Because they matter and I do not like being pissed on and told it's raining. What I touch on here still holds true for the lie of inclusivity in the romance writing industry. In fact, for all fields where Black creatives dare to "intrude" and where they dare to demand a voice. Personally, I still believe in us building our own and not looking to the dominant culture to showcase us. I am no longer shocked when they don't or barely do. It's not their job. I just point out the hypocrisy of those walking a tightrope on which they where forced to balance
Anyhoo.
Ho-hum. The coming holiday season, and next summer, have Black main characters in a couple animated films. Thing is they only appear for a sliver of screen time.
I saw the major bullshyte when Disney announced it was realeasing an animated 1st. A Black Disney princess. Black folk squeed and hollered and jumped for joy 'cuz the Mouse House was gonna give them their 1st Black princess, Tiana.
Poor Tiana. Poor suckered Black movie-goers. In every one of Disney's previous "princess" films, the specific Disney princess was seen throughout her movie.
But not Tiana. Nope.
In Disney's highly-touted film, devoted to its 1st Black princess, Tiana (The Princess and the Frog), girlfriend was an effin FROG throughout HALF the film. And don't get me started on the fact that her prince was not a Black guy. And that the only other Black men in the thing died or were villains.
A freakin' FROG! OY!
Now, come the next few months, there will be animated films boasting that they have Black main characters." Come one, come all, Black folk. Naw. Don't fall for the okey-doke.
Pixar is delivering SOUL. Or more like, NOT delivering soul. The main character is voiced by Jamie Foxx. We get his character as a Black man. Yes, we see him in the film BUT mid-story his character dies! And then we see and hear Jamie's previously living, breathing Black man as an apparition. WHAT THE HELL! First, he can't be seen throughout the entire film as a BLACK MAN and then secondly, when he passes, he comes back as a WHITE GHOST! OY. He can't even be his Black self when he kicks! Talk about whitewashing.
Moving on.
Lastly, in the deceptively-inclusive Olympics, we have Spies in Disguise made by Blue Sky Studios. it's an animated 007-type flick with Will Smith in the lead role. He's a man of mystery. A master of disguise. A spy.. Hence, the film name. And the ready excuse as to WHY his clearly Black character won't be BLACK throughout a major portion of the film. The only thing I can say is at least Blue Sky was sly in their bias. Or is that the audience's bias? Big movies like this one get audience-tested before release. The studio gauges what needs to be tinkered with to get a positive response, and to bring in the big bucks. OY again. I am certain, Will Smith's character, Lance Sterling, will be in disguise for over half the film. Can't have no black man being large and in charge. Even if he's an animated one
News flash: he's a PIGEON in a large part of the film. OY.
Apparently, films like these that tout inclusivity are analyzed out the wazoo for "receptivity." Studoes toss their hats into the "inclusion fray" to expand their coffers. Not 'cuz they are being kumbayah-ish. Only color they see is GREEN. So, they will pander to non-Whitticket buyers every once in a blue moon for the bank, while carefully walking a line that will not disturb their White ticket buyers
This holiday movie season, Summer 2020 movie time. I'm gonna take a hard pass on all the "inclusion." I'm tired of Black characters being everything but their human selves in animation. I think I'll pop some corn, sit back and watch classic, and/or campy, horror movies on my computer. At least they don't sugarcoat ish. They kill off the Black character right after the opening credits
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