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



CuckooHoopoe

I would like to volunteer to help provide info about Islam, Iraq, and Canada.

Iraq is pretty diverse when it comes to skin colour, you have people who are super pale (like me) and you have brown people. I don't think there are any super dark people (if you want info on black muslims you would have to find someone from Somalia). Fun fact: while the majority of iraqis have dark brown hair and eyes you can still find people with light brown hair and blue eyes. My great-grandma had grey eyes! 

At one point in history the islamic empire spread from the middle east thru northern africa and then thru spain, so many countries here also have large muslim populations. In the middle ages there were a bunch of trade routes that allowed for movement of physical goods, technology, religion, etc. This includes flow of genes. I know I share a bunch of physical characteristics with Hispanic ppl, some ppl have approached me asking if i was spanish, and i personally have thought some spanish people were arab. this doesn't apply to everyone but its a cool lil thing to consider.

Islam can be divided into 2: Shiaa and Sunni, the majority of muslims are Sunni but in Iraq (and Syria i think) the majority of the muslims are Shiaa. Of course, this division has caused multiple wars (and countless ongoing issues). Iraq is surrounded by Sunni majority countries so there is a lot of tension built up bw them, and of course we had our lovely dictator who had to go and start a bunch of wars so you can say many ppl hate us lol.

While I personally have not experienced war I have many wartime stories from both my parents (how everyday life, school, etc was impacted by war), my dad fought in 2 of the wars, so I guess I can help with civilian POV and mechanic/engineer POV. One of my parents grew up poor and the other rich so I can help with both social classes. 

Techinically am a 1st generation immigrant but I was so young when I came to Canada so I know the struggle of not fitting in with either the canadians or iraqis. At home i was raised as an iraqi/muslim child but then when I go to school I would learn about how "dangerous" muslims can be. On the TV at home I saw middle eastern news,I often saw violent/gory images on TV while my friends where completely innocent and naive. This has caused many arguments bw me and my friends. I was often told I was insensitive when it came to Canadian news, but you cant blame me, canadian issues are so tame compared to the death and destruction that occurred in Iraq.

despite all this let me tell you, its not muslims that are violent, all of our issues can be traced back to greedy selfish politicians that hide behind the name of islam. i promise we are good ppl, but i understand if you dont believe me.

If anyone has additional questions please dont hesitate to send me a dm, i promise i wont hurt you

3 years, 11 months ago
Gattoleone

CuckooHoopoe added! Would you like me to specify if you are Shiaa rather than Sunni in the religion section in case someone were to be more interested in the differences between the two branches? And for what matters I've never come across a dangerous or even willingly disrespectful muslim before, and I think that's disgusting how tragedies, fear and the simplification of way more complex phenomena have been largely used by just as greedy and manipulative people to demonize the whole religion on the other sides. I expect nobody to act on harmful stereotypes and misconceptions at least here.

PaperTsubaki added a second-hand section for Malta ahah, hope some other user with experience there pops up eventually but every bit of perspective can be useful!

3 years, 11 months ago
CuckooHoopoe

LeoLeonis My parents taught me about both sides, and I dont really have a bias to either. There really aren't many differences between the 2 despite all the issues it's caused. 

Oh I also can help with Arabic names (origin, meaning, Arabic spelling)

3 years, 11 months ago
Gattoleone

TheTraitorPaladin added!

Everyone: I've added a doc in the OP listing everything that's already been said so far, so navigation will be easier. Editing suggestions should be allowed, feel free to change things up as you wish!

3 years, 11 months ago
seerseyes

I dont personally have a question, but on the religious side of things i can offer information on a few of the pagan branches. ^^

3 years, 11 months ago
Virgichuu

Hey! I'm a Muslim Sunni Moroccan and would love to provide info about my country! Experiences are pretty varied and the education depends on how you were raised and what kind of school you attended! I don't see much about my country but I can offer some insights and explanation as to which language we use (for instance Arabic is the official language and French comes in second but of course, we use Darija and Amazigh when we speak). Morocco isn't exactly Arab either since it's originally a Berber country and later became a mix of the two when Islam was introduced!  

3 years, 11 months ago
Gattoleone

Virgichuu added! And quick curiosity of mine: I've met a few people with grandparents from Morocco and got the impression that skiing is currently quite a big deal, besides some champions being Moroccan themselves, so is it? Or is it more of a tourist thing?

3 years, 11 months ago
Virgichuu

LeoLeonis Oh that's awesome!! Yep, skiing isn't unusual nor is it especially touristic! There are quite a few places where people would go during winter for skiing or skating! Near my city there is a mountain called Oukaimaden and lots of people go there during winter for these kinds of activities! Another good place is Ifrane which is a city often visited during winter as well for that purpose! So yeah it's quite the thing here first for us but also for tourists! I tried it once lmao it's pretty fun and some do it whenever they have the chance to!

3 years, 11 months ago
Xen

I'd be more than happy to help out anyone looking for information on Cuba's or USA's culture, history, ethnicity, way of life, outlook, ect ect. I can do either general questions about the US, or questions about Georgia as that is the state I reside in.

I'm a Cuban American, born on US soil a few years after my mom arrived here from Cuba. I consider both my countries and love them both sm so I'd be happy to help anyone with questions!! I won't be able to answer everything, but my entire family is full of very passionate Cuban-Americans who've traversed pretty much every part of US and Cuban culture and I'm sure none of them would mind me peppering them with questions!

For specific historical moments, I'd be able to help out most with both the rule of Fidel Castro in Cuba, I've studied that up and down the walls at this point lmao.

3 years, 10 months ago Edited 7:10 pm
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