It has recently come to my attention that back during IFComp 2024, there was a significant discussion on Discord regarding Bureau of Strange Happenings and its most beloved characters, the Lizard People. Or maybe not so beloved since, as it was revealed in the Discord discussion, the lizard people trope has often been used in antisemitic contexts. This was a fact I was unaware of, much to my embarrassment. I was just thinking of V and the
This state of affairs cannot stand. So I’m changing the species of the Lizard People and the artwork for the game. I need to do this quickly since I need to submit it to the Narrascope Showcase by May 1. Therefore I need your help! (I used “I need” three times in a paragraph. I need to be more careful.)
What species should I choose?
I’m hoping you kind people can give me some ideas of anthropomorphic animals that are not terribly offensive. Whatever you like, just as long as it won’t be flagged by the SPLC. My first thought turned out to be a moniker for another group of people that might be considered offensive, so I’m clearly not the person to be thinking of these things.
As for artwork, it’s amazing how many stock photos of rutabagas are available for a reasonable price.
And finally there’s another admission I need to make regarding BOSH. The game refers to the potato as a root vegetable. It is not. It is a tuber.
Thank you in advance for your help in coming up with ideas.
want my suggestion ? don’t yield to an antisemitist hijacking, and I’m of Hebrew ancestry.
the key word here is “hijacking”, so I guess that you understand what I mean, so I hope I don’t need delving into explaining about these lexicon (and imagery, and symbolism) hijackings, esp. of extreme right, explanation which (or whose) perforce involves the hot US debate on political lexicon, a thing everyone here in our forum will agree that should not be debated here.
Unfortunately it’s going to be hard to find any conspiracy theory lore that doesn’t have antisemitism mixed in somewhere. “Lizard-people run the world” is linked to the old classic “Jews run the world” via an intermediate stage of “Jews are shapeshifting reptilian aliens from the constellation Draco pretending to be human to steal our gold” (though I think even the David Icke followers are trying to distance their lore from the overt antisemitism now).
EDIT: Which is to say, I think the best way to avoid those implications is to go with fantasy monsters that don’t have the conspiracy-theory lore behind them.
If I recall correctly, the discussion came down on the side of “while people are understandably jumpy about this, it doesn’t actually use any of the antisemitic bits of the conspiracy theory so it’s fine”. And, TBH, a lot of the conspiracy theories about us are so ridiculous that it’s hard not to laugh at them. (See also, space lasers.)
If you weren’t on a time crunch I’d recommend seeing if you could find someone to do a sensitivity read instead of changing the species involved, mostly because the lizard people thing is just one facet of a number of antisemitic conspiracies that boil down to “A shadowy group not like us secretly controls the world”, so that’s an area you want to tread carefully in regardless of what species you’re using. And to be clear I think if BOSH had stepped over the line there someone would have said something publicly during IFComp! But I know if I were in this situation I’d need to double check for the sake of my sanity.
Given the short time frame I understand if you’d prefer to do a blanket change. I agree with @Draconis that fantasy creatures would be a good idea (although stay away from goblins and any other creatures known for hoarding wealth). For real life animals I think the more ridiculous and specific you get, the better (although you probably want to stay away from anything with horns just to be on the safe side). My vote is for the sea slug or the sugar glider!
It’s funny, because nowhere does the game imply the lizard people control the world, and in fact , [mild spoiler]that’s not where the games are going at all! in fact it’s going somewhere more like “The Hungry Earth” on “Doctor Who”.
In that case, that’s one more point towards BOSH being in the clear! (I’ll admit to not having gotten around to playing it during IFComp, so I can’t comment directly on what is or isn’t present in the game.)
To the best of my knowledge nobody’s had any problems with the Silurians so that’s proof that lizard people can be done just fine if you’re careful. (Well, dino people. So those are on the table too!)
I have played BOSH back then, and I have already pointed that I’m highly qualified to do a “sensitivity read”, and as Hebrew, I don’t find questionable content. To be exact, there’s exactly ZERO questionable content, to be explicit. I can even call it kosher…
so, my suggestion is, brush aside the nonsense, because simply don’t apply here, and release BOSH into narrascope fearlessly.
Best regards from Italy,
dott. Piergiorgio, son of Rosanna Falanga, daughter of Giorgina Funaro daughter of Clotilde Di Segni
The who? I have a bee in my bonnet about people worrying about stuff and then, in soliciting my help regarding their worries, they use initialisms I might not (and don’t) know. And I refuse to guess!
The Southern Poverty Law Center - they’re the premier organization in the U.S. tracking hate-groups and related extremists.
As long as I’m posting, I’d just add that for what it’s worth as one of the goyim - albeit one whose career is in the racial justice movement, so pretty focused on this kind of stuff - nothing about BOSH raised any flags for me (and I’m definitely not shy about pointing this out when I do feel like a game’s treading on tricky territory).
Thanks for all your input – it’s really helped. I feel like I can proceed without major changes by clarifying some things about the nature of the Lizard People and making it clear that they are most definitely not a secret elite controlling world affairs.
Although sugar gliders would have been fun. Perhaps they will figure in a sequel.
in fact it’s going somewhere more like “The Hungry Earth” on “Doctor Who”.