This site has sort of a political context... Ok, not really. I'm an addict of the show, and no matter how much I hate what it stands for I can't stop watching it.
(Note: As I repost this rant and move this site, I can proudly ay that I haven't watched BtVS in a month, at least). Ep. 7 x 17, "Lies My Parents Told Me", where it's 'ok' for Spike to almost kill Wood, and Buffy's somehow not insane for allowing this - according to the 'moral leanings' and the way we're expected to see the episode - did it for me. Goddammit, I identify with a 30 years dead Slayer (Wood's mother), go figure. I carved my little place of belonging so deep (or maybe there was just no where else for it to fit) that I thought it would never be touched. But it was and now that's over. If you'd like to read a very violent story I wrote about this, click here.)
When I first realized this would be a site for the non-white characters on Buffy, I felt really hopeless and like it was a pointless endeavor. In my opinion, Joss Whedon and Co. couldn't write a character of color for an audience of color to save their lives. And they don't really feel like trying. So what's the point? After all anyone who's a fan of the show, especially someone like me who gets off on watching this .
But then I thought, what about people who find those characters interesting and want to read up about them and the actors who play them? Not to mention, I would like it if someone else made this site and I found it. Plus, it's a hobby. So the site stays.
Now where was this rant going? Oh, right. I wrote a long opinionated rant on a Willow/Tara 'shipper site, Extra Flamey (actually a pretty good site). I posted it to the guestbook as a response to one of their essays. And while they don't deal with issues of color, gays and lesbians are minorities and they have some interesting articles and essays about that. And I felt like posting my own rant here, which also goes into the pimping of women of color that I find in the Buffyverse, as well as the 'good nigger' approach taken with Gunn's character. Also, I realize the title of this page isn't that hot. Any ideas? email me!
Ok, first, thanks for the longwinded but important essay. It is common for people who aren't minorities to just, no offense, but to just NOT GET IT... they just DONT GET IT... I don't know why, either everything goes on in their subconscious minds, or they actually don't have a clue, and I know sometimes I am like that too for other minorities, so I totally get having to hold someone's hand through WHY it was wrong, and HOW it was wrong, and WHY it was SO WRONG... [ the last three episodes of season 6 BtVS]
That being said, to be honest, that is what BtVS does. Season three it was Faith... having identified myself with the "bad" girl, I was really hurt. She just got ripped apart. You can tell when people are putting things into your mouth. And I think she was redeemed because the writers didn't expect so many people to identify with her. To love her. They didn't expect that, but of course it was destined to happen , because Buffy and Faith are just part of one person really, and no matter how much you try to separate them, they're part of you and you will go to any lengths to protect them.
Another thing is Faith's hair color. This goes on in Xena too. The blonde is good, the brunette is bad, this is about white supremacy.I don't think Buffy is the best role model ever.
I will always be greatful for having as an archetype and being able to dream about being a strong amazing woman. But the thing is, Buffy herself is an archetype, in the same way of being new, she is not new. She is strong, and despite the words put in her mouth she's bright. Which is why , up until about season five, every time she did something amazing, she would have to say something stupid or that made her look dull. She was virginal , and as her power grows, her frame shrinks. That might be a SMG move, or not.
One thing people, collectively , will do to a woman is say, ok, you think you deserve this? Well, alright, but you'll really be worth nothing unless you can do AAALLL this...
Buffy is a character who is liked so much, in part, because no female that size, unless a hardcore bodybuilder/gymnast, is that strong. No female is as strong as Xena, another heroine. So it's ok for them to be role models, because it's impossible to achieve what they do. And then there are other hindrances. Buffy has to constantly look like a dumb blonde and care way too much about clothes, Xena has to constantly atone, even for things she didn't do.
On Angel, one of my serious peeves, is Gunn. They had the scene at the end of season 1 where Gunn said, " I dont need some white guy.. telling me what to do." I'm black. I know that scene. It's the scene where the black character gets angry for no reason and brings up race, so that later on in the show, s/he will be incapable of questioning the motives or calling the shit of the character they dissed, because , hey, the've already gone there in a moment where the white charcter has been without blame, and of course, it's more of an issue to the black character, and they're imagining things.
Then we got to the point where Gunn had to leave his friends. Then we got the point where Gunn had to fight his friends... and WTF!!! was that twisted scene about his sister acting all sexual when she'd been turned vampire about? I know vampires act as another cliche, partially sexual. But I also know when I'm being duped. I've seen it in The Bodyguard, I've seen it in Mission Impossible ll . Black women are constanlty being treated asexually, or conversely being put in all of these bizarre sexual situations. And everyone has love interests, but of course they had to make Olivia, Gile's interst, black, and she shagged him and left about after five minutes... There was the scene for me that really clinched it, where Gunn said something like, "Anne's a nice, (white, blonde girl who runs that shelter in L.A. who used to be part of a vampire worshipping cult on BtVS) girl" - and here we finally see color-, and he takes all the kids in a room, and says I know you, and I want to make sure you're not taking her for a ride."
These things can be passed off as coincidence...up to a point. Here ,we see the "gone with the wind" "happy slave" myth who doesn't want to be free, the myth of the stranger who is the protector, and is constantly giving of themselves to others, they are loved and revered, but only as long their needs are left behind. Once that stops, bring out the rope and the guns.
This is also another aspect of the Buffy myth archetype, and of the Xena archetype. If you've read "Dance me Outside", you know about the Native Indian, who died doing it to save his own hyde... naturally he was branded a hero. Trying to save your life brings on heroism. So when the writers pulled the W/T shit, I was definitely not surprised. It's what they do, unfortunately. If only I could stop watching that fucking show now!!