James Bond is a White male. He was and should arguably ALWAYS be a White male, as he was originally conceived by his creator. Rooted in his essence are distinct characteristics and privileges that are tied to his specific brand of Whiteness and maleness. It is the reality of his backstory. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS. He is a fictional character. People think that calling for a “Bond of Color” is a progressive sentiment. It is not. It is pseudo-diversity at best. There is nothing TRULY diverse about slapping a Black face on a White character. This “Bond of Color” argument is, in actuality, a cry for more diverse stories and heroes: complex characters that represent the complex world we live in. Are we not capable of building a franchise around a sexy Black female hero that battles villains internationally and saves the world over and over again? Of course, we’re capable! But it begins with allocating our energies toward the arguments and debates that result in true solutions and remedies, NOT placebos.
