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When creating a story with minority protagonists, is it better not to create white male characters? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 week ago by Hickak@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I may not be 100% wrong, but I noticed a pattern. Whenever a story is led by minorities and white male characters are secondary, most of the time right-wing ideological white men start complaining and attacking the story. So if someone is starting to create a story, is it better to focus on a certain audience and not create white male characters? Or is that an exaggeration?

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[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Always tread the high ground. You do not need to make any statements or push any sentimental or ideological perspective.

If you are into it, read The God Emperor of Dune for a great example of exploring complexity of characters and how to tackle the subject.

Leto II is extremely dominant and authoritarian to he point of instability and terrorism and yet at the same time he is also the most altruistic and kind person in the Dune universe. Duncan is the lover ladies man and ideologue but also foolish and impulsive. Siona is a strong women and on of the main characters and yet there is not even the slightest hint of some feminist agenda even though this was written in the 1960's to 1970's. Hwi is a beautiful smart woman with depth that is torn between the love of two men. Nayla is a shallow but likable soldier with remarkable loyalty. She is part of an all women's army called The Fish Speakers. There is even a passage where this army goes out of control and rapes men. This is the only element of the book that I felt like it was clearly delineating Frank Herbert's stance that the women in this book were in fact a ideological choice and more than just great character building. Yet still, nothing about this was forceful, it was simply amusing in breaking preconceptions of my reality. I highly recommend the read.