A response to the idea that Disney stories can’t have PoC because issues of racism would “remove the magic”.

There’s been a debate going on here on tumblr about the ‘ideal world’ and how it is incredibly racist to not want PoC in an ideal world. It implies that you don’t want PoC in the world, even if on the most base and subconscious level. One of the counterarguments I’ve seen states that it’s not about race, it’s about racism. That if you have black people in the same setting as white people, that the movie now needs to address racism.

Can I point out a little BBC show called Merlin? It takes place in the Arthurian legends, and features a couple of plot points that would raise any historian’s red flag: Morgana, as the bastard daughter of King Uther, wants to take the throne because of her right to it, and Guinevere, the black peasant girl, wants to marry King Arthur, because they are in love. In a setting that made even the most pitiful attempt at historical accuracy, neither of these things could be possible.

But, just like a Disney movie, this show doesn’t make such an attempt. It takes place in an idealized world. In this idealized world, PoC exist and racism doesn’t. In this world, women aren’t secondary citizens. It’s not necessarily a world without sexism, but it’s a world where Morgana has a claim to the throne, which is far more than you can say about actual Medieval England.

It is inane, hurtful, and - yes - racist to want a world without PoC, even if it is to ‘avoid conflict’ in children’s stories. If you think the best way to avoid ‘tough issues’ in perfect, ideal fantasy worlds is to remove people who cause tension, then write a story without any white, straight, cis men. That’d solve the problem much quicker.