How much has the X-Men as a reflection of real life minorities changed overtime?

[jwatson]

Fictional characters in a fictional USA… The limits are the author's beliefs.

To an extent because they still have to navigate our culture here in the country it's produced because if the people are offended the company is in hot water.

I doubt Russia makes as much of a stink about diversity as Americans in comics but they know their audience base.

[MechaJeanix]

The X-men should always be about these main themes: evolution and the fear of the different. The X-men has such a diverse fanbase (at least the online fanbase is diverse and intersectional and I state that as someone who has participated in various boards for around 20 years) due to the fact that a lot of us are minorities and we relate to the X-men. It would be hard, though not impossible to care about the X-men if they lost the theme of minority struggle. Though minority or not everyone can relate to feeling like the "other" or "being different" especially when it comes to being a geek/nerd/aspie etc. There is room for all types of people to relate to the X-men and their plight.

I like that the X-men -though not perfectly can stand in for any minority struggle - and during the last decade there were a lot of similarities to the struggle of LGBT persons. There is a reason why there is usually a majority of LGBT folks on almost any X-men message board or facebook group you join. Of course we are diverse in social race, geography, income status, religious observance, gender identity, etc.

The mutants have to fight for their rights as humans in a world that hates and fears them. Yes, as some pointed out the non mutants do have a reason for fear because of how dangerous some mutants are, but what about the mutants who have passive powers or who do the right thing? It makes the story complex because in a way we can understand or rationalize the hatred (to a point).

In Hickman's world things are changing since the X-men/mutants are taking control and forming their own government. But what we have been shown in X-force the danger is still ever present and real (despite the ability to bring people back - no one wants to be hurt or to die..).

The X-men, for me doesn't work just as a simple superhero book. It makes them dull if they are another Avengers or Justice League. The X-men's themes of human evolution as well as bigotry, prejudice, and bias is what makes the X-men stand out from the rest and though they should play around with these themes they should never completely lose them imo.

We are already having a lot of interesting discussions about the X-men's role in the marvel universe, and how they are engaging with global politics, and how can you engage politics of any kind without considering social race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and social class. The intersectional themes should remain present as the X-men's role continue to evolve and change.

I want a book about mutant sociology and anthropology. I want a deeper dive into mutant society and culture on the island and for those mutants who live outside the island.

[BroHomo]

I want a book about mutant sociology and anthropology. I want a deeper dive into mutant society and culture on the island and for those mutants who live outside the island.

Y. A. S ! This alllll day

[Zelena]

The X-men should always be about these main themes: evolution and the fear of the different. The X-men has such a diverse fanbase (at least the online fanbase is diverse and intersectional and I state that as someone who has participated in various boards for around 20 years) due to the fact that a lot of us are minorities and we relate to the X-men. It would be hard, though not impossible to care about the X-men if they lost the theme of minority struggle. Though minority or not everyone can relate to feeling like the "other" or "being different" especially when it comes to being a geek/nerd/aspie etc. There is room for all types of people to relate to the X-men and their plight.

I like that the X-men -though not perfectly can stand in for any minority struggle - and during the last decade there were a lot of similarities to the struggle of LGBT persons. There is a reason why there is usually a majority of LGBT folks on almost any X-men message board or facebook group you join. Of course we are diverse in social race, geography, income status, religious observance, gender identity, etc.

The mutants have to fight for their rights as humans in a world that hates and fears them. Yes, as some pointed out the non mutants do have a reason for fear because of how dangerous some mutants are, but what about the mutants who have passive powers or who do the right thing? It makes the story complex because in a way we can understand or rationalize the hatred (to a point).

In Hickman's world things are changing since the X-men/mutants are taking control and forming their own government. But what we have been shown in X-force the danger is still ever present and real (despite the ability to bring people back - no one wants to be hurt or to die..).

The X-men, for me doesn't work just as a simple superhero book. It makes them dull if they are another Avengers or Justice League. The X-men's themes of human evolution as well as bigotry, prejudice, and bias is what makes the X-men stand out from the rest and though they should play around with these themes they should never completely lose them imo.

We are already having a lot of interesting discussions about the X-men's role in the marvel universe, and how they are engaging with global politics, and how can you engage politics of any kind without considering social race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and social class. The intersectional themes should remain present as the X-men's role continue to evolve and change.

I want a book about mutant sociology and anthropology. I want a deeper dive into mutant society and culture on the island and for those mutants who live outside the island.

And this is something I can't understand: how can the X-men still represent struggle of minorities when all that they do is fighting for their minority? If you are gay, Black or disabled, they won't fight for you, you don't have the X-gene… Before, what they did is fighting for everyone and therefore proving that they cared for everyone even if their help won't gain them any point, that they were a part of humanity, they had the right to exist and so, being a model for everyone to do the same.

Everyone, even if you are not a part of minority can feel at odds with society and it's particularily the case when you leave childhood and you're given the incentive to fit in. Who are you? What do you want? What do you expect from others? It's not especially about "minority struggle"… X-men was more than that.

[Agent Z]

You mean Apocalypse? Who again, is the only one advocating for human genocide. Yeah you can call him that.

Apocalypse is not the only mutant who has tried to commit genocide. Magneto has as well.

[LordUltimus]

Honestly, I always felt that mutants were best as a metaphor for puberty. There's a reason why they keep bringing back the school aspect.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

Apocalypse is not the only mutant who has tried to commit genocide. Magneto has as well.

Mystique's also dabbled in that area, or tried to anyway (Reverse legacy-virus)

[Lapsus]

They also have a habit of treating any kind of restriction on their powers or the use thereof as a terrible curse or government overreach that's a precursor to genocide (which it is, because everything always leads to massacres in these books). There's never any grey area, like requiring mutant criminals to take X-gene cures or putting inhibitors on someone like Iceman or Storm so they don't accidentally end the world on a bad day. The only real exception seems to be Rouge.

I seriously never understood this, is that complicated to write a normal narrative around this topic?

"We need to address the current increment of Mutants in human society, any ideas?"
"Killer Robots, tons of Killer Robots"

[Electricmastro]

The mutants have to fight for their rights as humans in a world that hates and fears them. Yes, as some pointed out the non mutants do have a reason for fear because of how dangerous some mutants are, but what about the mutants who have passive powers or who do the right thing? It makes the story complex because in a way we can understand or rationalize the hatred (to a point).

In Hickman's world things are changing since the X-men/mutants are taking control and forming their own government. But what we have been shown in X-force the danger is still ever present and real (despite the ability to bring people back - no one wants to be hurt or to die..).

Which is why I’m glad Hickman’s direction seems to be going in such a way that “The mutants have to fight for their rights as humans in a world that hates and fears them.” feels less hopelessly tiresome and more hopefully possible. Once again, kudos to Hickman.

[Zelena]

Honestly, I always felt that mutants were best as a metaphor for puberty. There's a reason why they keep bringing back the school aspect.

Not only you… Are Teens the Real Mutants?
It's also something I heard in the media after Stan Lee died.

[tuck frump]

I forgot the government was systematically targetting and murdering teenagers. Good point.

[PsychoEFrost]

And this is something I can't understand: how can the X-men still represent struggle of minorities when all that they do is fighting for their minority? If you are gay, Black or disabled, they won't fight for you, you don't have the X-gene… Before, what they did is fighting for everyone and therefore proving that they cared for everyone even if their help won't gain them any point, that they were a part of humanity, they had the right to exist and so, being a model for everyone to do the same.

Everyone, even if you are not a part of minority can feel at odds with society and it's particularily the case when you leave childhood and you're given the incentive to fit in. Who are you? What do you want? What do you expect from others? It's not especially about "minority struggle"… X-men was more than that.

How is that different than the real world? Gays and lesbians regularly hate on Bisexuals who date opponent sex partners, African-American preachers routinely call gays the spawn of the devil, and every minority seems to love to hate on Trans folk. Minorities regularly circle the wagons for their own, but turn a blind eye to the others who are suffering. You can only dedicate so much of your energy.

[pkingdom]

If that's your standard, then the mutants stand in for nobody. the American government hasn't systematically targeted and murdered any particular group for a while now. The Native Americans way back in the day, and maybe the Japanese back in WW2. The government certainly doesn't seem to care if black, Hispanic and LGBT people get killed by cops and hate crimes, but to say that's the equivalent of the purple genocide robots is kind of a stretch.

[tuck frump]

All i got from this thread is mutation is a bad metaphor because straight/white/rich people in real life are not actively and constantly trying to murder minorities. Which. Lmao. Discussing this topic on a comic book forum is never a good idea because it requires participants to understand identity politics, relations of power, history of oppression and on the other side understand the comics. And then how one relates to the other.

[Tycon]

If that's your standard, then the mutants stand in for nobody. the American government hasn't systematically targeted and murdered any particular group for a while now. The Native Americans way back in the day, and maybe the Japanese back in WW2. The government certainly doesn't seem to care if black, Hispanic and LGBT people get killed by cops and hate crimes, but to say that's the equivalent of the purple genocide robots is kind of a stretch.

Why do you treat police institutions killing black people as something separated from the government?