Overwatch is a game that uses its cast to represent many cultures from around the world. Lucio is a character who is supposed to be Brazilian, but his way of speaking and mannerisms (seriously, just go through his voice lines) imitates the kind of dialect and behavior you’d hear and see in many black Americans.
It’d be weird if characters like McCree and Ashe, for example, were European with their southern USA accents. If I were listening to Lucio without knowing he’s supposed to be a Brazilian character, I’d have never thought he’d be anything other than black American. I think it’d be cool if the Overwatch team showed this group of people the same cultural respect as others and didn’t take from them without appropriately representing them.
We cannot be so sure.
Person may be just called Canadian by Canada but only knows African and American cultures by parents.
Lúcio may have the same situation but as Brazilian.
I think that’s great, but Sojourn being from Canada makes her black Canadian, not black American. Black Americans have their own culture and it’s become very influential around the globe. I see other cultures being properly represented with their dialects and cultural elements that originated from the people, and I think it’s disappointing that Overwatch would continue the trend of taking from these people without representing them.
I think a lot of people have this idea that as long as a person or character is black that means you’ve represented black people everywhere, but black people are as diverse as others. I just think it’d go a long way toward showing the same respect toward black Americans that we have toward everyone else. We managed to get three white American characters without having any black (or native, but that’s another subject) Americans, when these people have historically suffered in this country while at the same time creating what would become a globally recognized culture. Then we turn around and take from them to create a Brazilian character who, as far as we know, has no affiliation with these people or their culture.
Anyway, I’m going on about it but I’d love to see some kind of recognition from the Overwatch team.
Wouldn’t he just be a Black Canadian living in America? I wonder if we will get more Canadian culture or American from their voice lines.
Do you think Pharah being Native Canadian/Egyptian Just because of the skin was a good choice? I’m not sure how to feel about it, but people of mixed ancestry exist all over.
I also wonder about a black-british Character as well.
I think it was an alright choice. Would have been better to have a fully native hero among four American characters, but it was still a good move. I’m mixed myself so I think it’s cool when people remember that mixed people exist.
Anyway I don’t think it’s malicious on the part of the Overwatch team or anything, but it’s just very common for people to not care half as much about representing black America even while taking from them. It’s like how racism is unfortunately still common in much of the world even though everyone loves rap and hip-hop and that “urban” style black Americans are known for.
“Love the culture and hate the people” is what we call it.
But who knows, maybe they have plans to better represent the people.
Overwatch seems to enjoy celebrating many different cultures and Black American culture has become one of the most known and influential, especially in music. Let’s just hope that Sojourn, a Canadian, isn’t the one. (I’m already a little miffed about her name since it would have been perfect for an African-American woman because, y’know, Sojourner Truth.)
I wonder if we will get more Canadian culture or American from their voice lines.