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propinquitineSo I saw the character descriptions for Stargate: 90210 Universe that were linked on ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
sga_newsletter, and noticed some subtle differences between what was posted at the Gateworld and Solutions Blog links.
The descriptions are almost exactly the same*, but the Gateworld ones include a couple of extra bits of information. First, it lists that each of the described characters is going to be a series regular (at least for one season. Sorry, Rainbow.), and that they're looking for "star names only" for Jack O'Neill 2.0.
The other difference is that, for Tamara Jon and Ron "Psycho" Stasiak, Gateworld's notes include a mention of "all ethnicities" following the ages of these characters. For the medic, Tamara Jon, there's a clarification that the ethnicity would be "Asian Preferably".
This initially pinged me because, if it's mentioned that "all ethnicities" are being considered for two characters, does that mean that they aren't being considered for the others? So, the "capable, former SG team leader", the Ivy League "daughter of a U.S. Senator", the "utter genius", and every "teenage girl's fantasy" are implicitly coded white, and potentially the only black person on the cast is going to be someone who's nickname is "Psycho", because he "lacks control over his temper", and you sure "don't want him mad at you"?
Are you fucking kidding me?
Then I looked over at the Solutions Blog post, and the ethnicity mentions aren't included in the descriptions. They're also not in the post from September 6th on Morris Chapdelaine**'s site that Solutions Blog cites to. It's possible that the difference in information on the three sites just reflects who got what info from whom, and Chapdelaine was given either an incomplete/edited version of the descriptions or edited it himself, while Gateworld got its information from an unnamed "source with a proven track record".
Maybe the information isn't supposed to convey "whites only" for the four non-specified parts, and I'd know this if I were a casting agent; maybe those kinds of comments aren't intended to be included with public releases because they reveal too much about the institutionalized racism of the TV and film industry. Who knows, maybe the ethnicity information isn't at all accurate, and some moron just included it to tweak people who are sensitive to/aware of this kind of thing.
But if it is accurate, well, it's also incredibly infuriating, and reason #412 that I'm planning not to watch the new show. I also have to thank SGA fandom -- a year and a half ago, before I started lurking on everyone's journals, I might not have noticed this, but this fandom's fascinating ongoing discussions of race and privilege have really increased my awareness of portrayals of race in the media. That's the kind of thing I'm looking for, MGM! I guess I'm really not your demographic, am I?
p.s. And thanks for being sure to have the descriptions of the female characters feature prominent notes about how "beautiful", "stunning", and "sexy" they're going to be! Lord knows we don't want any ugly girls on TV!
* ETA: Ha, okay, missed this the first time around, but Solutions Blog calls the medic "Tamara Johanson", not "Tamara Jon" as Gateworld had her listed. So, slight difference, there.
** Note: I have no idea who this guy is. Solutions Blog refers to him as "actor and sometimes Stargate guest-star", and IMDB lists him as having played "Tenat" on SG-1 (no clue, didn't watch), but much more awesomely as the lead puppeteer for SG-1's 200th episode.
sga_newsletter, and noticed some subtle differences between what was posted at the Gateworld and Solutions Blog links.The descriptions are almost exactly the same*, but the Gateworld ones include a couple of extra bits of information. First, it lists that each of the described characters is going to be a series regular (at least for one season. Sorry, Rainbow.), and that they're looking for "star names only" for Jack O'Neill 2.0.
The other difference is that, for Tamara Jon and Ron "Psycho" Stasiak, Gateworld's notes include a mention of "all ethnicities" following the ages of these characters. For the medic, Tamara Jon, there's a clarification that the ethnicity would be "Asian Preferably".
This initially pinged me because, if it's mentioned that "all ethnicities" are being considered for two characters, does that mean that they aren't being considered for the others? So, the "capable, former SG team leader", the Ivy League "daughter of a U.S. Senator", the "utter genius", and every "teenage girl's fantasy" are implicitly coded white, and potentially the only black person on the cast is going to be someone who's nickname is "Psycho", because he "lacks control over his temper", and you sure "don't want him mad at you"?
Are you fucking kidding me?
Then I looked over at the Solutions Blog post, and the ethnicity mentions aren't included in the descriptions. They're also not in the post from September 6th on Morris Chapdelaine**'s site that Solutions Blog cites to. It's possible that the difference in information on the three sites just reflects who got what info from whom, and Chapdelaine was given either an incomplete/edited version of the descriptions or edited it himself, while Gateworld got its information from an unnamed "source with a proven track record".
Maybe the information isn't supposed to convey "whites only" for the four non-specified parts, and I'd know this if I were a casting agent; maybe those kinds of comments aren't intended to be included with public releases because they reveal too much about the institutionalized racism of the TV and film industry. Who knows, maybe the ethnicity information isn't at all accurate, and some moron just included it to tweak people who are sensitive to/aware of this kind of thing.
But if it is accurate, well, it's also incredibly infuriating, and reason #412 that I'm planning not to watch the new show. I also have to thank SGA fandom -- a year and a half ago, before I started lurking on everyone's journals, I might not have noticed this, but this fandom's fascinating ongoing discussions of race and privilege have really increased my awareness of portrayals of race in the media. That's the kind of thing I'm looking for, MGM! I guess I'm really not your demographic, am I?
p.s. And thanks for being sure to have the descriptions of the female characters feature prominent notes about how "beautiful", "stunning", and "sexy" they're going to be! Lord knows we don't want any ugly girls on TV!
* ETA: Ha, okay, missed this the first time around, but Solutions Blog calls the medic "Tamara Johanson", not "Tamara Jon" as Gateworld had her listed. So, slight difference, there.
** Note: I have no idea who this guy is. Solutions Blog refers to him as "actor and sometimes Stargate guest-star", and IMDB lists him as having played "Tenat" on SG-1 (no clue, didn't watch), but much more awesomely as the lead puppeteer for SG-1's 200th episode.
