Originally Posted by
AlexLyo
Ok, I am trying to wade through this discussion to understand what I'm hearing, because it feels like loads of projection and conflation is going on to complicate it. Bear with me while I try to check my understanding.
For some, I'm hearing that there's a preference for Diana to be depicted physically with characteristics that are consistent with how they believe she has been depicted the majority of the time in the past - pale skin, dark hair, blue eyes etc.
For some, difference from these characteristics is no big deal.
For some, difference from depicting her with (some, or all of) these characteristics is preferable.
For some this is particularly the case if the shifts adhere to personal preferences or understandings of what would "fit" for Diana based on things like the cultures her story draws from (e.g. Ancient Greece) or what she does with her time (e.g. physical activity). This is where I'm hearing some of the interest in her having a darker skin tone, or dark eyes, or where ideas about her facial features and physique come in. Some may also feel that these depictions are helpful contributions to a wider discussion of representation of women in media. And for some, all of these physical aspects that differ from the "white skin, blue eyes" depiction also have precedent in comics and other media that have depicted her in these ways before, so aren't felt to be particularly controversial depictions of Diana anyway.
Where I'm hearing conflation happening, is where any of these preferences are being argued to be "more" or "less beautiful" than others, or even just "better", beyond the realms of personal opinion. I'm hearing where drawing on an imaginary "majority" to reinforce a personal view as true might start to come in, which feels like dangerous territory. Even if 99 of 100 people believe something, it doesn't make it "objectively true", it's a widely held belief.
This conflation of personal preference with what's objectively or even agreeably beautiful gets more complicated when the notion of Diana being "as beautiful as Aphrodite" comes in, because it seems to add a layer of imperative that somehow there *is* an objective beauty, and Diana should adhere to it. (Sidenote: it's interesting how often this line continues to be interpreted as referring to Diana's physical form and not her beauty as a person in other ways, but I digress).
Where I think I'm hearing projection, is where assumptions (I think) are being made about why people have the preferences they have, what they think about other things, what it indicates about their politics, and how authentic those politics or beliefs are.
I have deliberately not name checked or quoted here, because I am curious to see what of the above is resonating with people, and also what I am overlooking or missing about where people stand. I ask because there's some heat and flippancy seeping into this conversation that I don't think is necessary if there's effort to get clear about what we're up to.
Am I hearing things deeply enough here? Or missing things entirely?