This project is probably going to upset someone reading. But I do think it really needs to be said, as strabismus should be treated with just as much respect as any other disability. Strabismus, to put it in simple terms, is a misalignment of the eyes. One of the eyes may turn inward, outward, upward, or downward. And I see a lot of representation of strabismus in warrior cat roleplays. Which, in theory, should be great! But unfortunately, people use strabismus as an aesthetic or ‘character-building’ device rather than portraying it with the respect it deserves. I myself have strabismus, and seeing it used like this hurts. Strabismus, in character designs in general, is often just used to show that a character is ‘silly’ or ‘wacky,’ ‘crazy’ or ‘dumb’. This is most definitely a hurtful stereotype- I could consider myself to be a ‘goofy’ person. But this is not because or caused by in any way by my strabismus. Unfortunately, however, I often see people giving characters strabismus just to ‘show’ that they have the attributes mentioned above. Strabismus, and any disability in general, should not be used to show a character’s personality. Indirect characterization is a wonderful writing tool, but disabilities should not, under any circumstances, be used to show that a character is a certain way. Indirect characterization: S(peech) T(houghts) E(ffect on others) A(ctions) L(ooks) You may notice that ‘looks’ is a part of this. However, it is usually in shape language or what a character wears, and is a more controversial part of indirect characterization. Still, disabilities should not be included in the ‘looks’ category, as they are things real people have. There is a difference between giving a character spiky hair and giving them one blind eye to show that they are ‘tough’ or fit into the ‘mysterious quiet’ trope. The spiky hair is fine, but the one blind eye is not. Not all people with one blind eye are ‘tough,’ just like how not all blond people are ‘dumb.’ This is stereotyping and spreading of misinformation, and it needs to stop. I see strabismus used a lot in ‘silly’ art, and usually it is by people who are unaware of the fact that it is in fact a real and impacting disability. But, don’t worry. The goal of this project is to spread awareness and prevent future mistakes, so by reading this, you’re already on the right track! Next time you want to draw or show a character as ‘silly’ or ‘crazy,’ think of other ways to show it without using any disabilities the character does not have. Mischaracterizing a disability is awful, and, should never be done with any disability. Strabismus is real and affects people. If you want to give a character strabismus, give it to them because you want to properly /represent/ it, not because you want to use it as a ‘storytelling device’ to show how ‘wacky’ your character is. The same goes for any disability. Please be respectful in your representations, and not use disabilities for indirect characterization. Thank you!
