Racebending.com

Welcome to another edition of the Saturday Link Roundup! This week, we ask: seen anything good on TV lately?

Even as the number of gay characters on television are increasing, how many of these characters are represented by gay performers? Why’s the South Asian guy always on the sidelines? What is Tom Hanks saying about Japan and Islam?

• Gay actors: an open and shut closet – via James Mottram of The Independent
  
  
  James Mottram explores why Hollywood now openly depicts gay characters in its movies, but still won’t give big chances to gay actors. Mottram writes: “Right now, if you’re a straight actor in Hollywood, it’s great to be gay.” Another case of a failure for Hollywood to understand that while anyone can play a role, there’s value in an actor representing his or her community.
• Asian American Commercial Watch: All American Mom, Daughter & Boyfriend in Target Ad – by John of 8Asians
  
  8Asians spotted this ad from Target, featuring an all-American family – who happen to be of Asian descent. Check it out: an ad where Asian Americans aren’t trussed up in samurai gear, doing kung fu, or solving math problems.
• Always the Sidekick – via Sepia Mutiny
  
  Sepia Mutiny writes about how South Asian faces are becoming increasingly common in American media – but rarely in the spotlight. The rise of “ensemble cast” entries is heartening, but where are the full-on South Asian representing shows that are found in Britain and elsewhere abroad? Could be there’s hope just over the horizon…
• Decolonizing the Imagination – by Zetta Elliot of The Horn Book
  
  “I learned early on that only white children had wonderful adventures in distant lands; only white children were magically transported through time and space; only white children found the buried key that unlocked their own private Eden.”
  
  Author Zetta Elliott discusses her influences and why she writes speculative fiction. Definitely an illuminating read, with powerful insights into how her experience growing up as a reader of color has influenced her – and what she strives for in her own novels.
• If I had all the money in the world, I’d remake BETTER LUCK TOMORROW with WHITE PEOPLE – by David and Philip of You Offend Me You Offend My Family
  
  Offenders David and Philip re-imagine history. What if director Justin Lin had taken a deal to produce Better Luck Tomorrow with Caucasian actors? What would the film be like without being rooted in Asian American culture, faces, and performers? Many times, Asian American directors and creators are pressured to alter their vision to match a studio’s conception of an America from before desegregation. This is the sort of thing that happens when they accept such deals.
  
  The team at You Offend Me You Offend My Family deals with these issues in a hilarious and spot-on post.
• ‘The Pacific’s’ Tom Hanks: The right wing’s new boogeyman – via Patrick Goldstein of the LA Times
  
  
  Many conservative commentators are attacking Tom Hanks for his remarks comparing the rising “yellow peril” of the World War II era with anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States. LA Times writer Patrick Goldstein investigates. We don’t agree with a lot of Goldstein’s commentary, but it’s nonetheless an extremely illuminating look at how a media machine can demonize an entire people – and how easy it is to view things in (forgive the terminology) black and white.
• Why I’m a REALLY angry Native in Canada right now… – by Jessica Yee of Racialicious
  
  Racialicious correspondent Jessica Yee talks about the state of affairs for Native Canadians. If you’re not aware of the huge issues currently confronting this community, please take a look – the author eloquently and passionately tackles the problems faced by a people struggling to make it, when no one wants to listen.
• south philly high asian students testify on assaults – via Phil Yu aka Angry Asian Man
  

  The failure of the South Philadelphia school district continues. This week, students and their families spoke out about the continued inaction, incompetence, and indifference of officials charged with the safety and education of our nation’s youth.

• Stop The Whitewashing Of Book Covers – via The Cubicle Chick of The Fresh Xpress
  
  The Fresh Xpress takes a look at the Liar whitewashing controversy. FXP looks at a wide range of issues, so it’s great to see them take an interesting media representation. If you missed all the commotion about Liar, this piece is absolutely worth a read.