Star Wars Fans Speak Out on Racism in Fandom, Moses Ingram

It becomes an issue that everyone has to deal with, but the burden is on fans of color. Videos addressing racism are even better than social media support, but it isn't enough. Something needs to be changed.

The premiere of the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi was held at Star Wars Celebration, the first of the franchise's official convention since 2019. In a continuation of their era of the Star Wars universe, fans were thrilled to see that Darth Vader and Obi-Wan were back together. They were joined by a new cast member who plays one of the main villains.

Some viewers felt that Obi-Wan didn't live up to their expectations, even though they were enjoying the new show. The day after Obi-Wan Kenobi hit Disney+, she received hundreds of racist comments and death threats on her personal social media channels. Lucasfilm responded quickly.

The success of the series was overshadowed by the negative things that were said about it. The target of review bombing was to lower the series' rating on the influential review aggregation site out of spite. Fans are hoping that Lucasfilm is ready to take real steps towards safety and inclusion. In a series of email exchanges with io9 in the wake of Lucasfilm's vocal support of Ingram in the face of racist backlash, Star Wars fans of color told us how they felt about the studio starting to step up and actively defend its talent from racist attacks.

One fan, D. Foster, told io9 that he was sad over what happened to the man. Foster is a fan of color and has been watching the drama on the sidelines. Some fans ofdiversity have chosen to express themselves in harmful and inappropriate ways.

Lucasfilm pulled her aside before the series aired and told her to expect to see racist comments, according to a reply to the comments that was posted on May 31st. She thanked those who stood up for her and those who were attacking her. Lucasfilm's stance on social media was important to many fans from marginalized communities.

The writers who have worked on Digital Spy's Screen Sisters series said that Lucasfilm and other members of the Star Wars family stepped up and defended the character. It makes a huge difference if they address such a sensitive matter on their platform, instead of not doing anything at all.

The response from Star Wars was refreshing according to Nguyn L. In today's style of cultural coverage where every detail can be shaped into a big scoop or week long talking point, vulnerable actors with minorities can be. He wrote that a bigger party speaking out in the actor's defense is a sign of safety.

Nobody wants Star Wars to end on a single message. Many fans told io9 that although the explicit condemnation of racism is a welcome step forward, there is still a long way to go towards protecting fans of color. A fan who wished to be identified as JS said that he was happy that they were more direct in condemning racism. I can't help but think that it's too late. The way in which Star Wars dealt with racism in the past has made attackers more willing. Lucasfilm's response ranged from demure to radio silence and was in response to the attacks on transmedia talent. What are they doing to stop them right now? L said something. It was a pity it took so long.

Holly said that seeing the joy of success taken from John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran was awful. Lucas film can stop running from it. Allowing Finn's Force plot to be dropped after The Force Awakens and cutting Rose almost entirely out of The Rise of Skywalker can stop racism. She said that ignoring the issue at the time of the previous racists has led to bigots feeling more confident. The shift to its comfort zone of white characters in the lead and characters of color on the side reinforcesracism. Lucas film can't do that with Reva. She has to remain a major character no matter what the fans think about her. It needs to keep going.

Many fans spoke to io9 about the abuse they received. It felt like a betrayal when the company didn't say anything. Shahab Zargari felt that they should have done something against the racists.

Fans of color are disappointed and frustrated in the statements we received. The franchise has put actors of color on the front lines of the fandom and stayed quiet when they received racist backlash. It was horrible to see the bigotry that John Boyega and Kelly Marie tran faced. Bigoted voices were louder and there was no condemnation from people that could have spoken up.

The racist, bigoted part of fandom had become known as the "fanatic menace," an already embarrassing nickname that was adopted as a platform for gatekeeping trollies. The fire of racism, hate, and horrible commentary is coming from inside the house that Star Wars itself built, but Lucasfilm has failed to take steps to douse it. The fans who love the characters were made feel like it was okay to harass them by Star Wars. I get horrible and sometimes borderline incomprehensible racist replies to some of my posts when I cosplay as Rose TICO.

The fact that things are changing shows that fans of color are in charge. Both the fans and the stars are demanding answers and accountability as Lucasfilm can no longer ignore them. It was a bad look for Lucasfilm to leave John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran to fend for themselves against actual death threats.

Some fans feel that Star Wars needs to take some responsibility for what they say to their stars, and that they need to own what they say. The fact that Star Wars knows this happens to their actors of color makes this unusual, but it's also true that Ingram said as much herself when she revealed the racist messages she was receiving. Lucasfilm needs to do something about how people respond to its stories in order to truly stand against racism.

The fan who asked to be identified as Paracelus said that if Lucasfilm wanted to stamp outracism, they had to name and shame the people who were perpetrating it. The studio should tell the fans of Star Wars that their money and input is not worth anything. Many of the emails io9 received were critical of both-sidesism. Some people didn't like the idea of printing shirts that read "Star Wars Is for Everyone" as an exclusive for Celebration 2022. Austin Taylor said that there was no reason to try to appease either side. If they do so, they will make a very toxic and unsafe space for fans.

He demanded a more active response from Star Wars. She said that the franchise needs to create a division to deal with the problem full time. They should investigate those who send hate filled messages and threats to actors. Lucasfilm needs to commit to learning from the incidents that took place. On and off screen, the company needs to make sure equitable representation. Consultants should be hired to evaluate storylines and character arcs.

Christian Angeles said that Asian culture influenced Star Wars to begin with. A lot of people are ignorant. It is known that George Lucas wanted Toshir Mifune to play Obi-Wan in the original Star Wars and that the movie was inspired by The Hidden Fortress. If Mifune had accepted the role, and Star Wars had a connection to cultures beyond the white, Western perspective, it is hard to imagine how different the fandom would be. Can racists and bigots who claim to love Star Wars be considered fans? The basis of stories they claim to love are being erased by such people. There would be no Star Wars if it weren't for the contributions of artists of color.

Is it a good idea to address toxic elements of the community on Lucasfilm? The work of education and anti-racism often takes place in shared spaces of discourse in the moment of toxicity. There are places to make valid criticism of any media but firmly setting boundaries against harmful gatekeepers that embolden the worst kind of reactions. We have to hold each other accountable and not allow a small group to speak for such a large and vastly diverse fan base. Paracelus gave an explanation. More action should be taken if death threats are being made on social media in order to cause conflict. If Star Wars is leading the charge, it will be easier for people like that.

Zargari said yes. The anti-racist fans must continue to stand up for their favorite actors, writers, directors, and characters in the face of gaslighting and name calling. Non-white fans are often the ones who have to re-educate in these scenarios. I recommend that non-BIPOC fans listen to the criticisms and give voice to the marginalized fans.

It shouldn't be on the shoulders of people of color to teach others why it's wrong. Up to the actors themselves, that applies. That is part of the reason why it was so important for McGregor to speak up during a time when she should be able to enjoy her work. Lucasfilm can help supportunderrepresented fans and creatives by taking certain steps. The Screen Sisters said that hiring more people of color and women will help grow their fan base. Star Wars has an opportunity to be a force for change by facilitating chances for marginalized people behind the scenes to thrive just as much as their more privileged counterparts by expanding inclusivity and representation across all areas. L wants Lucasfilm to keep being anti-racist. It needs to be more than one or two times a day. The best thing that can be done on the production side is to keep providing protection and fostering a safe environment throughout the show's existence, not just during filming but also as it's being shown."

Foster said yes. Lucasfilm should continue to draw a line on where they stand. Racist, sexist, and other forms of bigotry have no place in the Star Wars fandom.

Hope and resistance can be found in an unsafe system. Rebellion often comes with an emotional toll on the most marginalized, and that's why racism and bigotry in the Star Wars fandom only makes it worse. There is hope for a better future and a better fan base. All of us are responsible for it. Taylor said, "You can't have a Star Wars celebration if most are afraid to show up." There's a call out there. Lucasfilm and fandom need to stand up for their fans.

Foster said that the best of what this fandom can be was encapsulated by the Star Wars Celebration. We have to fight harder than a group of rebels on the Forest Moon on Endor to keep it fun and safe for everyone.

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