Reflections…

aaronginsburg:

I have learned a lot this year about the power of art and our responsibilities as artists. And yes, I’m talking about #Lexa.

I resolve to do better going forward, to try harder each and every day, and I hope and trust that my work will be proof of that.

As artists, we can always listen and learn and grow, and we must keep pushing ourselves to create important work in disheartening times.

It feels like we all need powerful, challenging, empathetic art now more than before.

Problem: not one of those ‘in charge’ with this programme, especially those who openly and knowingly participated in the manipulation of an at-risk audience has shown the slightest bit of public concern for what happened to them.  No matter the potential legal or publicity ramifications: when Javier Grillo-Marxuach looked us in the eye, he connected.  His example was a caring and honourable one.  

When the shoe dropped and you were all called out for your behaviour, everyone ran to ground and hid instead of (like JGM) facing it and engaging with the people you hurt.  It would have gone a long way to helping a lot of young people heal and move on. These were kids who DID self-harm and suffered with suicidal thoughts and depression.  Many now deal with a kind of PTSD – they can’t heal from it. They’re still suffering depression and loss.  It was too much.  Not that any of you have taken any kind of responsibility – as adults in authority – for your actions.  Your ‘art’ comes first and whatever havoc it wrecks – you stand apart as if it has nothing to do with you at all.

It’s nice that you’ve figured out something for yourself – about ‘Lexa’ – but it isn’t about Lexa anymore. It’s about the kids you took advantage of.  The audience you recklessly and sickeningly manipulated.  It’s about your behaviour in the aftermath.  How they don’t matter to you.  And no one is particularly impressed with ‘what you’ve learned.’  Your show isn’t art. It’s a hack job at best and those in charge of it have proven themselves greedy and irresponsible in their need for fame and acknowledgement.  It isn’t art.  It’s commercial manipulation.  All your post is – framing yourself out of an honest historical context.  

Until the entire production team engages with what they did – engages with the people they did it to – and no, not ten years down the line on a special Oprah – you deserve nothing, and your words mean nothing.  Even in this post they are hardly original.  And they show no real contrition.  I find it disturbing as well that you speak of creating important work ‘in disheartening times.’  Are you so unaware of the impact of what you produce?  You don’t see your part in creating these ‘disheartening times?’

Tell me, are you aware that programmes like The 100 that show a stylised post-apocalyptic future where there are white heroes aplenty is the sort of programming admired by racists?  Are you aware of the number of openly bigoted fans your show has?  Not just the homophobic ones, no.  Your ‘apology’ sounds unnervingly naive.  

Self-importance is a bit of an issue in Hollywood.  So is being disconnected from reality.  If one good thing emerged from the Lexa debacle: there is a generation of youth who will not be had by such arrogance again.  They see it for what it is and won’t let it stand.  

Want to be a better person and not another male who benefits from rape culture politics (you know, where a powerful male authority figure can harm a group of disadvantaged people, a minority even, and get away with it, protected by his powerful male bosses)?  Stand in front of those you harmed and apologise. No excuses. No hiding behind ‘the art.’   

We know you’re not likely to let it happen again.  Most of you will be too afraid to attempt to ever include another lesbian character in anything you do again. Look at Joss Whedon. After he killed Tara (and the outrage that caused – how lucky he was we didn’t have Twitter back then), he’s never included an explicitly queer character in anything else he’s done. It’s just as well – I doubt anyone would accept it from him.  We don’t have enough queer writers telling our own stories (in Hollywood and elsewhere) as it is.  Writers rooms are not known for their diversity.  It’s not something we see too many stand up for, either.

It feels like we all need powerful, challenging, empathetic art now more than before.

Does this mean you would stand up for more minority writers telling their stories? Would you make sure any writer’s room you are a part of from here on will include queer writers and POC writers and more women?  Can you explain why ‘now’ is more important than ‘before?’  

 The Lexa debacle will be talked about for years to come and your show will never escape being associated with it. Anyone associated with the show will never escape it, either, no matter what successes (or failures) you may have down the road.  

So good for you and your late-breaking epiphany – but it looks like you’re still missing a lot.  This is a shame. You work in a powerful medium and we know what comes with great power, right?  Your team failed to respect that.  Instead of recycling trite sentiments, dig a little deeper.  There’s always more to it.