Take for instance, photoshopping a J. Scott Campbell pic to make Spider-Man/Peter Parker black. I thought I was doing something that would be enlightening...in some ways I think it succeeded, and in others, failed miserably.
Based off some of the negative reaction I witnessed on this topic, I think I have a relatively good idea of what is going on here.
The image in question is of Spider-Man kissing Black Cat, while MJ looks on, shocked.
Gut reaction: Tense love triangle. I feel bad for MJ, I dislike Black Cat and Spidey's actions.
But once Peter Parker becomes black, the image takes on a whole new level of meaning. If we considered ourselves truly unbiased, colourblind individuals, then when we see the second image, we shouldn't have any change in our gut reactions.
But we do. Why?
Nothings changed. It's still a tense love triangle scene. But now when we see MJ's shocked look, instead of feeling bad for her, we feel confused, repulsed, offended. Instead of interpreting her reaction as just a hurt lover, we now see a manipulative edit I did to associate her feelings of hurt and shock with Peter Parker being black.
But I didn't make that association. I just changed his skin colour.
There is no such thing as a "colourblind, unprejudiced person." Colour matters, differences are real. Accept that people are different. Embrace those differences. Love those differences. Only then will those differences disappear.
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