I'm writing a fantasy story and I have a character who is a black princess with healing and defensive powers who is set to be a queen; she's friendly, upbeat, and full of confidence that can sometimes border on arrogance, and due to being trained on how to run a country, likes to step into leadership roles. What can I do to avoid making her both a mammy stereotype and a sassy black woman stereotype?

Arrogant Black Princess with healing and defensive powers

“Sometimes border on arrogance” just let her be confident and sure of herself. You’d be surprised how scarce that trait is in popular media without any caveats.

- Norma

Well, her abilities and roles are fine, as long as all her time isn’t devoted to 

Healing and protecting others while forsaking her own happiness and health (unless it’s acknowledged that this is happening with intentions on unpacking that)

She has a life beyond using her abilities and work work work (running a country is a lot!) 

I recommend you give her a life beyond that, plus

People who care for her

Hobbies that don’t necessary relate to benefiting others 

Rest from her duties

Sassy Stereotypes and “Arrogant Black Woman”

Whether she’s merely confident and that’s perceived as arrogance from outsiders, or she is in fact quite full of herself - I'm fine with either circumstance. Black characters with a variety of characteristics, flawed or no, are okay. 

Just be careful that you, the author, aren't assigning arrogance to someone who is just sure of themselves. Black women being confident is not necessarily arrogance or aggression as is a common misconception we get. So just make sure the actions in the story match up to arrogance if you are painting her that way.

For the sake of stakes and tension, arrogance could definitely be used as a flaw that gets her in trouble, though. Just a thought! 

More reading:

Stereotyped vs Nuanced Characters and Audience Perception

Writing Flawed Black Characters is Okay

How to Avoid Glorifying White Characters (Not the concern here, but read it for the discussion on flaws, reactive and active characters. See how you could apply this to your character)

~Mod Colette

Eres un maldito desastre, por eso nadie se queda.

Feesh

Feesh

¿! チョク Niki ★..☆

@sparklenail_bar

Heyo! I really like your palettes, you've got a good eye when it comes to colors! :DDD Do you think you could do a Remy/Remus palette when you have the time?

#e0603d || #ded5cd || #7fa4a3 || #d87645 || #3a3834

green ariana layouts

like/reblog if you save + give credit

“Leftover Stims” Stimboard

x l x l x

x l x l x

x l x l x

*.✧ ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ ʙᴏɴɴɪᴇ • ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ ꜰʀᴇᴅᴅʏ (ꜰɪᴠᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛꜱ ᴀᴛ ꜰʀᴇᴅᴅʏ'ꜱ)

↝ ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛʜ ʀᴀꜰꜰʟᴇ ᴘʀɪᴢᴇ ꜰᴏʀ @security-gaurd

↝ ᴀʟᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛɪᴠᴇꜱ: [x]

Palette for the name azazel??

#ffeedb || #dcc496 || #b77061 || #845a4c || #322928

Lo di todo por ti.

doux enfer

🖤 - Pastel Goth stimboard ~

Requested by: Anon

💟 X 🖤 X 💟

🖤 X 💟 X 🖤

💟 X 🖤 X 💟

Que me agarre así la carita 👯

only way i’ll lose my spot is if i don’t want it no more 🤑

hair by @kiegross

air jordan 1s by @cocoelleansims

diamond necklace by @kikovanitysimmer

Jenny 🌻