I know that D&D isn't usually the place to find images of racial equality for humans. I mean, elves, dwarves and halflings... sure. But D&D, and fantasy literature in general, is very white, male, and strait. Which is why I shouldn't have been disappointed that I couldn't find a nice black lady miniature. I didn't want an "African Lady" type, a caricature of some generic African culture
that may or may not fit a strange niche in Reaper's minis line. I didn't want a modern afro-lady with a handgun. I just wanted a regular figure of a fighter or cleric that happened to be black and happened to be a lady.
Doesn't look like you can even really find regular black fantasy dudes, and the lady selection is dismal as it is. Plenty of elves and dwarves and the rest of white fantasy though.
Now I know, I could just paint any figure with dark skin, but that's not really the point (the hair would be all wrong anyway). And I know its kinda odd for a suburban white fag to want to play a black lady in a D&D game. We're usually a lot more willing to let someone play a 3-foot tall forest gnome than play a character who's gender doesn't match the player's. I don't think every game is made more fun by adding real-world racial issues into it. But sometimes that's what you're thinking about and that's the story you want to explore, even if all you end up doing is say that in some fantasy world that six suburban white dudes will share, there was at least one black lady and her ass-kicking powers were on par with everyone else's.
I'm just a bit shocked, when I should know better, that there isn't a nice black lady fantasy figure or two for me to purchase. While I'm at it, the princess selection isn't great either, and you'd think there'd be half a dozen ladies in birthday hats and dresses to fit that role.
 |
| Reaper - Princess Nehanda |
Doesn't look like you can even really find regular black fantasy dudes, and the lady selection is dismal as it is. Plenty of elves and dwarves and the rest of white fantasy though.
Now I know, I could just paint any figure with dark skin, but that's not really the point (the hair would be all wrong anyway). And I know its kinda odd for a suburban white fag to want to play a black lady in a D&D game. We're usually a lot more willing to let someone play a 3-foot tall forest gnome than play a character who's gender doesn't match the player's. I don't think every game is made more fun by adding real-world racial issues into it. But sometimes that's what you're thinking about and that's the story you want to explore, even if all you end up doing is say that in some fantasy world that six suburban white dudes will share, there was at least one black lady and her ass-kicking powers were on par with everyone else's.
I'm just a bit shocked, when I should know better, that there isn't a nice black lady fantasy figure or two for me to purchase. While I'm at it, the princess selection isn't great either, and you'd think there'd be half a dozen ladies in birthday hats and dresses to fit that role.
No comments:
Post a Comment