The black Snape controversy

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca⁩ to ⁨rant@lemmy.sdf.org⁩

The argument people are using is that Snape shouldn’t be black because Harry will be racist for suspecting him of a crime.

I’m trying to understand the psychology of the people making this type of argument.

Are they simply racist and lying about why Snape can’t be black?

Did they interpret Harry’s dislike and suspicion of Snape as being for literally no reason, so now if he’s black that will be the reason? Pretty sure Harry disliked and suspected Snape because of Snape’s actions. Snape is an abusive prick. Maybe they’ve only seen the film, which shows less of Snape’s asshole behaviour than the book did.but the film also showed that Harry suspected Snape because of evidence, like Snape being bitten by Fluffy made it seem like he tried to sneak past him.

Are these people so simple minded that if there are clear reasons Harry dislikes Snape, they won’t see it if Snape is black?

Is it because they themselves hate black people, they can’t comprehend the difference between hating a black person and hating them BECAUSE they’re black? Is there no distinction between these concepts in their minds? If they hate a black person for legitimate reasons, they also hate them for being black?

Is it that these people got called racist for calling a bad black person a racial slur? If a black person is being an asshole, you can call them an asshole, but if you call them a racial slur, I will think you’re racist. Perhaps these idiots call black people they dislike slurs and don’t understand why they’re called racist for it, so they think anyone who hates a black person, even if it’s for good reason, will be viewed as racist.

Perhaps they assume the writing of the show will be different because Snape is black. They think it automatically means the show will try to make it part of an anti-racist message. They think the actual script will call Harry racist and make him learn a lesson about suspecting black people of crimes.

I’ve seen it claimed that the complexity of Snape’s character will be ruined because now they hatred towards him from other characters will solely be about race. I’ve seen it claimed Neville will look racist now for fearing Snape. Do they think the show won’t show Snape bullying Neville?

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Comments

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MushuChupacabra@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
Is this from that book series from that TERF author?

You can just toss those books in the trash, or pack them up and forget about them.

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- Canconda@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
  I’ma take a moment to savor how she chased away all the fans that wouldn’t have cared about a black snape.
  
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rumschlumpel@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
I’d assume it’s more about the perception of the viewers than whatever the actual view of Harry and his friends is in the tv show. It’s certainly possible for the writers to fuck this up in a way that makes it look kinda racist to the casual viewer.

Then again, how large is the cross section of people who 1) care about racism and 2) don’t care about trans rights?

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lurch@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
btw. did the books even say anything about snapes skin color? if not, there were likely plenty of people picturing him black, since they live in countries where by far most people are.

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- rumschlumpel@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
  
  Severus Snape was a thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose and yellow, uneven teeth. He usually dressed in flowing black robes which made him resemble “an overgrown bat”. He had shoulder-length, greasy black hair which framed his face in curtains, curling lips and dark, penetrating eyes that resembled tunnels.
  
  I’m honestly not quite sure about “sallow” (not a native speaker), but his hair certainly isn’t described like the hair of a black person, which AFAIK is universally curly unless they use straighteners, which would be incongruous with how little Snape cares for his appearance. Hooked noses don’t seem typical of black people, either.
  
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  - FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
    My opinion is that it doesn’t matter how he was described, his race doesn’t impact the story
    
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- Canconda@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
  Nope, it’s described as “Sallow” which is essentially an unhealthy complexion that any melanin level can exhibit.
  
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  - kofe@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
    I’d have to look for it, but I watched a video a while back for a course where an African woman described how she pictured most characters as white because representation in media, toys, etc. usually have white people. Obviously she’s not speaking for every African, but I doubt I’d have thought about it without her anecdotal testimony.
    
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- ohulancutash@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
  Not explicitly, but it’s well-known that the author wrote with Alan Rickman in mind.
  
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lurch@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago
yeah, that’s stupid. what if harry and snape were black? would those peoples heads explode 😆

those people are maybe trying to confuse others about racism, so they can be openly racist.

it would only be racism, if the root of the suspicion lies in racism. the suspicion would be a symptom of the racism.

but the root of the suspicion was snapes harshness, mystique and weirdness.

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