Advice/Help So. I've got OC's in mind, but...

[Parkersayhi]

I want to give them certain features that make them stand out. I'm not sure how to do that, however, because I'm afraid I'll make it offensive.

To give some perspective, I'm making a Canadian OC who's colorblind. How do I avoid the "hockey, maple syrup, eh?" stereotypes, as well as making my character's visual issues be somewhat of an importance, without making a HUGE deal out of it?

 

[rae2nerdy]

Well the first thing to remember is that people are not a Monolith. So just because their Canadian doesn't necessarily mean they have to act a certain way. I imagine their upbringing and personality will have a great deal more to do with their character than where they happened to be placed on the map.

That being said it never hurts to actually talk to a Canadian. Get an idea of the local geography, the kinds of things they like to do, etc.

I would say for colorblindness. Research what it entails. What are the effects. Try looking for articles/forums/etc. populated by people who are actually colorblind. Don't take just the first source and call it a day. Look through a few different ones. Look for the things that are the same and different.

 

[deer]

I have to agree with geeking out as well! Every character is unique in their own ways especially depending on a person's upbringing and culture. It would definitely be great to ask a Canadian for some helpful in terms of maybe different slangs they use over there, dialects, and etc. for a more authentic perspective as well!

As for colorblindness, I am no way shape or form an expert, however, I learned about it in my classes and it runs in my family. Colorblindness are X-linked gene traits. So, it is a recessive trait that's passed down from a women carrying that X-linked trait. It is more common for males to receive the trait because they only one have [1] X chromosome, in most cases. Red-green colorblindness are usually more common. Most of the men on my dad's side of the family are colorblind. So, my grandmother was a carrier for the X-linked trait because she had 3 sons and all of them are colorblind. But, she also had 2 daughters. Both of the daughters are carrier of the trait, but only one daughter had a son who is colorblind. My dad may have been colorblind, but the gene didn't pass onto my brother because my dad isn't a carrier for that trait nor my mum.

I found this site and I think it's pretty helpful! : Facts About Color Blindness | National Eye Institute

I hope this helps you!

 

[kevintheradioguy]

Okay, storyime! Many stories, take the one you like.

Let me tell you something. It's not about an OC in particular, but there's an analogy. It's about me.
I am a male, first things first, and nature gave me: small height (between 5'11'' and 6'), long legs, and very thin bones. I think my wrists are thinner than on my 5'4'' girlfriend. I might have big nose, sure, but small chin, and large almond eyes, and thin hard lips, and white skin, and altogether I am feminine material. I dislike being feminine quite a bit, but that is me.
However, I do wear clothes that is ironed, and floral patterns. I clean up thoroughly, I take care of my hair fanatically, and it's quite long. I wear some trinkets when I don't forget, I have a kilt to put on, and love heeled boots (albeit, male heels). I make gay jokes, and flirt with both males and females.
I am also straight. I do all of these feminine things, while looking naturally feminine, and I look gay instead. In fact, most of the people on my girlfriend's work think I'm gay. But I do those things, because I have no doubts in my masculinity. Sure, nature gave me feme-like fact and figure, but I do not feel threatened by this, I do not fear to be called a girl, because I do not doubt I am a boy. Being like that is maybe a quirk of mine, but I do not make a big deal of it, because it really isn't. I just don't think that a man should look like a gorilla (and smell like one too), that's it.

Another character story. This is Rose. Rose is gay, but he doesn't think it's his defining feature.
It' not quirky enough - hey, being a black man in NA is more quirky, especially the one who nearly never saw a white person in his long, long un-life. However, he does not think that his preference are something to talk left and right about. He doesn't take part in any LGBT community stuff, he doesn't wear rainbows and pink triangles on his clothes, and he never in his life said the words "I'm gay" to anyone. Because it doesn't matter. He might live with a man, and he might be absolutely in love with a man, however, it's none of anyone's business, so unless you're his close friend who knows he has a boyfriend, or you poke your nose into their bedroom to see them sharing a bed, you will never know. Because this is not a personality trait, and it doesn't matter. He never introduces himself "Hello, my name is Rosario, and I like men", and he never says he likes men when being flirted to by a woman - he just excuses himself, compliments her, but states the lack of interest.

Now, another character - meet Ellie. He has a standing out feature, but it is balanced by flaws.
Ellie is considered extremely beautiful. An eleven out of then. He's a grim profession to contrast his angelic look, but he gets into people's pants with a click of a finger. However, this is balanced by an obvious thing many writers forget about beautiful people. His arrogance. He might not take it too personally when people don't answer his flirtations, however, he does take personally being ignored. Oh, how he hates that. If he's in the room, all the eyes should be locked on him. You want to be on his good side? Tell him he's beautiful, handsome, stylish. He spends a lot of time and effort to be that, so you better notice it. He has this "special thing" - being an extremely beautiful man, but it's not just a shallow thing, it comes with consequences. His own flaws, and inability to be discrete - he's a very recognisable porcelain skin, and cream-white long hair, and not too big of a height. It's hard to mix with a crowd. And his looks are shown through flaws: he was never described by myself as beautiful in game, but the way he acts, the way he sees people, how he interacts with them shows that he is used t be the most beautiful thing they ever saw.

Master L here is very traumatised - he lacks an arm, half of the eyesight, part of the leg muscles, and comfort with wrongly healed ribs, but he had learned how to live with this.
Of course, first years? - he relied on any help he could get. He had lost his primary hand, he couldn't see depth of field well, he couldn't walk fast or long distances, and couldn't even breathe properly until the ribs healed. But time had passed, and he grew more and more accustomed to his condition - walking slower at first, finding the way to strain his damaged leg later; using his secondary hand, and in time, didn't need any help at all, being high-functioning, albeit a little clumsy due to the lack of sight in his left eye, adult. He never expects any help from others, but polite enough to thank if one is given, and comfortable enough to joke about his looks when it is appropriate, instead of being defensive towards any mentions.

A small real-life colour-blind experience on top.
When i was working at publishing house, I had an odd team. Single mother, a colour-blind guy, and a dwarf. I shit you not - this was my team. While I did ask one single question about dwarfism (that being, how does he buy alcohol, since he drinks), it was ignored most of the time. Yeah, well, a dwarf, but he was never treated like a special little snowflake. He was expected to perform like any other person, and he bloody did! But with a colour-blind guy... the only thing we spoke with him concerning this, was a dialogue when we were designing a new logo for the printing house together.
"Valentine" - he said. - "Don't you think this red looks kind of... redder than this red?"
"That's because it's green, Marv."
"Oh."
And that's it. Insensitive, you might say, but, honestly, his colour-blindness was referred so "often", I actually forgot about it. Because this is not a defining characteristic of a person. And he knew that I forgot, and never got offended.

In other words, yes, quirks are marvellous, do them as much as you want, but if you want them to be read good, don't shove them into your partner's throats. If they want to - they'll explore them. Use them as a passive thing. Is your character is asked "Which colour suits me", don't go yelling "I'm colour-blind, and this is what medicine has to do about it". In real life, unless we're speaking lavender-haired tumblr super-special snowflakes, it would be more like "Um... I don't know. What do you like?", and then an internal worry that your advice won't be good, because you see no difference between the colours.
Such things exist, but they are never an important part.

 

[kevintheradioguy]

Small addition:

I'm afraid I'll make it offensive

Don't be afraid of keyboard warriors. Normal people do not get offended on characters, who are not real, having some exaggerated by design feature they have at a lesser extend. If they do, they are assholes, and you should not consider their point of view.

 

[Idea]

The most important thing to do is incorporate it into your character, while remembering it remains a character.

Normalize it. Write the posts in the mindset of the character.

The same room in the eyes of an architect will have the cleanness of the design stand out, whereas a plummer might notice the humidity in the corners and the baker might make note of the light scent of fresh bakery that was made in that room very recently. A person raised in a higher status socially might have a bigger inclination for self-censuring and using "fancier" words, whereas a soccer might constantly be drawing comparisons of any event to their own career.

In addition, keep in mind the following: You are making a character. It's a fictional individual whose personality and behavior is defined by who they are with no implications about anyone except the one making them. If they act or behave in a certain way, they are doing so as an individual not as a representative of any group. So long as the character remains within those bounds, you have no obligation to have any realism whatsoever (though of course, miss too much of it and your writing will be worse, but that's another problem entirely).

 

[Parkersayhi]

Thanks, everyone! I'll take this all into thought!!

 

[Idea]

Thanks, everyone! I'll take this all into thought!!

Good luck buddy! Don't worry about it, you can do it! And even if you fail, everyone makes mistakes (I sure know I made my share of them ), if someone gets angry, there are still plenty of us who'll have our arms open for you