system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Being a minority is not a character trait.

Now, I don’t have much high ground to stand on, being white...and a man. That said, please hear me out, and please refrain from crucifying me. I don’t have a single problem with a character in a work of fiction being non-white/non-straight/non-cis male (and for the record, I’m actually bi, so yeah). In fact, I support representation on all fronts (except MAPs, fuck them.) But if a character only exists to be a minority or to act as representation in a fictional work that isn’t explicitly about minorities* and their persecution by the majority, and they don’t possess any real character traits or development, then in a way, what’s being done to them is as bad as being discriminated against; they’re being exploited. Then they aren’t really characters at all, are they? Pardon me for saying so, but at that point, they become caricatures, no pun intended. Now, obviously, I’m willing to be politely corrected, or else I wouldn’t post here. 


Edit: Okay, so, I really should have been more specific with this title. I should have renamed it, “Being a minority is not an inherent character virtue or a character flaw” or something like that. I don’t know. That said, thank you for not being upset with me, and for giving honest yet polite rebuttals, especially regarding a topic like this. 

Edit 2: Thank you again for your honesty. Unfortunately, I have to be going now. I apologize to anyone whose questions weren’t answered, and I apologize to anyone I may have unwittingly offended. I’m not trying to leave to get out of having to debate with you. Again, thank you, and I’m sorry.






*I can go back and edit this if people would prefer that I cut down on the word “minority.”
gpt
Why does a minority have to only be present when it's required for narrative purposes? Why can't they just exist in the same way that bad characters that arent a member of any minority group exist? 

Do you have any problems with a character being white and straight and male unless it's directly related to the narrative? Probably not something you think too much about, that's just the way things are right? 

So why does one type of character need an excuse to exist while another needs no explanation?