Opinions are Important
This article revolves around different opinions regarding some of the social issues WotC, and our society in general, are attempting to address. It is a collection of thoughts and opinions in articles from various print and internet publications, Twitter, Reddit, and other social media platforms. You may agree or disagree strongly with the views expressed in this article. Try to consider both sides of the argument, understanding that everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if you think they are absolutely wrong.
I was initially going to post this article in September but set it aside. It didn't feel right, so I saved a draft and moved to a different topic. I've circled back, thinking now is a good time to discuss the subject. While people still have strong feelings about the Hadozee controversy, emotions have cooled. Hopefully, it will allow for a more constructive conversation.
We were getting ready to review Spelljammer: Adventures in Space. The new errata was released a few days after we recorded our podcast. After listening to Stephen talk about the ridiculousness of the Glide trait for the Hadozee, I'm glad they corrected the mechanics. That was the minor piece of the errata, as Wizards also wholly revamped the lore behind the Hadozee. WotC also issued a lengthy apology for the original background on the race after the uproar it caused. I'm trying to figure out what the authors were thinking and any editors who reviewed the work failed miserably.
It also got me thinking back to our podcast. While we spent some time on the Glide trait, we didn't talk about the lore. We did talk about the cultural background of the giff but uttered not a word about the hadozee. Was it a conscious decision on our part? For me, yes, it was. I'd read through it and knew I would be leery of talking about it. I needed help understanding how WotC could present this as the creature's lore and not expect to face severe backlash. The more I read through people's comments on social media, the more my suspicions were proved true. People had extreme opinions on the issue, and I didn't want to wade into that quagmire. Right or wrong, I purposely kept my feelings to myself. This brings me to our topic:
People's opinions matter.
Before I go any further, I want to clarify that some opinions are flat-out one hundred wrong. Anyone that believes in promoting hatred, blatant racism, sexism, or violence should be shut down immediately. Our society has no place for these, and we should fight against them at every chance. But beyond the obvious, there are usually two sides to every issue, and people are entitled to their opinion. Who is right, and who is wrong? I'm not here to answer that question. Nor am I here to argue my personal opinion. Plenty of people are doing that on the cesspool that is Twitter.
We, the D&D community, need to discuss this in a format so people can listen to what the other side is saying. I hope people know that, for the most part, our community is wonderful, open, and accepting. People are willing to help one another, provide constructive criticism on such matters as homebrew creations, and act like adults. Just look around various subreddits and Twitter if you don't believe me.
That doesn't mean that too often, we either ignore what the other person says or have a knee-jerk reaction to what was said. The arguments/opinions made here are broad in scope. Trying to capture every single nuance of the issue is impossible to do. Plus, conversations on such matters quickly deteriorate into name-calling. The hope is to stimulate honest questions and not hurt feelings.
I've learned a few things from watching my daughter compete in speech and debate for the past five years. (Shout out to Claire for making the USA Debate Developmental Team!) One of the first things you must do in her debate format is develop a coherent and concise case for the topic. You only have six to seven minutes to present your constructive argument. You need to gather facts, write out your case, rewrite it, find more information, and rewrite it based on what you've just learned. Then you present your case to your teammates, process their comments, and continue until you have the strongest argument possible. At the debate itself, you have to present your side, pro or con, be able to defend it, and have a rebuttal for your opponent's case. Screaming "you're wrong" or, even worse, "you're an idiot" won't cut it. Yet, as adults, we do that on every social media platform.
Being passionate about a topic is ok. Being an asshole is not. Below is a mash-up of comments and various posts I've read on the Hadozee controversy.
The Hadozee lore was racist.
Wizards of the Coast is a horrible company and hasn't learned anything from its past mistakes. The original Hadozee lore from the 2nd edition was changed entirely, and not for the better. Referring to the race as Space Monkeys and having art reminiscent of the black minstrel caricature should never have made it into the book. When the background you give for a race includes being enslaved, experimented on, and sold to the highest bidder, it is impossible to ignore the blatant racism.
Their apology was too little, too late. How many times will we have to watch Wizards fail their community? Their philosophy is to do what they want and ask for forgiveness later. If diversity is as essential to Wizards as they say it is, they should take a proactive stance on these issues, not a reactive one.
It is just one more example of how WotC has failed again in the arena of cultural sensitivity. Why were there no cultural and sensitivity consultants used for this book? There were cultural consultants in the past two releases, but none are credited in any of the three Spelljammer publications. If Wizards thought they had learned all they needed on these topics, they were sorely mistaken. They have irreparably damaged the brand, and people should no longer play D&D. There are so many other RPGs out there, and people seek them out and try them.
The Hadozee Controversy is overblown.
Can you draw a parallel to slavery and racism with the Hadozee's background? Maybe, but having a race of enslaved space monkeys isn't automatically an allegory for real-world racism. People purposely look for these parallels, which justifies their moral outrage when they interpret what they've read as the thing they are trying so hard to find.
Wizards of the Coast did release an apology, acknowledging people's feelings and concerns about the Hadozee lore. While it may not have been necessary, people with an issue should applaud them, not ridicule them. As a company, WotC has been actively trying to make the game more diverse and accessible to everyone. Saying that all the positive progress they have made on cultural diversity and sensitivity is all for not because of the Hadozee's lore is equivalent to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Don't lump everyone who thinks this issue has been blown out of proportion into one group. Are there horrible people in the D&D community? Sadly the answer is yes, but doesn't every group or society have individuals like that? Because I don't see the Hadozee lore as blatantly racist doesn't mean I'm a racist. People need to stop being overly sensitive.
We could drill down further on each side's argument, but this should sum up the general feeling of both sides. They may read as harsh, bitter, or oblivious. Again, read through social media (if you dare). People expressed themselves in various ways, many of them loudly. Unfortunately for us, in the society we live in, those who yell the loudest get the most attention.
Do I have my own thoughts on this subject? Sure do. As I read through social media, I agreed with certain aspects of each side's points. Thus my opinion on the matter was formed. What I consider essential is that it wasn't set in stone. It's changed in several ways over time. Why? Because I talked to people about it, tried to listen to what they were saying, and took it into consideration.
I consider myself lucky to have a great group of people I play with, and we've talked about it. I discussed it with Stephen at length. Our opinions diverged on several points due to our age difference. He looks at the world through younger eyes. What is important to his generation may not be as important to me. He truly wants to make the world a better place. I'm older (by a lot), and my perspective is influenced by the past. The world was viewed through a different lens in the 1970s and 80s. It's not a justification for the racial undertones and sexism that occurred, but it was there and influenced people's thinking. I want change to happen because I acknowledge that the previous generations fucked up so many things that it's hard to keep track. Changing one's thought process on significant issues is hard, but I try to listen to what others say.
Next week, we'll get back to a lighter topic, the continuation of A Player's Guide to Artifacts. Please share your thought below, but remember to keep it civil.
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