The MCU Should Issue an Indeterminate Number of Apologies

by Don Hall

In keeping with the non-stop apology tours of filmmakers and artists for either cultural appropriation (In the Heights didn't include Afro-Latin characters, Dr. Strange cast a white woman as the Ancient One, Scarlet Johansson feeling bad about the objectification of Black Widow in Iron Man 2), I have a starter list for the MCU to fall upon their knees and beg the forgiveness of woke white people on Twitter.

Robert Downey, Jr. is not a robotics genius.

Zoey Saldana appropriates green skin as does Mark Ruffalo. What the fuck is that all about? Green people deserve representation by actual green people.

Chris Evans was never a skinny nerd. Incels everywhere deserve a genuinely skinny, weak loser to represent their dreams of taking a serum and getting all swole.

Josh Brolin appropriated purple skin and, as a white heterosexual male, is close to Titan lineage, is not a Titan.

Tom Hiddleston plays Loki and is definitely not Asgardian. In fact, the character himself is a Frost creature appropriating Asgardian lineage! Both the actor and the character are highly problematic.

Vin Diesel, who may have a wooden approach to acting, is not Groot.

Bucky Barnes should be played by someone with a tragically missing arm which is about as ableist as it gets. Sebastian Stan has both arms and should step away from the role.

Along the ableist track, Sam Jackson has both of his eyes. So does Anthony Hopkins.

Generally speaking, nowhere in the MCU are there any superheroes who are transgender, pansexual, demisexual, Afro-Lantinx, Arameans, Huli, Oromo, godspousesotherkins, transethnics, transabled, furries, fatties (although Fat Thor comes close but not in any inclusive, non-judgmental way), atheist, or fictives.

Hardly as inclusive as they could be, the MCU (and Disney) owe every fringe group and subculture identity a genuine apology and a promise to "do the work" to expand the universe as a safe place for every human (and those who identify as Moon people, Soulbonders, and Lycanthropes) on the planet.

How can we continue to support Marvel until this happens?

Previous
Previous

I Believe… [Reward for Responsible Behavior]

Next
Next

Notes from the Post-it Wall | The Moving Edition