I will never understand why there aren’t more “supportive Black dad” characters. I do understand that there are a variety of different types of dads out there. Not all Black dads are perfect or good, but the thing is that most of the Black dads I’ve known/met are very loving and affectionate towards their children.
Maybe it’s because my dad is Black and I grew up in Philly (which has a primarily Black population), but I always remember my dad taking me to the park each weekend, and I would see a lot of other Black dads doing the same with their kids.
I remember how, even when some of them looked really tired, they would light up when their little child came over to them excitedly to show them or tell them about something or other. I remember the attitude of “I would die for this child.” Even now, I see some guys who talk very proudly of their children and what great jobs they are doing.
Maybe I just want to see dads who look and act like my dad, and other father figures I had growing up who just so happened to be Black. Those guys who are the exact opposites of the “absent Black dad” stereotype. Who are the embodiment of “Dear Theodosia”. Who like to bond with their children and take them places.
I am a sucker for characters with parent issues, but please give me some fluffy stuff too. More importantly, please give me more examples of supportive and loving Black dads in the media. Not even just ‘strict but loving’ or ‘overprotective but loving’, but also ones who are supportive of their kids’ interests, are a normal amount of protective, and will welcome in their daughter’s new boyfriend.
Please, I am begging you. I know that not all people are lucky in the dad department, but give us representation for Black dads who are loving and supportive and somewhat laid back but still careful when necessary.
The characters who look like my dad don’t fully act like my dad, and the characters who act like my dad don’t often look like my dad. But dads like mine exist, and there are a lot more of them than shown in the media.
I just want to see a character who is like my dad. A loving, supportive, Black dad.
EVERY SINGLE DAY there are MILLIONS of characters in their late 20s who get falsely accused of being father figures to teenagers when in reality the description of "weird older cousin" or "step-sibling that moved out before you were born" is 1000000x more apt
I love these fools so much. I hope in the end they stay together or keep in touch. I heart them its like the dad who didn’t want a cat but loves the cat
My dad has a little gag he loves doing that involves me being trans (it’s fun- don’t worry).
So, my dead name is also the name of a food item (spelled different but sounds the same). We sometimes eat that food item- it’s a nice treat. His little joke is that he will only call that food “Dead Names”- which leads to hilarious instances of hearing my 70 year old father call out “Hey, I’m going to go grab some Dead Names while we’re here!” while he’s half way down the isle in the grocery store, or him coming home and saying “hey, I picked up a box of Dead Names while I was out! :)”
It just makes me so overwhelmingly happy that my old name is not something wrapped in grief. It doesn’t represent a loss. It is something we can smile about and remember even if it doesn’t fit me anymore.
Annabeth is so much stronger then me I'm just saying if my mum got pissed and punished me for something my field trip partner did after i was nothing but the perfect child for the last 5 years meanwhile the guy who actually did the thing got nothing but praise from his dad yeah no Luke wouldn't even have time to ask me if I wanted to fight against the gods I'd already be starting my own revolution
Everyone thinks that dick was the golden child when in reality it was Jason.
Clark: Bruce who was your favourite robin?
Dick: obviously it’s me?
Tim: it’s dick
Damian: I am superior robin, it will be me.
Bruce: it’s Jason
Everyone: WHAT?!?!???
Bruce: why are you so surprised? He didn’t jump on too my chandeliers which I had to replace each week
*everyone looks at dick*
Bruce: he didn’t drop out of school
*everyone looks at tim*
Bruce: I didn’t have to stop him from killing everyone who annoyed him
*everyone looks at Damian*
Bruce: in fact, he enjoyed school and handed all his homework in on time, we would spend hours in the library reading his favourite classics. He even helped Alfred with most of the cooking, He was my little boy
i wonder where the idea of chilchuck being a deadbeat came from when theres like. no textual evidence for it ?
he knows what all of them are up to; he still writes to flertom and she sent him his neckwarmer, so that to me implies that they at least have a somewhat positive relationship?
its more ambiguous with meijack and puckpatti, but since meijack is also a picklock, i wouldn't be surprised if he taught her himself, considering how trades are often passed down through families, and because he talks about sending people to her if he dies.
also the way he talks about puckpatti is very like... it's obvious he wants her to take things more seriously, but he's accepting, and his tone here reads more fond to me than anything else.
like, he keeps his daughters' old toys under his desk? that doesn't scream 'deadbeat' at all, it screams 'empty nester' who doesn't know how to reach out or is scared to do so
EDIT: i know a lot of the 'deadbeat dad' stuff is jokes, but some people are Not joking and genuinely think chilchuck is a bad dad. this post is not saying that you cant joke about it; it is just outlining what canon shows regarding his (clearly positive) relationship with his kids.
simon riley would be running around the house and playing airplane with his daughter perched on his shoulders and then get distracted, probably by your pretty voice coming from another room asking for his help. he comes to your aid, as always, but ends up so fixated on finding you that he forgets to duck through the doorway and your kiddo wounds up with a wall to the face, doorframe bonking her in the brow hard, the little thud echoing through the room.
you gasp, dropping everything you’ve got in your hands to join simon in cradling her with endless sympathy and ‘sorry’s, smoothing over the little red mark appearing quickly on her skin.
and, oh, he feels guilty. like, painfully so. this is worse than any war crimes he’s committed, by far.
he’ll break the geneva conventions a thousand times over before even daring to put a single scratch on his precious family.
but your little girl doesn’t cry, at all. not even for a second.
all giggles and smiles as she rubs her forehead and exclaims faux disappointment in her daddy, and simon takes so much pride in that. claiming he only raises tough girls, you included as he’s ruffling your hair. you kiss both their cheeks and hum in agreement, opting not to suggest that maybe she’s like this because the exact same thing has happened more times than you can count, to a t.
also by the way i am always obsessed with how spider-people just click and can work together without anything being said in spiderverse . mcu spiderman being like "omg ive never worked in a team” “how are we going to work together” “well im on a team so i’ll lead us" like that was the most boring way to do it . spiderverse instead saying "we just know how to work together because our histories and lives are so linked, its like knowing someone your whole life. seeing the self in the other. our lives rhyme.” LIKE I LOVE YOU GUYS
there should be an oscar category called “movie my dad completed without falling asleep on the couch” and it’s more prestigious and contentious than best picture
going through my old journals as part of therapy homework and i'm reading a section written in the emotional wreckage of a full-on breakdown when i get hit with this line:
There is never a satisfying answer to ‘Why didn’t they love me?’