Lit Ignorance is Bias: The Diversity Manifesto

Gina Rodriguez is one of the actors being considered for a role in Episode VIII that may be a romantic interest for Finn, considering they're apparently doing auditions along with him to see their chemistry. This is the movie Benicio del Toro is also going to be in so ¡wepa!



I am for this.

 

I don't watch that show but sure, why not.

 

Why not indeed

 

I hear good things.

 

Part II of Chuck Wendig's interview with EW, in which he discusses one of the protagonists of Aftermath who is gay. Some light spoilers, obviously.

 

Was just coming here to post that.

Alas, I don't want to read it yet--but I did see which character it is, and I'm so down with this.

 

I'm listening to the new EU novels on audiobook now. I recently finished A New Dawn (ho hum) and am now in the middle of Tarkin, which I am enjoying. I'm looking forward to all of the adult novels but am really looking forward to Aftermath. I already was anyways, but it's extra exciting to hear about the gay character. I feel like I've been waiting for this - a gay hero in Star Wars - my whole life.

 

I think there are now as many or more (depending on how you interpret Sarn Shild) gay characters in the new canon thus far as there were in the entirety of Legends up to TOR's post-launch content.

 

I can't read Aftermath until Sunday but oh man not only is that one character gay but another character has a gay relative (who has a gay spouse)... this book is basically the gayest Star Wars book ever written.

 

Aftermath is gayer than the entire EU put together.

 

Well, yes, but that's not exactly a high bar to clear. We've had, what, two novels with gays in them before (Lords of the Sith and one of Traviss's)?

It'll be years before they catch up with the xenophilic novels thanks to Corran.

 

I only skimmed Aftermath in an hour, but based on Wendig's interviews, I expected him to be incredibly precious about diversity, so I'm pleasantly surprised that he's not. He's really pulling it off in a grown-up way, realistic to the universe.

To be clear, it's not that I wouldn't be happy with a pronounced portrayal -- it's just that a book like this is going to reach some kids who grew up homophobic, franchise being as universal as it is, so it achieves its maximum potential for infiltrating their consciousness in a positive way if it's handled pretty much exactly how he's handling it. I kind of loathe his "doing it for the kids" attitude otherwise, but this is one area where it works.

 

It is apparently back. Also “Lady” Beck there is an impressively racist and "bitchy" person in general, though nothing new for the Empire.

 

ARGH. I hope that can be chalked up somehow to whoever's POV the third person narration is focusing on.

 

Haven't read that one yet but it sounds to me like it's her POV---which is easy to chalk up to a "man I'm awesome" attitude.

 

That sounds like a factual statement - "Very few of those holding high ranks in the Empire" would just be a matter of counting.

And the way that Storygroup supposedly operates, we wouldn't see something like that get through unless they agreed with it.

 

There's a Sithload of female Imperials in Aftermath (including another high-ranking officer besides RAE SLOANE), FWIW.

 

Jude Watson just recently confirmed on Twitter that she intended Ferus Olin to be read as gay.

 

Oh, wow. First I've even heard that was a theory.

 

There's also a female Moff in the Lando comic (with some "impressive" nicknames). There's Maketh Tua in Rebels and apparently Governor Pryce (her as of yet unseen boss) is also female. Moff Mors, etc. So they're gradually chipping away at the whole "the Empire was virulently misogynistic" thing (which never made much sense to being with imo).

Also can we get a novel, or maybe a comic book mini, centered around Rae Sloane? Pretty please? She seems really interesting.

 

I thought there were some not-so-subtle hints in the Last of the Jedi books with regards to Ferus's relationship with Roan Lands.

 

Huh. Never thought I'd hear that explicitly confirmed, but it doesn't totally surprise me either.

 

YA character, right? After checking Google images, yeah, he's looks pretty gay, and just plain pretty. I love his hair. Re: Watson's intentions, its funny-not-actually-funny that she's speaking up, after Aftermath is released. Comes off as a Rowling copycat. Well...I welcome this revelation.

Are these books enjoyable by an older audience? Bcs I would love to read abt a male Force user that prefers a good laser-sword fight, if you take my meaning. Padme was always an impediment to the true OTP of Star Wars!

 

I'm not sure "theory" is quite the right word for it. Widespread automatic assumption, perhaps?

 

I liked them well enough.