Added myself on the Doc for Argentina ^^ i would be glad to be of any help!
Another thread to keep company to the LGBT+, the mental illness and disability, and language translations ones.
The goal of this thread is letting you discuss, share thoughts and ask for advice about the portrayal of OCs from cultures, races or ethnic groups both real and fictional, so which are either different from your own one or a minority existing in a real world context, or from a fictional setting in which different cultures and races exist and can have similar dynamics.
Since it's also rather common to own OCs from different backgrounds, you can also volunteer to give advice to other users about your own Country and culture (you'll be featured in the list below), debunk the most common misconceptions, stereotypes and tropes you come across, or just share fun facts!
A few rules:
- No racism and xenophobia allowed, of course! Also, no anti-religious and anti-atheist discourse: religion is a big part of many cultures, so it can belong on the thread too, it's also fine not to want to discuss it since it can be a touchy subject, but openly attack any side and I'll block you with no regret.
- No LGBT+phobia, ableism, sexism, slurs and all that kind of nasty stuff either. You can write about heavier stuff, but spoileryour textin code view or with WYSIWYG off, or black it out like this making sure both the text and the background are the same color (or it will peek through in dark themes like this!).
- No vague-posting! Let's focus on the big issues instead of specific users who did something inappropriate or questionable.
- Be nice and safe! If something someone said here offends you but you don't reach an agreement in a few posts, please move over to your own DMs if nobody else is being involved. Also, please don't ninja other people's questions: if you're coming across this thread for the first time and someone just asked a question, please wait at least one day before adding another one - you can sub and come back later, while the other person will have a slightly higher chance of getting an answer.
- Ping or DM me if you need anything you can't ask here! I'm honestly not the most informed person on these topics, so I'll gladly leave the spotlight to someone else for your questions, but I'll try to help as much as I can.
- Edit (25/3/2020): If any of you is from a region that is contested between different States/Countries/in politically delicate situations and wants to appear on the list, I'll try to keep the region separate in every different existing part and then you can tell me which sides you want or don't want to be featured on, since it's the most neutral way I can think of doing it. If this happens, please don't attack each other over it, things are probably hard enough already.
- Edit (21/7/2020): Mods are accepted and encouraged! (see point 3 here)
Already touched on topics (suggestions on - feel free to correct anything!): ETHNIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN OCS DISCUSSION - THREAD RESOURCES
Country/culture volunteers list:
Doc format here (suggestions on): ETHNIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN OCS DISCUSSION - THE OFFICIAL LIST
Toyhouse format below:
Countries/cultures:
Argentina: mei_the_flower (born and raised in Argentina, Argentinian parents and Italian ancestry)
Bedouin culture: hajjyoda (born and raised in Canada, Bedouin parents + English and Arabic)
Brazil: @B_oloruim (Southern + music, wildlife and regional differences), ChanteRyuutai (Southern + Minas Gerais, do not DM, ping on forum), Dragongirl222 (Brazilian and Polish raised in the USA, familiar with folklore)
Cambodia: chromosome (mixed, situationally white passing, living in America), houndings (mixed, non white passing, living in U.S, 2nd generation immigrant)
Canada: CuckooHoopoe (born in Iraq, raised in Canada + Arabic names with origin, meaning and Arabic spelling) , Goldenqilin ( + native-born black with a St. Lucian background), NinjaNightCrawler (Alberta), @Percycore ( + Halifax region, cadet units and military traditions), Xhat ( + Ontario province, Italian-Canadian background, Indigenous Peoples of Canada, Canadian justice system)
Chile: reinapepiada (Venezuelan living in Chile)
China: Akeya (American-Born Chinese, lived in China), allseeinghelga (Chinese, living in SEA + food from southern China), Allyz (Mainland), @angelfayc (second hand info from a Chinese/Thai friend), @devonlyx (living in Malaysia; use "ethnicity/religion question" title if DM), @friedeggtarts (Chinese American, lived in China), Inspector-Spinda (Chinese American born in China, living in NYC), PenTem (Chinese American, always lived in the USA), @sanduke (Mainland, living in the USA), Siyu (born and raised in the USA), SpiritX (Chinese British, born and raised in UK/Britain), @VictoryVManga (Chinese American, born in the USA)
Cornish culture: triggerbolt (+ language)
Cuba: Xen (Cuban American, born in the USA and living in Georgia)
Finland: bassokissa (born in Moskow area, living in Finland), Half-Life (North Karelian born in Central Region)
France: fuelli ( + Alsace region, language, names, history)
Germany: AyomaHideki (born in Russia - Siberia - and living in Northern Germany), Jules
Ghana: AlienIsInternet (born and raised in Southern USA, one side of the family from Ghana)
Haiti: JamieMations (only questions, born and raised in the USA, stereotypes about Haitians, rules and superstitions)
Hong Kong: Allyz, CYGNET (half Indonesian living in Hong Kong)
India: @devonlyx (Chinese living in Malaysia; use "ethnicity/religion question" title if DM)
Indonesia: marquise (half Indonesian living in Hong Kong, semi-fluent in Bahasa Indonesia), PainterFight, @rizza_macka (native Indonesian), @SpacePuffer
Iran: PaperTsubaki (half Iranian, raised in Canada)
Iraq: CuckooHoopoe (born in Iraq, raised in Canada + Arabic names with origin, meaning and Arabic spelling)
Italy: Banya ( + Campania region, mostly Naples, and Puglia region), Gattoleone ( + Emilia Romagna region, mostly Bologna)
Japan: @devonlyx (Chinese living in Malaysia; use "ethnicity/religion question" title if DM), @Kasedori (Asian Studies Major with Japanese Studies focus, esp. Medieval culture, samurai culture, and influence of the supernatural and Buddhism), PaperTsubaki (some language and culture)
Jewish culture: @beetlejews, Bloof (atheist), @jukeb0xes (casual Reform Judaism upbringing in the USA), merf (Ashkenazi, observant jew + biracial as black/white, LGBT+ topics and religion; mention you're from this thread)
Jordan: hajjyoda (born and raised in Canada, Bedouin parents + English and Arabic)
Korea: Enelnimn
Latinx culture (general): @angelfayc (mostly Puerto Rican one), sixofswords (mainly Puerto Rican)
Malaysia: @devonlyx (Chinese living in Malaysia + Sabahians or Sarawakian natives; use "ethnicity/religion question" title if DM)
Malta: PaperTsubaki (second hand info from a 2nd gen Canadian)
Mexico: ChaosControl (Jalisco + brown middle class with lower class experience, food, architecture - Spanish Colonial -, traditional clothing, ancient civilizations, religion, local witchcraft - La Santa Muerte -, geography and translations), good (mixed not white passing Mexican born in the USA and visited Mexico often), roseeater (born in the USA and visited Mexico often, Jalisco specifically)
Morocco: Virgichuu (+ official and used languages)
Native American culture (general): ananas (Nanticoke, general east coast native knowledge, relatives in Roanoake), @angelfayc (relatives involved in the Trail of Tears)
Pacific Island culture (Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian): moungazz (Tongan and Māori, born and raised in Aotearoa - New Zealand - and in a predominantly Pacific Island community)
Pakistan: sleepyamaurotine (Pakistani raised in Canada - but can ask parents/relatives -, please title DMs as "ethnicity/religion question")
Philippines: Aquacanis (+ capital city), Dann (born in the USA raised in the Philippines + Modern Manilleño -City Dweller-, politics, myths, legends, history, nationalism, not Indigenous People)
Poland: @apxlonia, Dragongirl222 (Brazilian and Polish raised in the USA, familiar with folklore), Hannibalus, lordsatin (living in the USA), Mudzi (living in Sweden), @Ske1th (living in the Netherlands)
Puerto Rico: @angelfayc (born and raised in Florida, parent born and raised in New York by Puerto Rican grandparents), sixofswords (born & raised in PR)
Russia: AyomaHideki (born in Russia - Siberia - and living in Northern Germany), bassokissa (born in Moskow area, living in Finland), @ScaledSeraph (Russian-Slovenian), Wenldy
Scotland: Spacebounce_Toons (from the Southern parts)
Singapore: Jxckalito (Singaporean-Chinese)
Slovenia: @ScaledSeraph (Russian-Slovenian)
Spain: elmellois (white Spaniard; born, raised and living in the south - not Andalusia), kanelita3 (white Spanish, born, raised and living in Andalusia)
Sweden: Mudzi
Thailand: @angelfayc (second hand info from a Chinese/Thai friend), Caesura (Thai-Chinese + assimilation of Chinese ethnic group in Thai majority, translations and accurate Thai names), @devonlyx (Chinese living in Malaysia; use "ethnicity/religion question" title if DM), Ledokol (Native Thai living in rural central Thailand, speaking sort of Suphan dialect with Theravada Buddhist background)
The Netherlands: Donut-Toast (Born and raised, white Dutch person - South Holland), @Ske1th
Trinidad and Tobago: PaperTsubaki (half Trinidadian, raised in Canada)
Uruguay: @B_oloruim (Brazilian, visitor)
USA: AlienIsInternet (born and raised in Southern USA, Virginia, related Black Culture and one side of the family from Ghana), ananas (Delaware, mixed white, black, and native), @angelfayc (Florida, father from New York with Puerto Rican parents, mother from Oklahoma with Native relatives), Crossroads (Texas), Jovian (New England, particularly Massachusetts), fluffypettis (Texas), good (mixed not white passing Mexican born in the USA), @ReesesBitsAndPieces (Texas, Messianic Jewish), ROTTENDECOMP (born in Southern Illinois, often in Central Florida), SnowdropWhiskey (born and raised in south east, especially Alabama Appalachian culture, history and myth debunking), @VictoryVManga (Chinese American, born in the USA), Xen (Cuban American, born in the USA and living in Georgia)
Venezuela: reinapepiada (Venezuelan living in Chile)
Vietnam: OhMyLawdimPM (2nd-Generation American-born Vietnamese, no Civil War topics)
Religions:
Agnosticism: Gattoleone
Atheism: ananas (Raised areligiously by athiest/agnostic parents), @angelfayc, boaaekin (Raised areligiously by atheist/agnostic parents), Gattoleone, Goldenqilin
Aztec gods: ChaosControl
Baha'i: PaperTsubaki
Buddhism: Caesura (Thai POV), chromosome (SE Asian Buddhism, mixed Cambodian living in America POV), @devonlyx (use "ethnicity/religion question" title if DM), PaperTsubaki
Christianity: Aquacanis (Catholic Church, upbringing and schooling, Filipino POV), Allyz (Asian Baptist Church), ChaosControl (Catholic Church, Mexican POV), Dann (Catholic Church, Filipino POV), elmellois (Catholic Church, Spanish atheist POV), Gattoleone (Catholic Church, Italian atheist POV), PaperTsubaki (Japanese Christianity), salida (Catholic Church, Mexican-USA POV), SnowdropWhiskey (Anglican Catholic Church, Roman Catholicism, Calvinism - specifically Southern Baptist Church -, has related formation and regular contact with priests who can help answer, south east USA POV), VanillaMouse (Eastern/Russian Orthodox Church, USA POV)
Hellenic polytheism: fluffypettis, jaytxt (primarily Apollo and Dionysus)
Hinduism: @devonlyx (use "ethnicity/religion question" title if DM)
Islam: @devonlyx (use "ethnicity/religion question" title if DM), CuckooHoopoe (familiar with both Shiaa and Sunni, Iraqi-Canadian POV), @rizza_macka (Sunni, Indonesian POV), sleepyamaurotine (Sunni, Pakistani POV), Virgichuu (Sunni, Moroccan POV)
Judaism: @beetlejews, feeblebeeble (semi observant/Latino; mention you’re from this thread), @jukeb0xes (casual Reform Judaism upbringing in the USA), merf (observant Jew, attended to a Jewish day school + experience with relatives of different denomination and religions; mention you're from this thread)
Messianic Judaism: @ReesesBitsAndPieces (Texas POV)
Pagan branches: @CharlieMouse
Pastafarianism: Gattoleone
Polytheism: @Empxleon (Greek and Nordic Pantheons)
Satanism: @angelfayc
Shinto: PaperTsubaki
Slavic Native Faith / Rodnovery: Hannibalus
Witchcraft: ChaosControl (specifically La Santa Muerte)
Subcultures / Transcultural phenomena / Specific historical moments / Other resources:
Asian Studies: @Kasedori (Major with focus on Japanese Studies, with medieval and samurai culture, and some Han Chinese culture in its approach to the supernatural)
Canada, Halifax explosion: @Percycore
Cuba, rule of Fidel Castro: Xen
Disconnect both from your relatives' original culture and the one you live in: CuckooHoopoe, Dann, @sanduke
European children of Chinese parents: SpiritX
German Subcultures: AyomaHideki (Russian/German; living in Northern Germany and living the classical Heidjer German with partial knowing of Plattdeutsch)
Iraqi wars, both rich and poor, civilian and mechanic/engineer POV: CuckooHoopoe
Mixed race and white passing, or mostly white passing: Inkibea (fluctuating, Mexican-Puerto Rican and white with Celtic background)
Mixed race and not white passing: Arlatius, good (born in the USA from Mexican parents)
Mixed race POC of ambiguous race: Arlatius, Crossroads (+ not looking like your single mom, and growing up poor), merf (black/white; mention you're from this thread)
USA, 1st or 2nd Generation Asian-Americans: Akeya (American-Born Chinese, has lived in China), Dann (born in the USA, living in the Philippines since 9 yo), PenTem (American-Born Chinese, always lived in the USA), @exmoray (born in China, living in the USA since 10 yo)
USA, German-Jewish immigration in 1900s New York: @jukeb0xes
USA, street life/homelessness/hustlers/drugs/sex work + poor Black and Mexican communities: Boyfriend
White (Italian) immigrant to the UK, lived in the north of England as a child, now living in Scotland: boaaekin
hello, new guy here so go easy on me-
a few things I would like to ask:
-when drawing poc characters, what are helpful tips to portraying them in an appropriate manner? I wish to try and make more characters that are poc, I usally draw poc characters with lighter palms and sometimes two-toned lips, but are there any helpful tips?
-and let's say I would like to make an oc based off, let's say, a wendigo. if I do enough research and know the folklore behind it, would it be ok? I much rather ask tribal people who have wendigos in their folklore, would it be better if I just keep it an Idea and don't make the character? mythology and folklore are very interesting to me, however I would like to be respectful if I were to make a character based on folklore, please let me know!
added myself on the doc for china :-) feel free to ping/dm for food related questions! i can't help much with the language though
also tried to add me (kind of still confused to Google Docs sometimes ^^')
I have to full Heidjer and Friesen Geman culture experience here, so feel free to ask.
AstroWildcat may be a bit biased coming from me, but I don't think so. Even tho it's a very popular musical genre, I find it rare to see someone say their brazilian character likes it, people usually stay too much on samba and pagode for some reason. Rico and others from his story are awesome characters BTW!! Very interesting fellas to read about!! :)
- says me, a brazilian who likes Bossa Nova (that's why it may be biased, lol)
Xaytheloser ! I’m not native myself, so I cannot say anything to this, but I found a good tumblr post by a native talking about it, so I hope it helps
I'm born and raised in the Netherlands (south-holland) and am always open for questions about the culture, the people, history,, whatever! I'd love to be able to help wherever I can!
I’m Brazilian and polish, while I did grow up in America, I lived in a very non American household and have been to Brazil and Poland many times as most of my family lives there. I grew up with Brazilian and polish folklore on the Brazilian side of my family on my grandmothers side originated from the Tupi-Guaraní people. Both my middle names and last name is Brazilian. My favorite Brazilian food is feijoada which a bean dish that is made with sausage, pig ears, nose, tail. And once a year my grandmother cooks ants with farofa which is made from cassava.
Tbh I’m not a fan of polish food with the exception of polish desserts, kanapki, rabbit, kielbasa, pierogi and pickled mushrooms. The amount of of mashed potato’s cold herring I’ve had to eat in Poland, I never want to eat it again.
my Brazilian family is mostly from south Brazil and my polish family is kind of all over Poland, but my mom grew up in krakow
This is a character I made based on the polish side of my family. Her bird is a white tailed eagle, which is the national animal of Poland and the bird that is sometimes seen on the polish flag.
Additional random fact, I have 3 passports, an American, polish, and Brazilian one and I have citizenship in both Brazil and America
Plz feel free to add me to the list
I think that when it comes to representation, there really isn't a defined line between stereotypes and the lived experiences of people. I am Mexican, and my family is both loud and warm, and it's a very large family, composed of a lenghty list of members that it's impossible for me to keep track of. We also love food, and many branches of the family live in multi generational homes. As an introvert, this can be very overwhelming, but I don't think they are wrong for being this way. Many will say that potraying a family of this kind in media would be "harmful," because it makes mexicans look poor, ignorant, or some other such terms. As though these are moral failings, and not a result of socioeconomic factors that many of us are subjected to. And sure, maybe white americans are not the best people to touch on the intricacies of Mexican society, but come on, it is not worth it getting offended over representation that doesn't get it 100% right, that doesn't reflect every nuance of your individual life.
I will also say that Mexican culture is quite diverse. People from the north, the south, and the central part of the country are very different, not to mention first and second generation inmigrants and the U.S. diaspora. There are also various ethnic groups in Mexico, most notably many indigenous comunities that also have experiences that differ from those of "mestizos" (mixed race people, the most numerous and culturally dominant group). As a mestizo myself I can't speak on the experiences of those people. Even though my great-grandmother was indigenous, my grandmother has detached herself from those roots entirely, out of a sense of shame. I think many mestizos have a sense of loss. We are the dominant culture to be sure, and very priviledged indeed, but this came at the cost of forced asimilation.
I will also say that a lot of indigenous people here are Catholic or even Protestant, though the last ones are rare. Mexican Catholicism is a very interesting topic I won't go into detail here, but it incorporates many indigenous traditions, and it is not the same as the Catholism of the U.S. or Europe. Truly most people don't care what the Vatican says, because folk saints run rampant, and people believe in witchcraft and nature spirits and Jesus all the same.
If you really wanted an academic work to use for research, told from a Mexican perspective, I would recoment the essays of Octavio Paz in "El Laberinto de la Soledad." There must be at least one english translation of it out there. I would recomend going into it with a critical mind, as this was written in the 50's, but I do find it an accurate exploration of the Mexican identity as a whole even to this day, as far as I've read.
Sorry if I got any grammatical mistakes, not only is this not my native language but it's also late at night and my brain is running slower than usual. I hope someone can find this useful nwn