Sensitivity Writers. AKA: avoiding cultural appropriate in writing

[Sacrosanct]

Admittedly, this isn't really something I'd worry so much about 20 years ago. I guess we always keep learning to be more self aware.

When writing (either stories or RPGs), often we write about things that are influenced by real world cultures. I'd say in the past half dozen years or so, there's been a real increase in identifying cultural appropriation. As a cis white guy from European descent, I understand if I start writing an RPG where one of the cultures is heavily influenced by African culture, it may raise some eyebrows. Doesn't matter how much research I've done, or how much I've tried to be objective.

That said, I don't think it's really feasible to say "Well, then you can only write about European cultures and that's it." I brought this up in a FB forum the other day, and it was mentioned to me how what I'm looking for is called a sensitivity writer. Kind of like an editor, but instead of grammar and format, they review for any potential red flags.

My question is, in the context of RPGs, where do you really find someone like that? Has anyone else used a resource like that, or what other ways have you tried to keep from engaging in cultural appropriation?

 

[Xethreau]

A few years ago, EN5ider produced an article called "Dia de las Dinosaurios Muertos." (Or however you spell dinosaurs in Spanish.) There was some concern about how the author did a lot of research on the subject matter, but seemed to over-mystify certain elements, and I think they also used the names of real-world mythological figures. I would find the origional posting of that article and read the comments.

As far as my own concerns, one of my active concerns is the portrayal and encouragement of sexist and racist violence. When all orcs are ontologically evil, and their culture resembles that of indigenous people, and there otherwise no other indigenous peoples in your campaign world, a player is basically encouraged to do violence against the indigenous. The same thing goes for killing "evil" women, who are frequently scantily clad to demonstrate how evil they are...

All that to say, the prevalence of ontological evil, commonplace violence, medieval gender roles, and "race"-as-a-stand-in-for-race are structural problems of the fantasy genre altogether.

... Uh, but to answer your question, I do not know. I go to seminary and I think I might be able to investigate though. I'll check back in later.

 

[BookBarbarian]

It's something I think about.

If I only write according to my own background that leads to its own problems, but when crafting fantasy cultures how do I not appropriate?

The only thing I think I've figures out right now is "avoid tropes about real world cultures".

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Is this for a published product? Or are you worried about offending your table? Or just worried about breaking some taboo? Just curious.

 

[Ryujin]

I sat in on a seminar by Ben Dobyns, of Zombie Orpheus Entertainment, on their newest series "Strowlers." It's an open world, modern fantasy series and they're working with people in Denmark, Mongolia, and Australia/New Zealand so far. Their pilot, shot in Seattle, involves LGBT community elements. Also being a cis white guy he stressed getting the stories from the people who know them. Co-operative story telling. Getting advisors from the groups you wish to represent, if not having them dictate the story, outright.

I'd say you don't need a specialist writer. You need to keep your ears and mind open, while talking to the people who are represented.

 

[Nagol]

Admittedly, this isn't really something I'd worry so much about 20 years ago. I guess we always keep learning to be more self aware.

When writing (either stories or RPGs), often we write about things that are influenced by real world cultures. I'd say in the past half dozen years or so, there's been a real increase in identifying cultural appropriation. As a cis white guy from European descent, I understand if I start writing an RPG where one of the cultures is heavily influenced by African culture, it may raise some eyebrows. Doesn't matter how much research I've done, or how much I've tried to be objective.

That said, I don't think it's really feasible to say "Well, then you can only write about European cultures and that's it." I brought this up in a FB forum the other day, and it was mentioned to me how what I'm looking for is called a sensitivity writer. Kind of like an editor, but instead of grammar and format, they review for any potential red flags.

My question is, in the context of RPGs, where do you really find someone like that? Has anyone else used a resource like that, or what other ways have you tried to keep from engaging in cultural appropriation?

1) what you you mean write only European? You can't write about anything outside your home town! Everywhere has differences.! :->

You can't culturally appropriate a fictional culture. There's no one to take it from.; no one can say you are doing it wrong and that your insensitivity can bring harm That doesn't mean you should parody a real cultural aspect, but a fictional culture with only modest parallels is just fictional.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I'll give you an example for context. I'm working on a 5e campaign setting (futurist world where PC races are synthetic, rather than organic creatures). However, each "race" has it's own identity, and some of them pull from real world cultures. Look at some of the images. You can see where one race/clan is medieval European, another steampunk, another alien, another Japanese, and another African.

My feeling is that no matter how much research I do, I may miss things and fall into incorrect stereotypes. Thus the need for a sensitivity writer for review.

 

[billd91]

Personally, I think there's a lot of confusion on common use of cultural appropriation. If you can't write about a culture to which you do not belong, you can't really write about any historical cultures either. If you're Italian-American, you're no more likely to be an authority on 1st century Imperial Roman culture than 16th century Yoruba culture or 10th century Pandya culture. Yet people seem to assume that someone from or with an ancestral connection to the same region/culture no matter what the history in between has been has some kind of natural authority to use the culture.

So as far as I'm concerned, the main remedy isn't to limit your writing based on your culture. Limit it based on your research. Show your work. Refer to your sources. Include a sidebar explaining why you may have mysticized some point of the culture to fit in with a fantasy setting rather than a historical one. Show your work. Establish the fact that you've treated the material seriously and with a good faith effort. And if you still receive criticism, analyze that criticism - do they have a better interpretation? Acknowledge it and revise. If they're just nay-sayers, ignore them.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Personally, I think there's a lot of confusion on common use of cultural appropriation. If you can't write about a culture to which you do not belong, you can't really write about any historical cultures either. If you're Italian-American, you're no more likely to be an authority on 1st century Imperial Roman culture than 16th century Yoruba culture or 10th century Pandya culture. Yet people seem to assume that someone from or with an ancestral connection to the same region/culture no matter what the history in between has been has some kind of natural authority to use the culture.

So as far as I'm concerned, the main remedy isn't to limit your writing based on your culture. Limit it based on your research. Show your work. Refer to your sources. Include a sidebar explaining why you may have mysticized some point of the culture to fit in with a fantasy setting rather than a historical one. Show your work. Establish the fact that you've treated the material seriously and with a good faith effort. And if you still receive criticism, analyze that criticism - do they have a better interpretation? Acknowledge it and revise. If they're just nay-sayers, ignore them.

In a historical sense sure, but when you start crafting fantasy cultures based on real world cultures what you choose to include from history and what you choose to exclude comes under more scrutiny.

Also it's harder to show your work on said fantasy culture when you can't even say what percent came from research and what percent came from imagination.

 

[Nagol]

I'll give you an example for context. I'm working on a 5e campaign setting (futurist world where PC races are synthetic, rather than organic creatures). However, each "race" has it's own identity, and some of them pull from real world cultures. Look at some of the images. You can see where one race/clan is medieval European, another steampunk, another alien, another Japanese, and another African.

My feeling is that no matter how much research I do, I may miss things and fall into incorrect stereotypes. Thus the need for a sensitivity writer for review.

I like Bild91's answer in general, but your case has another layer of indirection:

How will you differentiate you using a stereotype and the fictional group adopting that stereotype either purposefully or unwittingly inside the fiction?

Your writing about a fictional group that is adopting some traits from a group or groups that may have a real world origin. You're not writing about those real world groups.