Albinism in popular culture

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Main article: Albinism

The depiction of albinism in popular culture, especially the portrayal of people with albinism in film and fiction, is asserted to be largely negative and has raised concerns that it reinforces, or even engenders, societal prejudice and discrimination against such people.^[1] This trend is sometimes referred to as the "evil albino" plot device^[1] or albino bias.^[2][3][4]

The "evil albino" stereotype is a villain in fiction who is depicted as having albinism (or displaying physical traits usually associated with albinism, even if the term is not used), with the specific and obvious purpose of distinguishing the villain in question from the heroes by means of appearance.^[5][1] Traits of albinism commonly associated with the evil albino stereotype include pale skin, platinum blonde hair, and blue or red eyes. Notably absent from most depictions is impaired vision, which is experienced by most real people with albinism.^[6][7][1] The stereotype has become sufficiently well-recognised to attract satire and to be considered a cliché. In The Big Over Easy, author Jasper Fforde includes a protest against it by "the albino community" among his imaginary news clippings, most of which satirize stock characters and hackneyed plot devices. Chicago Tribune movie reviewer Mark Caro says of this character type that it is someone "who looks albino and thus, in movie shorthand, must be vicious."^[8] The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH)[1] has stated that there are a total of sixty-eight films from 1960 to 2006 featuring an "evil albino".^[9]

Contents 1 History 2 Cultural references 2.1 Villains 2.2 Subjects of ridicule, and "freaks" 2.3 Neutral and ambiguous portrayals 2.4 Heroes and positive portrayals 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

The "evil albino" archetype may also have its roots in folklore and mythology. For example, the evil Yuki-onna of Japanese legends is described as a very pale woman, although this is probably because she is a snow spirit. Some cultures in Neolithic Eastern Europe also depicted Death as a pallid woman with light hair.^[10] Fear of vampires and other legendary undead with a deathly pallor, especially in European folklore, could also have contributed to albino bias. The phenomenon may also have been influenced by an introduction of attitudes towards people with albinism in Africa or Jamaica, where those with that condition are sometimes regarded as cursed. Dermatologist Dr. Vail Reese theorizes that albino bias may be part of a broader Hollywood pattern of equating or at least linking skin disorders and appearance problems with villainy.^[11]

Another explanation may be sought in respective ideals of beauty — most "evil albinos" appear in works of fiction from the West. In fiction from Japan, where ideals of beauty call for as pale skin as possible, characters with albinism or associated traits are more frequently sympathetic^[12] than in Western fiction.^[13] This is not to say that Japanese popular culture has not depicted "evil albinos". However, such characters in Japanese fiction are often bishounen (pretty-boy villains) whose beautiful appearance is used for a cognitive dissonance effect against their moral evil. Use of albinistic features to indicate villains in Western film appears to have begun in the 1960s, and may be related to the popularity of tanning (and thus a decrease in pale skin being seen as attractive) in this period.^[5]

One of the oldest perceived literary examples of albino bias was H.G. Wells's depiction of the main character in his 1897 science-fiction novel The Invisible Man. The character was able to become invisible using his scientific discoveries only because he already lacked natural pigmentation; he subsequently became mentally deranged, an "albino villain".^{[citation needed]}

Albino bias is also alleged in modern times. For example, the 2003 Warner Bros movie The Matrix Reloaded featured two sociopathic characters with pale skin and white hair frequently interpreted to be albinos despite studio declarations that they are not.^[7] Positive depictions of albinos in mass culture are rarer, though one example is the 1995 film Powder which depicts an exceptionally gifted young albino and the cruelty he endures because of his differences from "normal" people. In recent years, the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH) has spoken out^[1] against albino bias in the United States. Albinistic actor Michael C. Bowman, of Me, Myself and Irene, has said, "Kids all over this country are being affected in a very negative and harmful way because of the sloppiness and laziness of a writer in Hollywood."^[7]

[edit] Cultural references

Note: These lists do not include fantastic characters whose appearances are similar to albinos, but for reasons other than actual albinism (aliens, the undead, magical beings, the genetically altered, etc.) Exceptions are characters who are broadly perceived as members of the "evil albino" category due to the distinction being lost on audiences,^[5][14] where this confusion can be reliably sourced.

A number of movies, books and other works have been criticized^[5][1][6] for albino bias, as they associate the uncommon features of albinistic people (pale skin, white hair, and unpigmented eyes) with danger, terror, or criminality. Less frequently they are depicted as the harmless butt of jokes and ridicule, as maladjusted and undersocializled, or as "freaks".^[5][14] Most rarely of all, they may actually be portrayed positively, even heroically.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Villains

The most common depiction of people with albinism in fiction is that of the inimical, violent villain, especially the hitman, assassin, or crime boss.^{[5][14][6][7]}

• Silas, in the book The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, (played by Paul Bettany in the derived 2006 movie) is described as being albinistic. He is a religious fanatic and an assassin who murders several people. Although author Brown insists that Silas's depiction is sympathetic — as having been effectively brainwashed and having mental problems due to being abused since childhood — critics have called the portrayal "damning", "hateful" and "cruelly stereotypical".^[15]
• "The Twins" (played by Adrian and Neil Rayment), in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)^[16] are considered by detractors^[6] to be the highest-profile case of "evil albino" bias to date, though said by producers^[7] to not be intended to be taken for natural albinos. These computer software constructs are nearly-unstoppable assassin henchmen of another villain.
• "Snow" (played by Billy Drago), in Vamp (1986)^[17] is the violently-inclined leader of a street gang composed of albinistic people and others with appearance problems. He meets a violent end.^[5]
• Joseph (played by Jake Busey, son of Gary Busey; see next entry), in Contact (1997)^[18] is a religious extremist turned suicide-bomber.^[7]
• Mr. Joshua (played by Gary Busey), in Lethal Weapon (1987)^[19] is a seemingly psychopathic hit man.^[5] He was specifically referred to as "albino" in the film.
• Bosie (played by Charlie Hunnam),^[20] in Cold Mountain (2003)^[21] is a U.S. Civil War-era "sneering albino killer ...[who] seems to have wandered in from a Lethal Weapon movie" — Ty Burr, Boston Globe review.^[22][5]
• Grahame Coats, in Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys (published 2005; ISBN 0-06-051518-X). Quote: "If you happened to see Grahame Coats and immediately found yourself thinking of an albino ferret in an expensive suit, you would not be the first." (See main article for further sources.)
• "Dragon" (played by Thayer David) in the The Eiger Sanction (1975)^[18] is an underworld kingpin also described as being unable to stand light and requiring frequent blood transfusions.
• "The Albino" (played by Mel Smith), in The Princess Bride (1987)^[23] is an Igor-like henchman and torturer, depicted as diseased, with visible sores.^[5]
• "Albino" (played by the genuinely albinistic Victor Varnado), in End of Days (1999)^[24] is a menacing "servant of Satan" who meets a grisly death.^[5]
• "Satan" (played by Rosalinda Celentano), in The Passion of the Christ (2004)^[25] is portrayed here as an androgynous, albino-like figure.
• "Whitey" Jackson a.k.a. "The Albino" (played by William Frankfather), in Foul Play (1978)^[26] is another heavily-armed killer, this time in a comedy.^[5]
• "Tombstone", in the Spider-man comics is an African-American with albinism. He is a mob hitman. (See main article for sources.)
• Moke (played by Dar Robinson), in Stick (1985)^[27] is a ruthless criminal, who likes to shoot people in the back^[7][5]
• Judge Holden, in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian (published 1985; ISBN 0-394-54482-X). In McCarthy's novel, Holden is a wanton mass-murderer. There is no historical evidence to suggest that the non-fictional Holden was albinistic. (See main article for further sources.
• "Albino" (played by Warrick Grier), in Freefall (1994)^[28] is a menacing figure who drugs the film's heroine.^[5]
• Mark Purayah (Mark II) and Mark Parchezzi (Mark III) ("the Albinos"), in Hitman: Blood Money (released 2005)^[29] are clones of an unseen Mark I, and all are assassins. (See main article for further sources.)
• Otis B. Driftwood (played by Bill Moseley), in House of 1000 Corpses (2003).^[30] leads a clan of psychopathic backwoods serial killers. Despite being played by the same actor, in the discontinuitous sequel The Devil's Rejects (2005)^[31] he has a normal skin tone. (See main article for further sources.)
• Griffin, the main character of The Invisible Man (published 1897) by H.G. Wells is of questionable sanity and a thief by nature. (See main article for sources.)
• The Autumn Brothers, in the Jonah Hex comics are half-human villains for the main character to fight. They were thinly-disguised caricatures of real-life albinistic musician brothers, Edgar and Johnny Winter, who filed a lawsuit.^[32]
• "The Albino" (played by Bill Bolender) from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Blood Oath", who is a dishonorable Klingon^[33] warrior and murderer. (See main article for further sources.)
• Amadeus, the dhampir antagonist of the Slayer horror series by Karen Koehler is a blind albino, as well as a vampire.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Subjects of ridicule, and "freaks"

Recently, there has been an increase in the number albinistic characters who are mocked (sometimes by the actual works in which they appear, an instance of albino bias itself, and sometimes by other characters in a way that highlights albino bias.

• "Powder", the titular character in the movie Powder. The name can be seen as mocking or derogatory; however the depiction can been seen as positive, in its portrayal of the effects of bias against those with albinism.^[14]
• Casper, a.k.a. "Whitey" or "Q-Tip"^[7] (played by Michael C. Bowman), in Me, Myself and Irene (2000).^[5] His alleged real name is as mocking as his nicknames. He is the subject of a good deal of ridicule, which may be accurately representative of the casual discrimination that persons with albinism are often made to suffer, and is accurately depicted as having impaired vision, and is a vital friend of the main characters. The genuinely albinistic actor "somewhat regrets" taking the role: "I worried that it was sending the wrong message."^[7]
• Arthur "Boo" Radley, in To Kill a Mockingbird, is physically described in a way that suggests albinism. He is also described as reclusive, and is an object of fear and superstition, but his actions are generally altruistic.
• Ceecee, a character in "The Mediator" novel series by Meg Cabot. Ridiculed by her classmates. Generally portrayed fairly accurately as a person with albinism, wearing protective clothing, sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses outdoors, though said to have purplish irises even though that is rare. While described supportively, as intelligent. On the other hand, Ceecee's aunt, who also has albinism, reads tarot cards and speaks with the dead.
• Harold Kline, in Ghost Boy, a novel by Iain Lawrence, is an albinistic youth who ran away from home and ended up working in the circus with the other "freaks", as people called them. The portrayal is supportive, but the "freak" label is not, even if accurately depicting biased attitudes.
• The hermaphrodite, in Federico Fellini's Satyricon.^[5]

[edit] Neutral and ambiguous portrayals

Neutral and least morally uncertain depictions of persons with albinism are also somewhat common in literature and film, as anti-heroes, morally confused characters, or simply incidentally.

• "Snow", an albinistic psychic who achieves a messianic following, has his story told in Snow, a concept album by progressive rock band Spock's Beard. The portrayal is ambiguous and unrealistic, and the character has a stereotypical monicker.
• "U.V." or "U-Vee"^{[citation needed]}, in the film Disturbing Behavior. He is not a villain, but a stoner with a stereotypical nickname that refers to his skin sensitivity, while on the other hand has a clever sense of humor, is "hip", and is well-accepted by his friends.^[5]
• "The bride" (played by the genuinely albinistic^[34] Diane Costa), in Nobody's Fool (1986)^[35] Depicted accurately, though possibly mostly for comedic effect, as requiring sunglasses under her veil at her outdoor wedding, and mocked behind her back as having landed a husband out of pity, but shown as engaging in a normal societal role.^[34]
• Dilandau Albatou and Folken Fanel, characters in the fantasy anime series Escaflowne. Both appear to be intended to represent persons with albinism, with fair skin, reddish irises and pale hair (and which are not explained as some alien or magical transformation). Their moral portrayal is ambiguous; both cause great destruction but in the end are revealed to have been a victim of circumstances, and misguidedly well-meaning, respectively.
• Princess Hinoto, in the X manga and TV series and X-1999 movie. While a heroine in the original comics and movie, she becomes a villain in the follow-up television series. Has red eyes in some episodes, purplish in others. Accurately portrayed as having vision problems, but also given deaf-muteness, lameness, and psychic powers.^[12]
• The unnamed albino orc in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers film.^[7] The orcs are categorically evil, but this one is not depicted as being any more evil than the others. Its albinism simply seems incidental, and part of the production team's efforts to make the orcs as individual and recognizable as possible.
• The Grey Seers, in the tabletop game Warhammer Fantasy Battles are albinistic prophets and powerful wizards of the Skaven rat-people.^{[citation needed]}
• "Whitey" (played by Robert Englund), in Buster and Billie. He dyes his hair black, but is known by his nickname, which he wears on his hat.^[5]
• The detective, in What's the Worst that Could Happen?. Like the villain in Foul Play, he wears all-white suits.^[5]
• Ghost, in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire,^{[citation needed]} is a wolf trained to aid his companion Jon Snow, and does so many times, as the second most frequently referred to companion animal of this sort in the story. Ghost is said to have been the runt of his litter, and thus this novel links albinism with other unrelated conditions (cf. "The Albino" in The Princess Bride above, among others).
• "An albino" (along with "a mulatto") features prominently in the chorus of Nirvana's hit song about teenage angst and high school factionalism, "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

[edit] Heroes and positive portrayals

More rarely, but with somewhat increasing frequency (perhaps as a response to concerns about the "evil albino" stereotype), persons with albinism are sometimes depicted heroically or otherwise positively, or at least accurately with regard to their condition and its medical and social results:

• Elric of Melniboné, the OCA main character of an eponymous series of fantasy novels by Michael Moorcock. (See main article for sources.)
• Beowulf "Bey" Shaeffer, hero of several stories in Larry Niven’s Known Space series, from the planet We Made It, which is populated primarily by albinos due to a founder effect from the original colonists. (See main article for sources.)
• Bran Davies, in "The Dark Is Rising" occult novel series, is a positive portrayal, but somewhat inaccurate because the character lacks any vision problems.
• Bjørn Beltø, in Tom Egeland's Norwegian novel Sirkelens Ende pre-dates but is very similar to The Da Vinci Code. Coincidentally it features an albinistic person in a positive role while the latter does the opposite.
• Pete White in The Venture Bros. animated series on "Adult Swim". An albinistic computer scientist and friend of Dr. Venture from his college years, he runs "Conjectural Technologies" with Master Billy Quizboy, Boy Genius. The name is stereotypical, but his intelligence is accentuated, and the character is not otherwise mocked.
• Misaki Saiki, an albinistic dominatrix, is the principle heroine in the Vulgar Ghost Daydream manga. She speaks to ghosts for a special government agency, but such fantasy is common in the genre. (See main article for sources.)
• Billy Raven of the "Children of the Red King" series is an albinistic orphan seeking adoption. Realistically, he needs eyeglasses; unrealistically, he has the magic ability to talk to animals although his supernatural abilities are not said to be caused by his albinism, or vice versa (cf. "Snow" and "Powder", etc., above, but as these stories are children's fantasies, the portrayal is arguably not "freakish").
• Maple White, explorer and original discoverer of the plateau in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World is described by Professor Challenger as having some characteristics of albinism.
• Taarna, heroine of the final segment of the animated film Heavy Metal, is not necessarily a person with natural, genetic albinism, though the distinction would be lost on most viewers.

[edit] See also

• Albinism

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Albinism in Popular Culture website
• Comprehensive list of movie characters with albinism
• "Pale Riders Who Wear Black Hats" — Wired News article on albinism in cinema
• NOAH, National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation