Ethnic and cultural diversity in OCs discussion

Posted 4 years, 3 months ago (Edited 4 months, 28 days ago) by Gattoleone

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 spoiler
    your text
    in 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



Gattoleone

Allyz unfortunately I've seen blatant quite explicit racism and racist attitudes in my last school (like I had a classmate who quietly said nasty stuff in front of my second generation classmates before those people said they were fine with joking around it, and the school was featured on the news because some kids had sprayed swastikas on the windows around Shoah remembrance times and I wasn't surprised) so, even leaving out of school stuff that is heavy, unfortunately I have to include that; but that's an interesting experiment, and expect many could say they have experience with that leading to less blatant but still evident issues. While about the different groups, how does one end up in one rather than the other? Like, is it only a choice from the student, only from marks and teachers, or both in different amounts? (Like, here once you choose one kind of highschool and one kind of section then that's basically it, unless the students moves section or institute).

Banya I've heard vague myths while locals complain about how things are, but yeah that's drastically different. Most of the people here go on until the damn maturity exam (though everyone still hates school, my ex lyceum classmates just wanted to be drunk and copy homework the following day), and the buildings are bad and somewhat broken but not literally falling apart most of the time. Like a classroom of a friend who's still in there got moldy before Christmas 2018, and up until the current lockdown they just, have gone on not having a classroom and wandering around to find any kind of place to have lessons in; my classmates have broken chairs really easily; and the classroom we had (before one of them almost launched themself out of the 3rd floor window because of the frequent pretend brawls) had a removable layer of ceiling, so of course stocks got in there together with one of those Santa Claus hanging dolls which just stayed there dangling all the time because teachers had given up on us at that point. Main problem is just that they're very dirty, most janitors just prefer looking at everyone menacingly, talking about how nobody respects their plans for cleaning and how that's definitively the reason they don't do that. While I also can't complain a lot about Uni now, it's the prestigious Bologna University boasting about how it's great all the time, but yeah besides how there's missing planks of wood where there's supposed to be a seat and I don't understand how it happened, the electricity doesn't work most of the time, broken stuff doesn't get fixed, and some toilets flood everything when you flush (saw this in the engineering department - which was hilarious if you ask me), that's not too bad, not too many people are standing, and I'm also in one of the courses with the worst reputation that doesn't even have a central building and borrows classrooms all around so... problems are tied to transportation and rent most of all.

4 years, 12 days ago
Allyz

Wow... that's really different from what I am used to. D: Here unkindness is still present, but it's more in silent actions than outright words. Like people will simply not want to interact with you unless you talk to them first, or something like that. All minor actions, but when they accumulate it's easy to catch on to what they're trying to do. I wouldn't wish either kind of discrimination on anyone, though. I hate that both the things we describe are still being carried out despite efforts to quell it. :(

As for different groups, I'll answer in a spoiler box because my answer is somewhat long and probably not very interesting to most people viewing this post. :P

Admission to the gifted program is through a test that you can take as many times as you like (or you don't have to take it at all) from kindergarten until 4th grade. If you pass, you are given the choice to enter the gifted program.

If you are in the gifted program - then you are forced to take the IB classes a year early (in sophomore year), and you don't get the freedom to choose most of your classes, because IB requires you to take so many certain classes to get a diploma. I haven't seen too many people other than myself and a few classmates transferring out of gifted, because this usually happens in the summer before freshman year rather than anytime after.

Gen ed IB is a choice that gen ed students can choose to accept; you have to select a certain number of IB classes in certain subjects to officially be identified as an IB student. It is easier to transfer between gen ed and gen-ed-IB; you can transfer out of gifted, but you can't transfer back in.

Essentially it's very hard to move between the groups, but I have seen a gen-ed classmate enter, exit, and then enter IB again by enrolling herself in the respective classes for each program. So in theory it shouldn't be too hard to switch, but it will make class scheduling/class credit/graduating a lot harder, and possibly put you in a class where you have no friends, so most people do not want to transfer programs.

tl;dr because that was long even for me: yes, it is quite hard to transfer between programs. Now that I think about it, that might be why people from one program don't associate much with people from another program.

4 years, 12 days ago
Jxckalito

I'm happy to talk about culture in Singapore! I know it's not a country people tend to talk about (and some haven't even heard of it), but if anyone needs or wants to know anything about our little melting pot of cultures and supertrees, I'm here! I'm Chinese, though Singaporean-Chinese isn't the same as China-Chinese, so I can't talk about China. Just my little country that hardly anyone can see on a map.

4 years, 11 days ago
Gattoleone

Rexcaliburr added!

Allyz both are disheartening for anyone for any reason, and I believe it's very easy to jump from one kind to another if the context allows it... hopefully it can be fixed eventually. While thank you for the explanation, that's quite clear! I also think it's kind of a shame how you can't enter the gifted program again once you transfer out? I've had crisis moments during which I seriously considered going to another kind of school in my high school career and would have probably done it if I had a tangible chance of doing it, and not having a chance to go back if that was possible could be a deterrent but also a missed opportunity?

4 years, 11 days ago
Allyz

That is true, it's pretty much impossible to completely wipe out discrimination. ;-;

Thanks! And yeah, I was thinking the same thing about not being able to transfer back, and/or not being able to do mixed programs. It is very discouraging as you said, I do wish they would change that. :0

4 years, 10 days ago
tangas

I volunteer™ >:) to be added to the list, im from southern Brazil, most of the advice i can give is on music, wildlife and regional differences tho, i have also been to Uruguay a couple times and i travel between states at least once a year

4 years, 9 days ago
ROTTENDECOMP

Feel free to put me on the list! Born in Southern Illinois and moved back and forth to Central Florida a few times throughout my lifetime. Of course, this is just my observations and experiences.

Southern Illinois
I lived south of a small village called Belle Rive for most of the time I was in Illinois, so we lived quite a ways away from any sort of real town. Getting groceries in Mt Vernon was about 30 mins one way. If you need any first-hand information about them or Opdyke that Wikipedia can't give you, I'm your man. I don't know why you'd want to learn more but maybe it could serve as inspiration for writing your own midwestern villages/towns.

+ Fun facts

- Most people that live farther out work on their farms or at the tire factory. (In my area)
- Most people, especially ones that live in the county, have one or more dogs. (We had 5 big black ones at one point!)
- Kids will ride bikes, four-wheelers, dirtbikes, etc around town, on the highway, in the woods, literally where ever. Also kids tping at Halloween is a real thing.
- If you live in the country and let your pets roam free they will bring back things. Bones, corn cobs, a whole wild turkey, you name it.
- It's not hard to get lost if you don't know where you're going. Even if you aren't out walking in the fields or the forest, it's easy to get turned around on the roads. Beware of dirt roads if it's rained recently. Even if it's just a sprinkle there's a good chance your car might sink and get stuck.
- Look at Google Maps and you will see it's all fields. Corn and beans baby what it do.
- When you drive past someone be sure to give a wave! Three fingers off the steering wheel and a nod will do. This really only pertains to when you pass someone in the country, you don't need to wave at everyone on the highway.
- There are plenty of Amish people around and they are very nice! They also make great donuts.
- Flocks of crows aren't just a few dozen birds. One murder will blanket your entire yard. They move together like they share one mind. Don't think for a second that crows are dumb though. Corvids have the intelligence of a human toddler and they will remember if you wrong them. Plus they will tell all their friends.
- Many people hunt! Most go for guns but my dad was into bow hunting.
- Midwestern Gothic is real. You see and hear strange things when you're all alone.

Central Florida
I actually hate Florida! But I've lived here a long while so I might as well use it for some good. Not going to be giving out such detailed accounts of my current whereabouts but I can give an overview.

+ Fun facts

- Other places in the world have four seasons. Florida is more like "Hm, it's a bit chilly" for a few weeks and then the rest of the time it's warm to blazing hot.
- To continue with the seasons, there aren't that many deciduous trees in Florida so the leaves falling in autumn isn't anything to write home about. It's mostly still green.
- The soil is very very sandy. If you go in and out frequently you better be ready to sweep.
- Not everywhere is paved! I live in a neighborhood that has plenty of its roads unpaved, including mine, and we aren't in the middle of nowhere. We've paid to have them paved but they just haven't done it. My neighborhood is definitely not the only one like this, some of my friends live on way bumpier roads than mine. Unlike IL where there are dirt roads, in FL it's sand roads. It's packed down tight and every so often a truck comes down to smooth everything out.
- There are lots of cats! Most of them have owners, they just let them out of the house/are outside cats. Please get your cats their shots, get them fixed, and don't keep them outside.
- The foliage is very hard to get through if you decide to take a walk in the woods. Not that there are many places you can do that or reasons why you'd want to in the first place. To be clear this isn't about the everglades! This is about the non-swampy wooded areas that pepper the place. There are a lot of vines that will catch your foot if you aren't careful. Luckily unlike IL, they aren't typically brambles with long thorns ready to get you through your pants.
- Spanish Moss is everywhere but I wouldn't recommend pulling it from trees or touching it. They are the perfect place for bugs. Don't wear it like a wig.
- Alligators aren't everywhere. Not that you should go to your local lake and jump in without a second thought, but they don't constantly show up in people's pools.
- Unless you live on or right next to the beach odds are you don't go to the beach that much.
- Lots of old people.

I can make a list of differences between the two if anyone wants a more in-depth look at the two places! How houses are built differently and how the accents differ are pretty cool to me. Feel free to ping or dm me if you wanna know anything!

3 years, 11 months ago
Gattoleone

InCerebralTerms added! Hope it's fine being in a USA section first with the States specified second 'cause it's probably more orderly. In the meanwhile, by the way, what is the "Florida man" thing? As in, is it just a meme or do you see more oddities in FL rather than IL?

3 years, 11 months ago
ROTTENDECOMP

Yeah, that's perfectly fine! I've had my fair share for strange things in both places but yeah Florida is where all the weirdos are. Since there are more people I guess that's bound to happen but it's still strange. It ranges from more lighthearted chaos like people from my school running an Instagram about how awful/weird the bathrooms are to actual murder. Just looking at my time spent at my current school, the Florida Man sentiment is pretty accurate. There's one hallway that just smells like weed. All the time. And I had two classes back to back there. That's just my school experience, I've had run-ins with agents of chaos in the wild too.

As far as weird things go in IL it's stuff like "Oh I might have seen the ghost of an old farmhand". The most Florida Man thing that happened to me in IL was during Halloween one year some of my friends drove out in their trucks to tp my house. Unlucky for them at the same time my grandma was taking the leafblower we borrowed out from the garage and to her car. It being dark outside they didn't realize it was a leafblower and one of them yells "SHE'S GOT A CHAINSAW!". They all got in the back of the truck and drove off and my grandma was very confused because she didn't even realize they were there at first. Needless to say, I called them all idiots when I saw them at school on Monday and they never tried to tp my house again.

3 years, 11 months ago Edited 6:14 pm
FreeFallingUp13

I can actually answer why Florida Man seems so predominantly friggin' weird! It's less of "I guess people are crazy in Florida" and more "We hear more about how people are crazy in Florida because Florida laws". CNN explains this pretty succinctly [soft warning; the second link in the article mentions bugs, so skip over that if ya don't like bugs];

'Thanks to Florida's strong public  records laws -- also known as Sunshine Laws -- it's easy for journalists  to get their hands on police incident reports and churn out  attention-grabbing stories.
"Florida  has got one of the broadest public records laws in the country," says  Barbara Petersen, president of Florida's First Amendment Foundation.
You can access basic crime information almost in real time, Petersen added.
"As soon as that incident report is filed (by law enforcement), we can go and make a public record request and get it."'

Basically, crime is sensational news, and crime can be easily reported in Florida due to laws that release information to the public. So the news talks about Florida Man a lot simply due to availability of material. It doesn't necessarily mean people are crazier in Florida, it just means they're more publicly-known for it. 

Kind of makes me wonder what the hell is going on in every OTHER state that we don't hear about, to be quite honest. We've got odd stuff going on everywhere, no doubt.

3 years, 11 months ago
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