Zainab Akthar (retrato, der.) escribe sobre comics alternativos desde hace más de una década, y su proyecto SHORT BOX le da un espacio a esos autores que en el underground están haciendo arte secuencial no solo sobresaliente sino quizás con mejor calidad que lo que está en boga.
Recientemente, ella abrió un hilo en Twitter que da en el clavo acerca del sinuoso, complejo pero muy relevante tema de la inclusión.
Hands down, este es el mejor texto sobre “Diversidad en los comics” que hay: elocuente, propositivo y que zanja el tema en definitiva.
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Once again:
— No, I will not be on your ‘women in comics’ panel.
— No I will not be on your ‘diversity in comics’ panel.
I will not be on any panel that foregrounds facets of my marginalised identity as the only value I have to offer within a field I excel in.
It’s really simple: representative inclusion. Have people of colour on all your panels, whether they’re on Batman, sci-fi in comics, marketing your indie business, how to run a crowdfunding campaign. Scrap the performative progressivism of ‘diversity in comics’ panels.
No con should be having one token ‘diversity in comics’ panel where people of colour are given a shufty. This has been happening for *years*: move forward—do the basic work and include people, ask them to be on your multitudes of panels encompassing a range of topics instead.
These kind of panels are symptomatic of the general diversity disease where marginalised people are reduced to their identity as a means of allowing white people to maintain control of the narrative. Achievements are seen only through the lens of ‘good for xxx’.
My work isn’t ‘important’ (pat, pat) because I’m a brown Muslim woman, it’s important because it’s fucking good.
Diversity in comics panel: ‘People who aren’t white exist? In comics?? May have something to offer?? More over at the women in comics panel.’
Diversity in comics panel: ‘mine your experiences of oppression in a bid to vindicate your humanity.’