Chicago TARDIS 2011: Diversity and the Doctor

Another Chicago TARDIS has come and gone. But less than a year until the next edition.

I really got a lot out of the fan panels this year so allow me begin with a gripe. We attended one called "Diversity and the Doctor" which asked "How does the current series really stack up in its treatment of anyone who could be considered 'other'?" On the panel was Quiana Howard, a woman of color whom I recognized from past cons because of her wonderful costumes. Let me say this in no uncertain terms:

I was absolutely fucking appalled when she related some of the comments that she received over her Leela costume from last year:





Some people gave her grief saying, essentially, that only white women should cosplay as Leela. WTF? Who are these nimrods? As Grady from The Shining might say, they need to be corrected. It is 2011 and yet some DW fans find themselves in a micro-Kulturkampf over whether it is "appropriate" for a black woman to dress as a white TV character.

Quiana had multiple costumes again this year. Here she is with some other 5th Doctor afficianados.



(Photo found at the making my 11th doctor costume blog.)


For a look at the rest of her outfits from this year, including one of the Rani, check out the DW Cosplay Livejournal page.

Moving on, I think that there was a consensus at this panel that Martha kicked ass. I know that The Dulcinea loved her and Quiana did as well. They both expressed delight at seeing someone like themselves – a woman of color – as a companion of The Doctor. Unfortunately, there also seemed to be a consensus that Martha got a raw deal in terms of how she left the show. Yeah, she did an amazing job of carrying on when The Master was ruling the Earth (this was shown briefly in "Last of the Time Lords" but elaborated upon only in the book The Story of Martha) but the whole unrequited love thing was just weak – too weak for a character of Martha's strength.

There was also agreement that Matt Smith's tenure as The Doctor under executive producer Steven Moffatt is far too alabaster. My impression was that people enjoy the 11th Doctor as well as Amy and Rory but there are hardly even any secondary characters of color. Rita from "The God Complex" was the big exception to the rule. "Battlefield" from 1989 and featuring the 7th Doctor may have had more racial diversity in that one story than all of the last season.

So, Steven Moffatt, put more people of color in DW!