BLOGS

I've been reading a lot of articles about we Steampunks of Color and while it's cool to know that we are out there, some of the over-analyzation about being a minority in this subculture is kind of self-defeating, not to mention borders on the whiny. I’m far from naïve, and know that perception is everything, but why are we iconoclasts of color—in whatever realm we choose to call home—still trapped in that maze of culture consciousness that Caucasians never seem to have to deal with?

I mean really, is dressing in semi-Victorian fashion somehow a rejection of our culture? If that’s the case, then perhaps us anime geeks had better find another hobby as well, since anime is well Japanese. It’s a rather silly argument because there were black Victorian women who DID wear corsets and bustle skirts.

The irony here is, Steampunk isn’t REAL. It’s history (somewhat) with a mechanical edge. This means that anyone can grab their goggles and take off to parts unknown in a dirigible. True, most Steampunk is set in a Victorian-era London, but that’s because way too many authors and participants limit themselves as to what Steampunk can be (sort of like most genre fiction). Who says that a Steampunk novel can’t be set in the African Diaspora in which the wealth of gold, diamonds and natural resources has created a pan-continental superpower rivaling that of Europe? Or set in Hawaii where Queen Liliuokalani kicks major butt against the imperialists trying to take her throne using steam-powered surfboards? Oh man, remember Will Smith as James West in The Wild Wild West?

(Oh snap, brainstorm!)

Steampunk is about ALTERNATIVE HISTORY, which means perhaps the British Empire doesn't get to colonize the world and that other cultures can (and should) come to the fore and participate. Like science-fiction or any speculative work, we writers get to play god and create this mechanized world in our own image. We can flip the historical/social context on its stuffy little ears and make these worlds believable—and hopeful. It also means that we geeks of color shouldn't feel strange because we might be the only one at any given gathering. If Steampunk provides us anything, it's an impetus to really look into history and see that people of color weren't always victims and that we have great people whose names should be taught alongside the usual cast of historical characters. That's the best reason of all, I think, for more people of color to participate--to tell and even re-imagine our vibrant history, and perhaps educate the poor fools who still think Paul Revere made that famous ride.

He didn't, by the way, but William Dawes just lacks that poetic ring.

Steampunk allows for the creative artist to re-imagine a world where everything is possible. Want to wear a walking suit made of African mudcloth? Go for it! Dragons and airships can co-exist (unless you piss off the dragon or it ate someone really spicy and has a case of the burps). Steampunk is a playground of the mind. It encompasses novels, fashion, jewelry, performance art, music—anything and everything can become a part of this world. That’s as it should be. There are no signs that read ONLY EUROPE CAN BE THE SETTING FOR STEAMPUNK. How boring would that be?

Granted, there will always be one or two troglodytes in the Steampunk subculture (as in any subculture) who feel the need to question why we are there, but honestly, if those people are that concerned, maybe they need to find another place to play and let us grown-ups don our merry apparel and mod-out our modern electronic devices with gears and wheels.

The real question we really should be asking is WHY AREN'T THERE MORE OF US? It's the same question I’m sure we’ve all asked when in garb at a Renaissance festival, headbanging with our favorite metal bands, attending sci-fi/comic/anime conventions, and windmilling at goth clubs.

Where the hell are we?

The answer is simple and it’s uncomfortable and few want to talk about it, but it needs to be said. In a nutshell, only white people get to be individuals. That’s the perception that continues to linger in many communities of color. That to step out of some preconceived notion as to what we are and should/should not be means that we’re “selling-out”, our ties to our culture questioned and even challenged. We see this when many of us chose to date/marry outside of the race or pursue learning rather than accept ignorance. Those of us who read/write science-fiction tend to get "the look" from family and friends who don't quite get why we dig "that white boy stuff".

I find it amazing that the negative images in the mass media have become not merely accepted, but expected, and the irony in this is how angry those who are guilty of perpetuating stereotypes become when the dominant culture uses those selfsame stereotypes to maintain control of our images…and of us period.

Maybe it’s me, but it strikes me as odd when one of the criticisms leveled at President Obama—when he was still Candidate Obama—was that he wasn’t “black” enough. This crap came from the typical suspects, but it was interesting that even whites weren’t (and many still aren't) certain where to place this guy with the prestigious university education and measured cadence in speech. His pants didn’t sag to his kneecaps and he wasn’t calling his wife “my ho”.

So imagine the teachable moment that happens every single time one of us ventures into the places we choose to be a part of. Imagine how, even when nothing is ever said, that another brick in the wall (with apologies to Pink Floyd) in the myth of white supremacy, has just come crashing down around their ears. And imagine stepping out in public in full-on whatever gear one chooses. Some will laugh, some will make stupid comments, but it’s the silent rebel who sees us and finds the courage to be true to themselves. I might have read Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov as a child, but when I read the brilliant Octavia Butler, that was the moment when I realized I could play here too.

I believe one of the unspoken but important tenets of the Civil Rights movement is the right of self-determination. That means the right to not be limited by skin color, to determine for ourselves what blackness is. I don't allow white people to determine that because they always get it wrong. I don't allow blacks to determine that for me because THEY always get it wrong too.