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baebeyza · 7 years

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Unpopular opinion: European representation

The whole concept Mercy discourse about representation always reminds me how I personally, a Muslim European female, am not represented in overwatch. Or you know, at all in most american media.

Hell the japanese made a better job with Shaheen from Tekken as a middle eastern fighter. (Not that tumblr gives a shit about Tekken though)

The only time I personally felt represented in american media was with the Temeraire book series, with a DRAGON character, and only because it was a turkish dragon who hatched on german ground.

So don’t mistake me for someone who doesnt give a crap about representation. I am still waiting for a Muslim Person in overwatch.

On to my opinion:

Representation isn’t only about skin colour. Sure European black people exists, but you know what also exists?

A bunch of European States.

I cant remember having seen a lot of characters coming from Poland, Slovakia or Albania.

I personally think Reinhardt is a really nice work of representation, staying away from the german nazi stereotype and being a lovely and super badass looking grandpa. I remember my german friend tagging Reinhardt fanart with stuff like “YEAH A NON EVIL GERMAN CHARACTER”.

Because, you know, not every german is Hans Gruber.

Of course you could have made Reinhardt black or giving him turkish background or make him be Muslim, but it doesnt matter, because in the end he is a german Person and a good one.

A turkish german character is good,

A german german character is good as well, as long as the Person comes from Germany.

Talking about Germany, do you know how representation works here? In Germany, a good movie with good representation wouldn’t have to include black people like american movies, because here there arent many of them. They aren’t as big of a minority here as they are in america.

German movies would have to include turks, poles and russians. 4 Million out of 80 Million people in Germany are from turkish background, me included.

A french movie on the other hand would have to include algerians. black folk too, they even had a black Person for Eurovision once. And they again would have to include turks.

A british movie would have to include Indian and pakistani people.

See what I’m getting at?

Representation works different depending on where you live and where the story is set. A german story with no turks in is just unrealistic, you have to include at least 3 Muslim women in hijab as Extras cause in a crowded place you should at least see 3 hijabis crossing your path.

And then we have Overwatch, a game with no actual setting. The setting is not the US. NOT THE US. It’s an american game but it doesnt settle it’s story to america, it clearly goes for an international setting.

Means having a lot of European white skinned people in it is not the same as a movie set in California where all the cast members are white.

Know what would be Bad representation? Overwatch only having americans. A international Organisation and only having american people in it would be bad rep, even if all of them were black.

So yeah, having a Swiss doctor is enough representation. A black one would have been awesome, but a white doc is just as much representation, when you DONT think american and think representation = skin colour.

Representation is also about different nationalities, ethnicities and cultures.

(And guess what, Europe has a bunch of different ethnicities)

If I were to play in a german movie I would be that muslim-turkish representation, even if my skin is white.

Overwatch is something international, having white peeps from various European countries is just as much representation as having black peeps from various african countries.

Which we don’t have, they could really work on that, I’d love that.

I understand were you all are coming from. Of course it’s annoying to have so many white people. Overwatch is not perfect. If it were accurate then we sure would have more chinese, Indian and african people from various cultures in it, and less europeans.

But still my opinion still stands:

European white people who actually come from those countries and arent stereotyped are also representation in american media.

#discourse #overwatch #representation #europe #concept mercy #unpopular opinion #yeah i am aware that recently there are a lot more black folk in germany due to refugees #yeah i am aware that tekken aint perfect and that shaheen isnt said to be muslim

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