Hi!! The anon that brought up the asian stereotypes the fandom depicts onto Jon here, thank you for your response and I’m so glad this topic is being discussed!!
I like that you brought up other characters treatments as examples with Melanie versus that of Helen’s because whether or not the fandom realizes it, like you said, they really do like to pick and choose who they view as “human” or morally sound (with a common pattern of them choosing the characters they like to depict with the lighter skin tone but WHATEVER :\ ig) Speaking of Martin’s character/powers breaking the established norm compared to other avatars, because for some reason he doesn’t struggle with his powers anymore after an arc while Jon does for the rest of his life is, hm, ok. Also it definitely reminds me of how colonization tend to pick and choose cultural aspects from locals they do like and incorporating them into their own culture, then demonizing the rest that doesn’t fit their world view. How Martin has the audacity to shame Jon for his powers and in the same breath uses Jon’s for his own benefit disgusts me.
It irks me the golden opportunity they created (unintentionally?) and wasting it up to just an aesthetic standpoint to pair with Martin, when they literally like to depict Jon as Indian, INDIAN, one of the most beautiful and culturally oldest, diverse people in the world. Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism all have common themes of omnipresent divine gazes correlating with wisdom and it’s never utilized in this fandom.
Another thing I wanted to go into further detail from my previous ask is the specific historic fetishization of asian men being feminized and looked down upon based on physicality and achievements which fanon Jon gets so much of this treatment already because they (and he) don’t align with western standards of masculinity. It gets more gritty and I’m not sure how tumblr will react so for a more modern but short real life example, Jon’s treatment from the fandom is similar to how asian boybands are treated by the western industry and adult men.
That’s enough of my thoughts of fanon for now.
As for canon, Jon our white manTM, I can’t deny that. My previous thought of Martin being similar to that of a typical white savior character isn’t just in regards with Jon but also stems my own reaction to him?? As I’ve met people just like him that it has instilled a fight or flight response to his character, so when he continuously treats Jon the way others have treated me and other people like me in the canon, I can’t help but project onto Jon even if he isn’t the same demographic.
god you’re so right ily