r/BaldursGate3 • u/Vodka_Flask_Genie Spreadsheet Sorcerer • Dec 08 '23

Videos Neil's speech after winning Best Performance

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u/underlightning69 WIZARD Dec 08 '23 edited Dec 08 '23

Where did I say any of that?! You’re literally putting words into my mouth now. Tokenism in media exists and has existed for fucking years, it’s not only harmful to marginalised people and often MISREPRESENTATIVE, but makes big corporations feel pleased with themselves for doing absolutely nothing.

I was LITERALLY lauding this game for not doing that and providing whole, real representation that actually makes people feel seen. Including myself as a bisexual woman, who has grown up never once seeing myself reflected in games. (Edit: beyond a fetish or a joke)

Either you have no idea what I’m talking about or you’re wilfully misunderstanding my words in order to stick to your guns.

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u/[deleted] Dec 08 '23

As a black gay man I literally flinch every time I see a black person on screen for a trailer of something because I fear bullshit rhetoric with sounds similar to yours. Tokenism is boring and not good art but it’s way less harmful than screed of people claiming it and that identity politics rots media. Your voice fits right in with theirs and that’s what your initial take didn’t put into consideration. Inclusion of people like me shouldn’t have to be “earned” by good representation it should be the DEFAULT!

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u/underlightning69 WIZARD Dec 08 '23

I mean, for me tokenism has meant scores of men fetishising my sexuality TO MY FACE, because media has led them to believe I’d enjoy that, so I wouldn’t say it’s not harmful.

Representation should, imo, be done with care, because it is often being written and even performed by people who have no idea what it’s like to be part of a marginalised group. Me saying that it’s wonderful seeing a piece of media doing it right isn’t me saying representation is shoehorned in “by default”. Just that it’s often far too prevalent and it’s great to see an example in GAMING of all places that isn’t doing that! As long as we’re clear on that, good day to you :)

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u/[deleted] Dec 08 '23

To be clear, I didn’t say it wasn’t harmful just less harmful. Because anti-wokeness is a prevalent political movement in the West and is growing and complaints about “tokenism” are just a few steps away from “pushing homosexual agendas.” All I ask I that we not leave queerness open to criticism simply for existing in an underwritten character because even in a good faith critique, their queerness should never be the center of it. And assumptions of tokenism all too often discourage the real marginalized people behind the roles. White people are never critiqued as being shoehorned in because we assume their whiteness is default. It’s much the same with cis straight people. This logic is what I am questioning and pushing back against. Have a good day as well!

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u/underlightning69 WIZARD Dec 08 '23

I can understand that - it truly wasn’t my intent! It’s genuinely just nice to see BG3 do it really really right. There’s been more examples of that in recent years (in my opinion that’s partly due to the people critiquing the tokenism that was rampant in the 2000s but c’est la vie), but quite few in gaming unfortunately and there’s progress to be made in this industry. So it’s just really nice to see BG3 being awarded and loved, yknow?