Euglassia Watsonia

“Most reviews (of The Hunger Games) are focusing on the gender of the lead character, and ignoring her race. I’m not denying that it is revolutionary for such a huge blockbuster to star a female lead, and especially one who is not sexualized. That is revolutionary and I’m glad to see it. However, it is decidedly not revolutionary - it is decidedly maintaining of the oppressive status quo - for that female lead to be White. Not only is she White, but the director made it clear from the beginning that she could only be White - no others need apply. It’s very disappointing to me that while people are celebrating this advancement for “women”, many or most of them are ignoring that this came at the direct expense of women of color. I am thrilled that my daughters and nieces have a strong, non-sexualized role model in Katniss, but I am saddened that this only came by taking one away from little girls of color. There is no shortage of White role models. If it is revolutionary to have a female lead, how much more would it have been to have a female lead of color?

To those who claim that changing Katniss’ race doesn’t change the story, one could just as easily say that about her gender. Imagine how you would feel if Katniss was played by a brown man. It loses something, doesn’t it? Well, it loses just as much to change her race. And of course, if you’re a woman of color, you’re always having to choose. No matter who wins this hypothetical game of Katniss’ representation, be she a White woman or a man of color, women of color always lose.”

Race and Gender in ‘The Hunger Games’ by Sylvia Sybil