TW: Strong Language

The amount of utter bullshit Latin American people have been getting for calling out artists who are whitewashing and erasing the ethnic features of characters in Encanto is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS

These are 3 different comments on a tiktok video where it appeared that an artist whitewashed Dolores and Camilo in a drawing. Almost everyone in the comments was calling out the artist asking why these afro latino characters appeared incredibly pale. (The artist responded saying it was a filter used on the video and apologized for the confusion, but this isn’t about the artist) What I basically said what that all we’re not trying to “cancel” anyone, all asking is that ethnic features and skin tones be respected.

You wanna know what some people said in response? This BULLSHIT. How can some of yall claim to be so “woke” or whatever the fuck, and then come at Latin Americans for asking artists to respect their ethnic features?? Some of yall really rather not draw POC at all instead of learning how to draw curly hair, darker skin or other ethnic features. What the FUCK??

You wanna know why Latin Americans are so adamant for being accurately represented in art? You really wanna fucking know? Its because we are so fucking exhausted of non-Latin American people trying to shove us into a single box of what we’re supposed to fucking look like. These aren’t just characters in a Disney movie, these are real fucking people. I know a good handful of Colombians personally, and they all look different. I have a Colombian friend that looks almost exactly like Dolores. I know Colombians who are light skinned with wavy black hair. I know a Colombian who I genuinely thought was white for a hot second because he was pale pale, had wavy light brown hair and blue eyes. But you wanna know something? None of their features make them any less Colombian.

I’m not Colombian but this is seen in other Latin American countries as well. I’m Costa Rican, my dad’s side of the family are all light skinned and my mom’s side are dark skinned. I have an aunt and an uncle on my dad’s side who have green eyes. My brother looks just like my (deceased) grandfather on my dad’s side. I am the spitting image of my mother. I have tan skin that gets darker in the sun, dark eyes, and dark brown curly hair. The daughters of my uncle on my mom’s side are darker than I am, and one of my aunts has a light skinned daughter and 2 dark skinned sons. And you wanna know what? That doesn’t make us any less Costa Rican.

This is fucking Latin American culture. Families are diverse. Countries are diverse. Latin American countries have every trait in the book and that doesn’t make us any Latin American. All we want from artists, is that you fucking RESPECT what makes our culture so unique. We are a beautiful mix traits from all across the world, and that doesn’t make anyone less Latin American. We share a language, we share a culture.

So sorry if Latin Americans just want to be respected in media. Sorry if we call out artists for erasing ethnic features from Latin American characters. Actually? NO. We’re not fucking sorry for wanting to be accurately represented.

If you can’t be bothered to draw characters/people the way the are, with all of their ethnic features, DON’T DRAW THEM. If you can’t be bothered to learn how to draw curly hair or use digital brushes to make drawing curly hair easier, if you can’t be bothered to learn how to accurately draw ethnic features, DON’T DRAW IT and DON’T CHANGE IT TO MAKE IT “”EASIER”” FOR YOURSELF. Our features shouldn’t be erased just because you think drawing ethnic features is “too hard” or it “doesn’t fit your style”. You draw them the way they are, or not at all.

Can you learn and practice? Of course!! PLEASE learn and practice! Make your drawing range more inclusive of different features! Just be mindful that you don’t need to post all of your practice trials. Unless you’re posting it for the sole reason of getting feedback from POC on how to make your style more inclusive, then be aware that some people can misinterpret your post and think you’re purposefully misrepresenting/whitewashing POC characters. Just specify and respect critics of POC.