Its like the Drow are Super
Charismatic Megafauna.
"Guys, what are we gonna do about these racist Drow tropes?" That's unacceptable! I protest! We demand change!
"Guys, what are we going to do about these racist Orc tropes?" *crickets* - pause -"Maybe somebody will look at that later...?"
Listen, I get it. The Drow are interesting, sexy, and make some of the most compelling and mysterious characters in D&D lore. They are popular and easy to popularize. I stand by that Drow never represented any POC group. It smacks as a somewhat superficial reading of the culture of POC to look at the Drow and see any parallels based only on a possible range of non-human skin colors.
I think Salvatore is engaging in self-serving behavior - which is fine - but I don't think we should be elevating him to the status of a Civil Rights leader. He comes off to me more as a shrewd businessman (or his handlers are) and writer of his own press releases. Which is what the original linked article comes off as to me - its a press release - disguised as an article. It's PR.
Although maybe this is all another layer of the fantasy people enjoy. Not willing/unable to stand up against real racial inequality? Lets make up some racial inequality and stand up to that?
I say this, by the way, as someone who considers himself an ally to POC IRL and who has spent a large part of my life fighting racial/gender/sexual inequality and injustice or funding those who do.
