beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

#BeingLatinxInComics - Erasure of Latinx IdentitySo this is the beginning of what I hope to make an on-going hashtag of what it's like #BeingLatinxInComics and

how comics can improve latinx representation. The hashtag can be both a source of constructive criticism and

celebration of latinx characters in comics.

by Desiree Rodriguez 2 months ago

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

Finally writing something about Latinx rep in comics. If you have feelings come talk to me.

Latinx Geeks@LatinxGeeks

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree latinxs like this bother me so much in media Their latinx-ness is just in nameLike Nova, Kyle Rayner, Bane

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

So who else didn't know Selina Kyle was Latina/mestizo? *rises hand*

Charles Paul

Hoffman@CharlesPHoffman

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree That's a big "not me!" But I am so weak on DC stuff...

Latinx Geeks@LatinxGeeks

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree wait what??? Selina kyle? Like Catwoman

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

David Fairbanks@bairfanx

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree her and Kyle Rayner seem to be frequently ignored as Latinx (moreso bycreative/editorial than by fans)

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@bairfanx Yup, that's mainly what I'm writing about. I didn't know Selina was half-Cuban it's such asmall part of her history...

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@bairfanx that seems to have been completely swept aside & forgotten. Similarly with Kyle who ishalf-Mexican.

DESIREE RODRIGUEZ @BORICUADESIREE · 2 MONTHS AGO

Catwoman #89 published in 2001 pic.twitter.com/20NXfFEF7S

dogunderwater@dogunderwater

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree I knew she was possibly Latina but I didn't know it was known for sure?

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

Poké Badges in ATL@facinthecrowd

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree they Keyser-soze'd her whitewashing . Had no clue she was latina

dogunderwater@dogunderwater

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree idk if you've found this yet but it's got some backstory bit.ly/2anKUOJ

dogunderwater@dogunderwater

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree also this bit.ly/2anLQmf

dogunderwater@dogunderwater

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree yeah, I think this also was mentioned in the Jim Balent era as well (I spent awhile trying to figure this out a while ago).

dogunderwater@dogunderwater

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree no prob! I feel like her Latina heritage was a retcon back in the 90s but hadbeen handily ignored since.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@dogunderwater I just tweeted a panel from Catwoman #89 where Harley narrates/recaps herorigin. Her mom was a brown latina too.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

Charles Paul

Hoffman@CharlesPHoffman

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree Like, if Black Cat's dad was Cuban, that would be hard to miss because he's abig part of her origin.

Charles Paul

Hoffman@CharlesPHoffman

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree It doesn't help that (to my knowledge) her family isn't a big part of her backstory,so it's easy to skip over.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@CharlesPHoffman I'm into DC stuff and I didn't know either. And it's not like any adaptions since2001 of her have cast a latina actress

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@CharlesPHoffman So really you'd have to either be a Catwoman expert or been reading comicsfor a decade plus to know this tiny detail

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@CharlesPHoffman A detail made tiny by the fact it's only ever been brought up twice in Selina'sentire decades long history.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@dogunderwater I don't know much about her father's side so she could be Italian. She's defmestizo.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

Kimberly Muñoz@kimberlymunoz

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree I got feelings on how just as Sunspot rises to prominence he's no longer drawnas Afro-Latinx.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@kimberlymunoz Admittedly I don't know much about Sunspot but I do know about hiswhitewashing. Tell me more about how you feel.

Kimberly Muñoz@kimberlymunoz

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree So he's leading two titles this year. One, U.S.Avengers has a lot of press. ...

Kimberly Muñoz@kimberlymunoz

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree it feels like the only way we can get Latinx characters, much less Afro-Latinxcharacters leading books is to whitewash

Kimberly Muñoz@kimberlymunoz

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree At the same time lots of people are asking for more representation like a MissAmerica book.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@CharlesPHoffman It's not but it easily could be. It's strange to know so little about her backstoryconsidering she's such a BIG char.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@CharlesPHoffman It's wild to think since 2001 (when it was established she was half-latina) therehasn't been a single latina actress...

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@CharlesPHoffman to play her on screen.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@dogunderwater Oh really? I have to do more research but it looks like there's precedent thatshe's latina.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

This is a really good point. Any other Latinx chars has this happened to? #BeingLatinxinComicstwitter.com/kimberlymunoz/…

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

This is interesting b/c since 2001 Selina has been in three live action adapted series & she's beenplayed by white women in all of them...

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

So it's no surprise that fans only know her as white when both mainstream adaptions & the comicsignore her mixed race latina status.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

.@ilikecomicstoo has a great article about #BeingLatinxInComics ilikecomicstoo.com/spotlight-on-l…

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

#BeingLatinxInComics where their any other chars ppl know of that they were surprised to learnwhere Latinx?

Rudy

Trevizo@Rudy_Trev

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree I was surprised to learn Kyle Rayner and Sam Alexander were Mexican a lilwhile back.

Rudy

Trevizo@Rudy_Trev

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree I immediately got frustrated at the erasure of their Latinx identities.

Rudy

Trevizo@Rudy_Trev

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree Honestly I think with Sam, I had just forgotten because he’s always depicted asjust a white kid but I believe his mom

Rudy

Trevizo@Rudy_Trev

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree had visibly darker skin. With both, there’s just no reference (as far as I know) totheir not being just white dudes.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

DESIREE RODRIGUEZ @BORICUADESIREE · 2 MONTHS AGO

For me one of the chars I was surprised to learn was latina was Lady Rawhide:

pic.twitter.com/KP2OursgE0

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@EmmaHouxbois She looks like a wild west version of Jean Grey or Babs G. If she was a whitehispanic I'd get it but she's apparently not.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

DESIREE RODRIGUEZ @BORICUADESIREE · 2 MONTHS AGO

I'd also like to point out that Lady Rawhide's brother looks like this: #BeingLatinxInComics

pic.twitter.com/WFZVZRa2WJ

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@dogunderwater Kyle was a surprise for me as well. As was Sam Alexander aka New Nova.

jessica@rrobbiereyes

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree maria hill. i read somewhere that bendis said she's 1/4 latina but in the comicsthere's barely any backstory for her +

jessica@rrobbiereyes

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree + considering she's being portrayed by cobie smulders in the mcu.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

DESIREE RODRIGUEZ @BORICUADESIREE · 2 MONTHS AGO

@rrobbiereyes Bendis said she was 1/4 latina on his tumblr. That's the only confirmation I've ever

seen for her... pic.twitter.com/q2mrqd6tdK

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@rrobbiereyes But she's one of those comic chars that's always been considered raciallyambigious or latinx.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@rrobbiereyes In the comics her design has changed from being brown, to lighter brown, and inthe cartoon she was brown as well.

dogunderwater@dogunderwater

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree Kyle Rayner was a surprise to me.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

DESIREE RODRIGUEZ @BORICUADESIREE · 2 MONTHS AGO

@Rudy_Trev She does as does his sister, which goes back to what @kimberlymunoz said earlier

pic.twitter.com/1TSCaqVMpu

Kimberly Muñoz@kimberlymunoz

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree @Rudy_Trev I've noticed similarities between Nova and Blue Beetle, butsometimes it's like Nova's Latino bg is forgotten.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@LatinxGeeks I feel this exact way. Especially with latinx character from non-specified latinxorigins.

Latinx Geeks@LatinxGeeks

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree yeah they make it such an important part of the character and it's ridiculouscause to us it is a big deal

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@LatinxGeeks What do you think are some of the biggest problems with how Latinx chars areportrayed in comics?

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

Latinx Geeks@LatinxGeeks

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree very few of them are actively culturally Latinx There's no investment andunderstanding of what it means

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@kimberlymunoz @Rudy_Trev I think that can be attributed to the fact Jaime's latinx culture isactively included in his presentation...

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@kimberlymunoz @Rudy_Trev to readers (he's colored darker than Sam, he speaks Spanglish,he celebrates his culture) whilst Sam...

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@kimberlymunoz @Rudy_Trev doesn't receive the same treatment. There's only two incidents Iknow of where Sam's Mexican culture is addressed

Kimberly Muñoz@kimberlymunoz

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree @Rudy_Trev I agree. Then you have writers like Bendis who use their comics tomake the argument that race isn't defining..

Kimberly Muñoz@kimberlymunoz

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree @Rudy_Trev but then it's completely dropped from characters when it's not!

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@LatinxGeeks Exactly. There's a lot of misinformation about what being Latinx is & I find thisreflects back in comics.

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@LatinxGeeks Not just writers, but artists, colorists, and Editors too. The background of comicsneeds to change.

Latinx Geeks@LatinxGeeks

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree they do Whitewashing and the sad mess that parts of Miles are a product of alack of Poc in positions of power in comics

Latinx Geeks@LatinxGeeks

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree it's why I truly believe poc writers should write or have input in poc charactersRobbie felt real bc he felt latinx

Elana Levin@Elana_Brooklyn

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree marvel is all set in NYC. Is anyone Puerto Rican? Dominican? Cuz in real lifethat's over 25% of population

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@Elana_Brooklyn Miles off the top of my head. Anya/Spider-Girl not sure where a lot of the Latinxchars stand in Marvel anymore.

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti

Elana Levin@Elana_Brooklyn

2 MONTHS AGO

@BoricuaDesiree but then I'm still baffled by the fact that they make new characters w Anglonames at all. White ppl in NYC aren't wasps

Desiree Rodriguez@BoricuaDesiree

2 MONTHS AGO

@Elana_Brooklyn I like the way @LatinxGeeks said it best, many of these chars are latinx in nameonly. S/t literally, s/t in press only.

DESIREE RODRIGUEZ @BORICUADESIREE · 2 MONTHS AGO

Hey thanks to everyone who discussed #BeingLatinxInComics with me today! Great discussion &

helped a ton! pic.twitter.com/Z4Fb3f73XU

https://storify.com/Desiree_N_Rod/beinglatinxincomics-erasure-of-latinx-identiti