#ali nahdee

[alinahdee]

"Killers of the Flower Moon" Proves Hollywood Isn't Making Movies for Native Women Like Me" - Ali Nahdee

#killers of the flower moon #native women #indigenous women #ali nahdee #native representation

[whynotzoidbergdotorg]

Hi, I was just wondering what are the other reasons you dislike Ali Nahdee. I personally thought she had good point in native rep but she sometimes gets into anti stuff. She acts like seeing abuse relationships on tv will cause people to get into them. I personally didn’t like her but I still thought she had something to say.

she was personally racist to me.

back when all of the marketing around the princesses being in wreck it ralph 2, she had gone to the disney store to “critique” the pocahontas merchandise (totally normal behavior for someone who’s not even powhatan….) and had made a comment that a pocahontas doll was “paler than she was” (and provided an image in poor lighting—I would grab the tweet in question but not only did she block me, but she also nuked the whole thread after blocking me)

now, I didn’t follow her, and I actually had found the tweet in question in early 2019 when I was searching for reference images of disney’s pocahontas (as I had been commissioned to draw all of the disney princesses for someone) and her tweet came up in the results, because i specifically had been looking for the version from that movie (commissioner wanted me to draw those versions of the princesses in specific)

anyways I pointed out that not only was pocahontas not actually that dark skinned in the movie (providing a direct screenshot from the film as proof), but that historically she wouldn’t have been that dark skinned either (because get this, I’m actually part powhatan—and while I am admittedly white passing due to being mixed race, my maternal grandfather, who is native american, isn’t that dark either. he does have copper colored skin, and does tan rather than burn, but he isn’t like. super dark like ali was complaining pocahontas wasn’t on that specific toy.) anywho i prefaced my tweet with my heritage (I’m actually related to the real pocahontas’s family, funfact. not a direct descendant, more like…a distant cousin??? though in the past I have remarked on how in the portraits of her that exist, I look fairly similar in certain facial features, mainly my nose, eyes, hairline, and overall head shape)

anyways, after i pointed this out, and made it clear I didn’t think she was saying this maliciously, I just think she might have had a warped view of how pocahontas is meant to look…she blocked me, and then started subtweeting me…

first, she accused me of using a “poorly photoshopped image” of pocahontas to prove my point (I didn’t, I screenshotted directly from the movie off a cartoon website, so likely the source was a DVD since there was no logo in the corner, and from what I could tell the colors of other characters and scenes looked correct)

THEN she accused me of lying about my heritage—and mind you this was AFTER she blocked me so I couldn’t reply to defend myself or further expand on my native heritage—which anyone who has EVER talked to me for an extended period of time knows I am HAPPY to infodump about. Because both I and my mother have done tons of research about our family tree—and that part of our family in particular (since its one of the few parts of my mothers family thats well documented and in a language we both natively know.) I mean I even know the specific name of a shawnee chief I am directly descended from! (Cornstalk—funfact, the mothman mythos is closely tied with Cornstalk’s curse, which is an alternate belief about the strange events associated with mothman sightings)

Now, again, anyone who knows me knows there are THREE things that really really tick me off in regards to my native heritage—and that is 1) calling me, or any other woman of native descent “pocahontas” (because first of all, her name was actually Matoaka, AND she’s not event the only significant native american woman in history), 2) being asked if I am related to Pocahontas/Matoaka (I actually punched a kid over this once when i was little. ironically I then later found out I actually am distantly related to her. what a small world!), and 3) being accused of lying about my heritage for “oppression points”. (well, there’s more than three, but that would just be getting into a whole other tangent, and I’ve already gone on like, four tangents in this post alone)

This last one makes me absolutely furious because I’ve had people (all white) say I can’t be native because “don’t look native” to them. when like. that’s not even fucking true??? other native american people (specifically other cherokee people—which is one of the tribes I am descended from) have recognized me as looking native american, and like other members of their tribe. I literally have the facial features, I just happen to have fair skin, and lighter hair. I mean hell, if you looked at my baby pictures (which I don’t have any on my device right this moment unfortunately) I did not look like a “white baby”. I didn’t start “looking white” (as in my hair lightening) until I was older. I’ve had white people try to gatekeep and erase my heritage from me because of their own perceptions of my appearance (based solely on my skin-tone).

So yeah, the bitch accused me of lying about a significant part of my heritage, a part that’s very VERY important to me, a part that I refuse to let others erase (especially since I’m SURE the colonists who murdered Cornstalk and his son—both my ancestors—would love to erase that misdeed and bury it).

I mean, imagine claiming to be all about the rights of indigenous women, and then smearing and making sweeping accusations about another queer, indigenous woman! Could never be me.

But I guess I could never understand the brainrot of someone who spends all day complaining about fictional representations made by white people, instead of raising up indigenous creators who worked hard to create their own, better representation instead.

#ali nahdee #native american #native stuff #long post #rant #texts posts and miscellaneous #also if anyone wants to misinterpret my last sentence: I am not saying we shouldn’t talk about or critique past bad representation #but rather we shouldn’t be bogged down with it #when there are indigenous creators who have been working on media based on their heritage in order to create better representation #we should be supporting and amplifying those creators voices

[ladylucck]

just learned about the aila test x and which media passes. super interesting

#prey #aila test #ali nahdee #indigenous representation #films #media

[the-aila-test]

Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) from ECHO passes The Ali Nahdee Test!

#maya lopez #alaqua cox #echo #aila test #ali nahdee test

[blackfilmmakers]

Have you ever heard of the Aila Test for indigenous female characters? Well, they need to make a similar test for black characters.

I want to say if we do have a test similar to it, it has to apply to characters that are Black women since the focus here is on the women of a racial group(in this case misogynoir)

But even then, I’m not sure making a Test would cover even half of the issues pertaining to writing Black characters. I’d imagine there have to be a lot of separate categories

Here’s an interview about the Alia Test btw if folks want to read up on it

#thx for the ask #I think having a test would help I’m just not sure how to go about it #but if we do get something like it I’d be interested to hear #Alia Test

[olderthannetfic]

What do you think of Ali Nahdee if you heard of her?

--

I'm unfamiliar with her, but this test actually makes sense, unlike a lot of them, particularly the "Can we have some plotlines not about rape and getting murdered, please?" part.

[tepkunset]

Shadow of the Rougarou Review

This review is short and spoiler free because I strongly encourage people to check out this web series for yourself! APTN Lumi offers a free trial to start, and the full subscription is only $5 a month. No, seriously. $5 a month for a lot of great Indigenous content; I wish more Canadians were aware of this streaming service.

All the actors do a great job.

Sâkowêw is an intriguing heroine. We are fed bits and pieces about her past as the series progresses. I like that she never doubts her own capabilities, and isn't afraid of facing things alone if need be. Also, she does pass the Ali Nahdee Test!

Bruno was a mystery at first, but I ended up liking him quite a bit too. There’s one part in episode 4 that really touched me; his struggle with his people's language hit me right in the gut.

The music is excellent at setting a tone, and isn't overused or underused; I'd say it's perfect.

The camera work is well done and has some flavour to it.

My one semi-negative comment is that the Rougarou costume is pretty cheesy, and I can't deny I giggled seeing it. But given budget restraints, I think they played it smart by going practical rather than adding some really shitty CGI. It holds up a lot better.

All in all, it's a fantastic little web series and I highly recommend it. I did NOT see the twist in the end coming. (Again, no spoilers though.)

#shadow of the rougarou

[doesthendnlive]

How do you get over the hopelessness? I'm so tired of seeing and experiencing horrible racism and violence. I just want it to get better for us, but it feels like that's impossible. Every native I know is suicidal and every ndn I know has had something horrible happen to them. I'm so tired of being native, I hate seeing everyone I know suffer so much. I'm tired of seeing another missing ndn, another murder ndn, another raped ndn, another forgotten ndn, another ndn lost to suicide, another abused ndn, another ndn abandon their indigenousness. How do you deal with that? Usually I try to to be positive, but today is just so hard. How do you stop looking at the bad when it's happening almost constantly?

I felt this hard especially when I was younger. It feels like Natives are so unloved by so many people.

I can't speak for your situation but what really helped me was finding out more about my family and where I came from, and making friends with other Natives in my online circles. When you feel alone and hopeless or anxious, sometimes it helps knowing that there are others who are going through the same thing or who have the same feelings and experiences.

Also for me, I was getting tired of seeing the same violent, traumatizing tropes being played again and again, so I made the Ali Nahdee Test. It's a small thing but it helps being / making the change that you want to see. Create. Make art, poems, fanfiction, fanart, etc. Talk about Native films or characters that spoke to you. Talk about the Natives in your life that you really loved.

I know it sounds like a cop out to just tell you to "stay positive" but happiness is a form of resistance. It is a radical act. And as much as trauma changes and rewrites your brain, healing does too.

Thank you for being so vulnerable with me.

[neechees]

Ali Nahdee was on an episode of Bechdel Cast to talk about Avatar and her thoughts on it as an indigenous woman. You might like it.

Nice of you to recommend :)

#anonymous #ty

[pandoraheadcanons]

If you ever get the chance, Ali Nahdee wrote some really good thoughts on the original Avatar movie from 2009 and they are super worth reading. This one is one of my favorites: https://indigenousgeekgirl.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/actual-complaints-i-have-with-avatar/

I'll check it out!

#to read #avatar 2009

[alinahdee]

THE NATIVE AMERICAN HORROR STORY

EPISODE ONE (PT. 1) - CULTURE AS HORROR

I present the first half of the first episode of The Native American Horror Story, a series dedicated to analyzing and discussing Native American and First Nations influence in the horror genre.

The first half of this episode is released with permission from Full-Stop Magazine. The second half will be available soon.

#ali nahdee #native american horror story #indigenous horror #native horror #native american #indigenous #first nations #horror #Youtube

[whynotzoidbergdotorg]

your fave is anti-artist….

ali nahdee

her icon that she brands herself around is an AI generated image. She could have paid an artist, she could have made some kind of deal with an artist if she didn’t have the money to buy art, she could have even used a picrew.

but she chose to use an AI generated image.

#as a biracial person who is significantly part native american I also dislike her for a LOT of other reasons #(unfortunately said reasons are ones she has buried/erased when called out on them) #but this? this just takes the fucking cake man #vent/rant thing #texts posts and miscellaneous

[apoundofben]

My Statement on The Ali Nahdee Test

My statement on changing The Aila Test to the Ali Nahdee Test.My Statement on The Ali Nahdee Test

View On WordPress

[the-aila-test]

Forgive me for being a day late but I wanted to take the time to inform all of you that as of January 21, 2024, the Ali Nahdee Test / Aila Test is seven years old.

So much has happened since I came up with this idea back in 2017. So much has changed. So many wonderful characters and stories were introduced to me over the course of this journey. Thank you, all of you, for supporting this dream, for talking about it amongst yourself and amongst others, and for all of the Native creators who made real change in film, television, literature, animation, and any place where stories can be told and shared.

This is my greatest pride and joy. Chi Miigwech. <3

#ali nahdee test #aila test #indigenous women #native women #native american #first nations #representation matters #native representation #indigenous representation

[glorioustidalwavedefendor]

SOMEONE:

if you refuse to have disabled people in your setting, that does make you fucking ableist. If you say that the magic is used to cure all disabled people and that's why they don't exist, that's fucking eugenics.

Hm lets see

Eugenics is a set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or promoting those judged to be superior.

SOURCE

So it is only eugenics if disabled people in that FANTASY setting are forced to undergo magical treatment or magical fetuses are magically removed without input of the pregnant person.

(Same as aborting a disabled fetus is not eugenics if the pregnant person in question makes he decision without outside pressure … sorry I know some people thought that was a sneaky way to get abortions banned in the EU but no such luck … )

It is a story.

The writer can decide that everyone chooses to not be disabled

I mean … I personally would never allow a surgeon to put a knife to my eyes, but in a magical setting? Without scars, without infection, without pain, without mistakes?

Hell yeah 20/20 vision here I come!

I always wanted to know what the world looks like in 3D (I have a lazy eye and no depth perception … )

Look.

I love Toph, I love Gordy and Data and Bucky and all the others.

I need them in my live

* makes a „call me“ gesture at Bucky *

And there is definitely not enough representation of us in the media.

But same as not every movie has to pass the Bechdel test (though about 50% should)

or not every movie has to pass the Ali Nahdee test

(though about 1.5% should – ruffly 3% of the U.S. population is a native American, so 3 % of movies should feature them as more then a side character, half of them are under the general umbrella of women, so half of the 3% should pass the test – )

There is room for Fantasy and science fiction settings without disability …

Where everyone can enjoy music (no dyslexia) can pet cats (no allergies) or be friends with people that have cats (fucking allergies!) or enjoy all the food and drink there is (did I mention the fucking allergies?!) where there is no chronic pain … no chronic exhaustion (hate!) … where abusers might get to skip out of your live, but at least you don‘t have to waste years OF YOUR LIVE at therapy in the vague hope that the PTSD might get better … you can just snap your fingers and get on with your day … isn‘t that lovely? No more fucked up hpa axis … no more fucked up cortisol response …

Where never again a family has to watch their infant die of Tay-Sachs disease because you can snap your finger and the Babies body is now able to produce sufficient functioning Hexosaminidase A …

I need and want representation and good representation at that.

but sometimes I want wish fulfillment … need wish fulfillment … and NO ONE Gets to tell me that I can‘t have that!

The disabled community is not a monolith

Put another way: "They can cure us?" asks the autistic person who struggles to think clearly, can't form full sentences, is overstimulated at the drop of a hat and misses out on a lot of things they'd otherwise like to do because for them, autism is literally crippling. "No, because there's nothing wrong with us," I say, as a person with autism who has a job, car, excellent communication and coping skills and a relatively normal life, because for me, autism is a thing I've adapted to and worked around. (And yes, autistic people in the first category do exist. I've encountered a few right here on Tumblr and seen more than one say "don't forget us in your autism activism because we aren't 'just a little different,' this is a genuine problem for us.")

Some of us want to see us represented as we are or with the equivalent of a magical wheelchair

Some of us want the wish fulfillment of no disabilities

Some of us want it all

And we all have the right to have our story needs fulfilled

Not by every product, but by enough to give us options.

GOOD OPTIONS!

So go on my lovelies <3 write settings with and without disability

Just maybe come up with a better explanation then: "magic removes all disabled fetuses …"

Especially since I once read that the majority of disabilities are the result of accidents, illnesses or are due to faulty genes and will maybe or maybe not start presenting later in live …

So just aborting disabled fetuses will not create a world without disabled people.

[fortressofserenity]

Smoky

I think if Felicity Smoak were to become Indian in both the comics and DCEU, expect Oliciters to talk exactly like those in the Alt-Right. They will demand people to create their own Indian characters, despite having no real interest in Indian comics themselves. They will even complain about how Felicity Smoak’s no longer relatable, but this is where their racism starts to unravel big time.

As if being white and nerdy were the default standard for being relatable, which says a lot about how Oliciters can’t stand Laurel Lance in any way. Turning Felicity into an Indian werehyena results in the same sentiment or similar, in the sense that the Felicity they knew is replaced by somebody else. They might even call her a Mary Sue just because Felicity’s brown and has powers now.

To paraphrase Ali Nahdee, they are fine with Mary Sues but on their own terms. They are fine with Mary Sues if they are white, able-bodied and economically privileged or geeky. Once Felicity Smoak becomes a South Asian werehyena, this is where their sentiments turn a 180 degree. Now that the character they identified with is no longer the one they knew, they’ll surely turn against her.

Supposing if another character, one called Cliff Carmichael, was remade to resemble the Arrowverse Felicity more. Oliciters will say that he resembles the original Felicity more than she does, even if Felicity as presented in comics, wasn’t like that before. Coincidentally, both of them are Firestorm characters. Firestorm being a comic book about a nuclear-powered hero to put it into context.

There’s also a Firestorm character called The Hyena, supposing if Felicity were to become a werehyena this would ironically be a proper update of her in a way that her telly incarnation isn’t. If because to some people, especially to those who know Smallville, Arrowverse Felicity really is just Chloe Sullivan but updated for the 2010s. Chloe had a crush on Clark but fell for Oliver.

Not to mention Smallville ended shortly before Arrow showed up, which means Smallville’s recently a fairly recent memory. But that also means Smallville’s more influential than one realises, especially considering Chloe Sullivan’s popularity and likeness being reused for another character and it’s Oliver Queen’s first live action appearance.

So it’s really necessary to know your DC history to know how Felicity got there and also considering the controversies over racebent characters, this would give a foretaste if Felicity ever became Indian this time around.

#racism #racebending #arrowverse #arrow #felicity smoak #smallville #chloe sullivan