Token Minority

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Synonyms:
See also: Bruce Banner Syndrome, pandering, sidelining, Timeline of Race and Fandom Meta, Mom friend, Pair the Spares, representation
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A token minority is a person or fictional character intended to serve as a singular representative of an underrepresented group, often in a shallow and unimportant role, within a larger group or cast. The inclusion of a token is usually intended to create the impression of social inclusiveness and diversity—without actually shifting the status quo, and often withholding power, importance, or agency from the token individual.

Fandom has responded to tokenism with praise for increasing diversity and representation, but also with criticism for continued double-standards and limits imposed on minority characters. On the other hand, the forces of fandom have also contributed to the tokenism of minority characters in canon and in fan works.

Overview

Not always 100% a bad thing.

  • Some characters are considered token minorities, while having strong characterization and adoring fanbases.
  • Token minorities are also seen as a step for incrementally increasing diversity and representation.
  • However, the criticism of tokenism isn't always centered on whether the character is developed well; rather the critique focuses on a culture that limits minorities to being merely supporting characters instead of protagonists themselves; also fulfills "quotas" that reward the bare minimum of including diverse peoples.

Types

  • Positive stereotype/Model minority - This includes the "Magical [N-word]", "Magical Native American", etc.
  • "The Magical [N-word]" - Another frequent misuse of race in fannish sources is "the magical negro"[1], a term popularized by director Spike Lee.[2][3][4] The magical negro serves as a plot device to help the protagonist get out of trouble, typically through helping the white character recognize his own faults and overcome them. Although he has magical powers, his magic is ostensibly directed toward helping and enlightening a white, usually male, character.
  • Token woman -
  • Gay Best Friend -
  • Matchmaker - The matchmaker (also known as a "wingwoman" or "wingman") is a supporting character who supports a relationship forming between other characters. Usually the matchmaker is a friend or loved one of the protagonist. Some fans complain that the matchmaker roles are filled by token minority characters, whose actions and aspirations only revolve around their white, male, or otherwise non-marginalized friends.
  • Mom friend - The "Mom friend" is an archetype of a character who takes a role as the nurturing, responsible individual in a group of friends. Fans have complained that canon and fanon force female characters into the role of "Mom friend", even when such a role often contradicts her established nature and aspirations; similar to the matchmaker archetype, often the "Mom friend" characters are typecast as supporting characters, lacking any purpose except to coddle the main couple. Alternatively, fans have also complained that minority characters who do canonically exhibit "Mom friend" traits are passed over in favor of showering undeserved appreciation on wrongly "Mom friend"-designated characters, who aren't minorities.

Discussion and comments

A token character is one that isn't developed but is just there to represent a certain group. Spock isn't a token alien. Roddenberry developed a full background for him. He put more thought into Spock than any other character. He fought the network to keep Spock too. He didn't fight for Number One, because she really was only a token.[5]

Characters commonly criticized for being used as tokens in canon media sources

Characters said to be commonly used as tokens in fan works and fandom

  • Batman
  • Les Misérables - Les Amis de l'ABC: "This attention to diversity in the group has led to a lot of discourse about which characters are portrayed as which identity and in which manner. A prominent example is the criticism of how Enjolras is often portrayed as white, even when the rest of Les Amis are depicted as racially diverse. Some fans pointed to this as a form of tokenism, where the less prominent characters are depicted as people of color, while the most prominent very rarely is. A factor in this discrepancy may also be that Enjolras is the only Amis who has a canon appearance. Indeed, many depictions of Enjolras as a PoC have him keep the blond hair so strongly associated with him within fandom."
  • Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
  • Miraculous Ladybug: Alya Césaire and Nino Lahiffe
  • Sims machinimas are notorious for centering around white protagonists, with a token minority in the supporting role as a friend.

Further reading and resources

Notes

References