hate that in the past as nowadays all little girls that are black in the media have a sass atitude, throw shades and are rebelious. I like when they are portraited as fierce or confident, but they fall all in these stereotypes over and over, having no individuality and being "the black children" again and again.

[@andiralosh2173]

Like in the Nice White Teachers, Bad Brown Schools video, the Black characters are shown to be nonsensically beligerante. People think racism has to be intentional but I'd say what makes white writers comfortable will be the same thing that makes white audiences comfortable. If that's what you get with 'liberal Hollywood' writers... oof, that's context I guess

[@IronheartvsMiles]

White racist are writing them, what you think will happen

[@BetterWithBob]

It was refreshing in the recent House of Usher miniseries to show that the only innocent member of the Usher family was the black girl Lenore. You never see that

[@undetestable1]

Lol! These kids calling Woody Harrelson "some old guy" then mentioning Johnny Depp as if they aren't basically the same age is the funniest thing I've heard today.

[@redsands1001]

That was the big funny " ha ha" moment for me as opposed to the funny "oh ho ppl suck" of the other ridiculousness

[@evaerhardt1317]

woody harrelson IS haymich i couldn’t imagine it any other way

[@mschell350]

LMAO and i actually remember this too i was like calm tf down

[@ladyofnoxus6733]

Lmao right like what 😂🤣

[@abbyj4108]

Ikr like Woody Harrelson is literally only 2 years older than Depp lmao

[@soursaccharine]

the fact that people said “she was supposed to be innocent not black” like first of all, disgusting way of thinking. SECOND OF ALL *HAVE YOU SEEN HER SHE IS THE DEFINITION OF INNOCENCE*

[@mikaeruu0309]

SERIOUSLY like i felt hurt as well bc I am a black girl (tho im 18) and it's sooo common for ppl to think we're not innocent?? it's so gross i hate it sm Rue was the definition of innocent

[@soursaccharine]

@@mikaeruu0309 the world treats black little girls like grown women by age 5 and younger. anything they do is seen is as “fast”. a little 5 yr old white girl wears lipgloss and everyone says she’s innocently playing dress up. replace the little white girl with a black girl and suddenly its not playing dress up, theyre being “fast” and “not innocent”. its such a fucked up world.

[@meikoblock]

Jenny Han, the author of To All The Boys, said that the hardest part of adapting her books to movies was getting the executives to agree to cast a Korean American family. At first, they said they would cast a white family and just mention Lara Jean and her sisters were half Asian, and then they wanted to scrap the Asian American aspect completely. Just goes to show even when you do create your own, people will still try to whitewash your story.

[@johanna7830]

Wtf? That's so sad... I'm glad she insisted on that. Every bit of representation matters to Asian American, mixed people or generally poc. The korean culture was such am important part of the books and Lara Jeans Family, it's mind boggling the executives even had the audacity to suggest erasing it, ugh

[@AffanNomaan]

none of the main cast in the movie is Korean (even though the books pretty explicitly say they are Korean Americans), not all Asians are the same Hollywood 😅😅😅

[@snakearekat2634]

@@AffanNomaan There is actually a debate in the Asian American acting communities as to whether or not they should reject roles if they aren't the same ethnicity

[@nebullae]

and try as they did, the korean american family isn't even korean but of different asian ethnicities. like, i guess they get half a gold star for the effort...?

[@lailaleak1766]

@Personal Jesus That doesn’t make it right :/ a Korean family is a Korean family. Not Chinese, Not Japanese.

[@simon_lukas]

I remember the first time I came across the term "olive skin tone" while reading a fantasy novel. I just imagined the character as green, like - you know - a green olive...

[@jinklbo]

OMG HAHAHAHA

[@sadgittarian9269]

"Since finding out Rue was black, I'm less sad about her death" THIS IS A REAL THING THAT IS STUDIED. My English teacher in school taught us about a man who raped and killed little girls, and in court he described all these gruesome things he did to the girls. Everyone in the courtroom was disgusted until he mentioned that the girls were all black. People cared less. Some of them didn't care at all. So yeah, Twitter user, you should hate yourself /:

[@ilikeyoutube836]

Unbelievable. I can not fathom how these people think. Rue's death in the movie absolutely gutted me. I tried so hard not to ugly cry in public when I saw it in the theater, but I couldn't even help it. Cried my face off 😭

[@Wednesdaywoe1975]

@@ilikeyoutube836 There were people all over the internet saying they just didn't "feel" her death in the movie BECAUSE SHE WAS BLACK. I don't ever want to know these people.

[@a2point083]

I hate this world

[@Prodigious1One]

Wow...😟 serious social problem.

[@Jeremy-sj3pr]

People generally empathize more with white people, even actual black people (learned this in psych) because of how we’re all conditioned to think.

[@squeegeeandcrew8619]

i always imagined her as black because she’s literally referred to as “dark skin.” how does one miss that?

[@not_obsidian]

I mean we’ve seen what some folks consider “tall, _dark_ , and handsome”. Literally anything “dark” would probably just be slightly tan to them if it means to get further away from the prospect of blackness. It’s embarrassing,

[@mariabelensolisbonastre8113]

lol i read the books in spanish and im from a small city in southamerica where we dont have plack, maybe mix but not fully black i only saw black people in tv and one time when i went to usa as 16 years old and even me as a 11 years old when i read the books know that tresh and rue were african americans and i was in the fandom back 10-13 and i always were sourprise that people were mad beacuse to me they always were black it was no mistery

[@reelan1036]

@@not_obsidian Even my countrymen who have colorist tendencies (You know, Asian standards) know what "tall, dark and handsome" is and it's definitely not some tanned white boy 😂

[@wingedyera]

I'll be honest I'm an incredibly sloppy reader up to the point that I read the hobbit 4 times before realising that thorin dies so yes I can imagine you can skip over that. But what I can't imagine is then getting mad at the truth of the fact that she is a black character But also I generally don't actually pay attention to descriptions of characters until I want to draw them

[@mikasablackerman6776]

Terrible reading comprehension

[@SaiyanElf]

I remember being shocked at the backlash for Rue's casting. I was like "but Rue is black, what's the problem?" And then literally saying your sympathy for the character is lessened because her race?! Some people......

[@LadyScaper]

That’s 500 years of brainwashing. It’s effective. :(

[@jonnafromthenightcourt3379]

I just don’t understand why people are like that. Rue was literally the only character i actually liked from the Hunger games. She was so cute and sweet that i actually cried when she died. I didn’t like the movie at all but Rue made it less worse for me. I even broke up the movie 20minutes before it would end just because Rue wasn’t there anymore. And why the fuck would you like someone less just because of their race???

[@chi5923]

Sadly this is something my people have to face. It sucks that there are people who refuse to feel sympathy for us because of the color of our skin. It’s not something we chose to have and yet we get treated like crap. I just wish everyone of those people will see that we are all the exact same on the inside. The only difference is race.

[@opaluni]

Some people are just inhuman and are unable to comprehend the humanity in other people of differing ethnicities nor races. It's disgusting...

[@dezzyjones]

/a lot/ of people, actually think like this

[@misakit2649]

It still puzzles me how people were so reluctant to believe that Rue was in fact a cute innocent black girl. Her color was the first thing that stuck out to me as she came from a agricultural district where the people were described as POC. I thought that this was an obvious reference to slavery.

[@mehulpandya4761]

That, as well as the overtight security described in the first two books

[@chewedw1re]

the entire description of rue wearing a dress that made her resemble a fairy should’ve been enough to accentuate how she was supposed to be soft and emphasize childish innocence, but unsurprisingly they focus on “hurr durr black gril not innicent y she no whyte gril ):

[@samjensen392]

District 11 is canonically located in the American South, where there still exists a large black population (which has direct roots in slavery, making it an understandable connection to make), so while there is likely a reference to that, it might just be as simple as location-based racial demographics. Similarly, if memory serves, the vast majority of Capitol citizens (especially extras in the movies) were white. Just like above with District 11’s allusion to oppressed people, the Capitol might be an allusion to oppressors. However, speaking from having grown up in the Rocky Mountain area, that’s pretty spot on for the racial makeup that’s already here (hell, I think the Capitol might even be *more* diverse than Utah-oof)

[@gogotaku4207]

​@@chewedw1rehl

[@oatmeal_reads]

“you thibk she would’ve mentioned if rue was black” but u dont expect her to mention whether or not a character is white… ppl rly be mad that their assumptions for everyone being white are wrong lmao

[@isa-morena]

But if she were explicitly stated as black it would've been "why are you making such a big deal about race"

[@missshannonsunshine]

@@isa-morena exactly! We can’t win

[@randompromises1038]

@@isa-morena the thing is that the books heavily imply she's from the southern part of north america (known for being pretty populated with people of color) and her description mentions her having brown skin. did people suddenly not learn how to read or??

[@gingerbread9691]

The author did mention rue was black tho

[@isa-morena]

@@gingerbread9691 I've never read the books. That is fucked that they completely disregarded that.

[@marteenyo]

those screenshots are about to become my villain origin story

[@vibez.no.cartel]

honestly.

[@dededeletethis9940]

Villain? I think you mean hero

[@vibez.no.cartel]

@@dededeletethis9940 no. we want revenge.

[@yu-gi-noob9656]

@@vibez.no.cartel All the hottest Anti heroes want vengeance.

[@you_know_me8218]

@@vibez.no.cartel revenger-type then

[@the_medievalchick]

People being perplexed and enraged by Rue being black are on par with someone going "What?! I never imagined Ariel with a fishtale!" 🐠🧜🏿‍♀️🦀

[@biker6070]

Dawg didn’t Katniss say Rue had dark skin? The only reason she reminded her of Prim was because they’re both cute, innocent little girls around the same age. I always imagined her as a little black girl. When I saw the backlash regarding her casting, I was appalled.

[@NyanCatHerder]

She does mention it. *Twice,* as the video notes. It might still be fairly easy to overlook, if you were a preteen blazing through all three books in a week and a half, since most character descriptions are necessarily brief. If someone misses a detail like that for that reason, that's fine. Some people might not notice that a character is blonde. Same deal. The problem comes when someone misses that Rue and Thresh (or any other character) isn't white, and *insists that they are* in spite of evidence to the contrary. And then, of course, there are the ones who recognize the obvious proof that a character isn't canonically white but want them to be anyway. I'm...really not sure if that's actually worse or just more honest.

[@Vampxiii_]

Honestly 😭😭

[@maria-212]

I read the book when I was TWELVE and I remember picturing her as black in my head. I cannot believe people think she's supposed to he white lmao it was very obvious.

[@Coolgravy]

@@NyanCatHerder yeah, I agree. If they cares so much about "accurate casting" they should read the descriptions in the book.

[@swag6023]

@@maria-212 good explanation you earn a star ⭐️

[@8101753]

As a black girl who was the same age as Amandla when all this controversy happened, it was very traumatizing.

[@mihailmilev9909]

I'm so sorry that happened to you

[@mihailmilev9909]

maybe you'd like to elaborate/share a bit?

[@8101753]

@@mihailmilev9909 well when you read things online like people won't be as sad when you die as opposed to your white counterparts, especially being even darker than Amandla, was very damaging. The maker of this video did a very good job explaining how a young black girl's perceived innocence is taken from her. I relate to that experience.

[@isabel6954]

@@8101753 I am so sorry, it’s fucking disgusting that you had to deal with that. People who think that rue’s death is less sad bc she is black are so inhuman, how can your skin color define that??? Wtf???

[@jordynk8273]

@@mihailmilev9909 she literally showed a study that said ppl believed that black girls were less innocent at younger ages and it shows with this reaction. black girls have to live that their entire life and amandala isn’t even fully black😭😭 imagine being fully black dark skinned or even having 4c hair... she is literally a zendaya... a ginny... when shows need black women they chose mixed women because they’re the “acceptable” version of a black woman and they still get hate...

[@arcticprowl971]

So for them not to be confused when they read a book the author has to say "she was a black girl, with black hair, and dark brown eyes. Did I mention she was also black black blackety black black. Which means they have dark brown skin.... Because they're black."

[@noorykorky5056]

LOL 😆

[@randompromises1038]

can't wait to publish my book that includes a black feminine protagonist and get the confused comments about why she isn't white

[@caramelkisses8857]

I’m cracking up 😂

[@BohemianDeer]

@@randompromises1038 Feeling is mutual. I can't wait to see the confused comments come in the moment I publish my book that includes, pretty much a 85% Indigenous cast since I practically Earthsea-ed the entire thing.

[@thegreatfusili4673]

I'm black y'all, and I'm black y'all. And I'm blackety black and I'm black y'all!

[@venusroute]

the audacity to question THE AUTHOR'S clearly stated decisions is baffling to me

[@sighbatsu]

I remember when Rue was cast everyone in my school was happy to see an actress that looked like them be cast in a major movie like Hunger Games. Our library even had us read the book before most of us saw the film. It's crazy that folks just disregarded her as being black...like where tf did "olive skin" come from? They took that line about Prim way too seriously

[@_gremlinboy]

I think people wrapped things around in their brains and convinced themselves rue had olive skin, because they are remembering katniss's skin tone and then they remember katniss as being white 🤦‍♂️

[@rinzler1801]

I'm not sure what suzanne collins even meant by "olive skin" but it sounds more tan than pale, so if anything it's Jennifer Lawrence that was wrongly casted, not Amandla stenberg.

[@rinzler1801]

not that JLaw isn't a good Katniss or anything but based on her physical description in the novel I'd always assumed Katniss to be more bronze toned than white

[@esterspetz7237]

I always thought it was sweet and bitter that Rue reminded Kattnis of Prim. But the resemblance hand nothing to do whit looks to me. It was manly mannerisms. Rue and Prim stood whit their arms slilgtly out from their body’s like a bird about to lift. Witch is one of my all time favourite describtions of all time. And Rues actress protreid they pefekly... it’s only sad hollywood white washed the character and I am ashamed I didn’t even notice.

[@imtootiredforthis9776]

@@esterspetz7237 Hey, I don't mean to be rude and I agree with your comment, but by 'describshians', do you mean 'descriptions'? And the correct spelling of 'washt' would be 'washed' (at least where I live). Whit-with (probably a typo, but I don't know for sure) slilgtly - slightly, In that context 'witch' should be 'which', protreid - portrayed, pefekly - perfectly

[@IggySpooks]

I can't get over the irony of "Some old guy is playing Haymitch" and then saying Johnny Depp is perfect, when Johnny Depp also qualifies as "Some old guy"

[@mothmadi_]

and johnny depp does not fit in any way to the way haymitch was described.

[@galaxymilk100]

Johnny Depp probably would have been my go to actor to play Haymitch, but after seeing how amazing Woody Harrelson was I can't see anyone else in the role

[@bar1825]

@@galaxymilk100 Woody Harrelson is a God or at least related to him. He is fuckin great in True Detective.

[@ItsJeshasWorld]

Johnny Depp is like 8 months younger than Woody Harrelson lmaooo

[@KiraDaBeastNY]

Tbf, after willy wonka, I believe Johnny Depp is a goddamned shapeshifter, but yes he's an old guy lol.

[@reallivebird520]

“I never pictured Rue to be black” oh so you can’t read?? You have reading comprehension skills?? That’s what you’re saying to me right now?? Great, got it

[@nevereverr]

Frrrr. She was literally described with dark skin. “The boy tribute from District 11, Thresh, has the same dark skin as Rue”

[@butterflyindisguise3838]

Even my 10 year old caught that. Back then I read a lot of pages and forgot tiny details but I still knew that tho

[@Prodigious1One]

Lol, great response.

[@flufflecake9232]

Bruh they literally said shes from a district where dark skin is a common trait >:((((

[@mistid1485]

@@nevereverr tbh I didn't I catch that either. But I wasn't upset by any of the casting choices because to me it didn't matter. As long as they played their character well, that's all I cared about.

[@JoyfullyShea-Marcella]

When I read the books I remember imagining Katniss as Indigenous, and her having olive skin and dark hair is what did it for me 🤷🏾‍♀️ I get that there are “dark” skinned white ppl that are like Italian, but I usually see Italians with more fair skin than darker skin. Though, Ariana Grande has olive skin and the dude from 365 days has deep olive skin as well.

[@dawnoheee9524]

I’m Indigenous and I remember talking to a family member about the Rue controversy. My sister said she thought Katniss was indigenous too based on her description in the book. We both read the book and thought Rue and Thresh were black. I think she was perfectly cast.

[@SpectrespecsChick]

An explicitly stated character of color: *exists within literature* Whte readers: I can’t read all of a sudden I-

[@MrMan-dd4hi]

Does this result mainly from unconscious bias, or more intentional ignorance?

[@monicacreator3168]

@Dru Baxter wow, congrats

[@dirthousegirl]

@Dru Baxter sounds like something a casual racist would feel the need to correct. must’ve struck a nerve lol

[@gabbyb9418]

@Dru Baxter hnnnnng no

[@joyc.e.7511]

@Dru Baxter Listen, the fact that it was white readers that responded like this, white readers that had a problem with it, speaks volumes. The fact you're choosing to interpret this comment as racist, especially considering the topic of the video also speaks volumes.

[@rebeccamellor9850]

‘When I found out rue was black her death wasn’t as sad’ reminds me of the movie A Time to Kill when Matthew McConaughey’s character describes the little girls rape to the jury and then says at the end ‘now imagine this little girl was white’ and they all get more sad. Fakkkkked up.

[@tess5861]

I said the exact same thing! Did you read the book? It's absolutely heartbreaking in the book and so well written when he describes that moment, because he didn't want to do it but he knew he had to, to get that jury to feel any bit of empathy toward his client. And just knowing that it still rings true today is infuriating.

[@psychott6]

what. the. fuck. THAT IS SO UNFAIR GODDAMIT

[@jellyskys893]

I watched that movie to! He made so many good points there

[@oncefortwice1389]

That scene made me cry so hard when I watched it and I always feel…depressed? Heartbroken? Idk but it’s a heavy scene with so many messages

[@galaxymilk100]

@@tess5861 imma have to read that now

[@marteenyo]

Remember when every other anime fanboy was mad as hell they made L black but didn't give a fuck they made Light white? I'm never forgetting that. It really showed me what kind of people some of y'all are.

[@mariedit9935]

I always asked myself that

[@somethingisnotrighthere3831]

I watched an episode of the Grapevine where one of the panelists was talking about how she was mad about the casting of Death Note. But she zeroed in on the fact that L (who is confirmed to be predominantly European) was played by a black man and decided to ignore how all the actual Asian characters were replaced by white actors

[@marteenyo]

@@somethingisnotrighthere3831 very telling how these people pick and choose when to be outraged and it just so happens that it’s only when a poor little white actor doesn’t get a role :(

[@ihatemoths]

Honestly L was the only part of that movie that was even remotely enjoyable in hindsight. Everyone knew it was gonna be trash even before it came out. I remember going into a comic store and having a convo with the man behind the counter about it. I ranted right off the bat about how BS it is that the setting wasn’t in Japan. I swear to God if they were just gonna whitewash it I wish they would’ve just made it an entirely different story rather than an adaptation. At least that way we could’ve had a more sensible plot and characters that weren’t shallow and illogical.

[@BurgerBoi1]

Tbh I was mad about both. I though : "Hey, just because Light has pale skin, doesn't mean he's white. He is still Japanese."

[@coziepanda5873]

This is making me question everything. For some reason I pictured Rue as white in the books. I have a habbit of skimming books and miss stuff, but it was brought up like 3 times! That is kinda scarry how conditioned we are to default to white... I'm gonna try to be more conciouse of this from now on, thanks for the video!