Racism and Ageism in SL

Perhaps this is unintentional but the initial selection screen for choosing your avatar seems both racist and displays ageism. Why no black, Hispanic or other race selection. And the age of 25 seems to be the maximum age.

The initial selection gives me feeling that Second Life is just young whites.

Look at the new avatars in the library. AFAIK they will soon also be available as a selection when choosing your initial avatar. Are those enough for you?

cu
Aleco

Are you talking about the avatar choices themselves, or a form that you have to fill in describing yourself? (I don't remember the latter.) If you mean the avatar choices, I suspect LL has realized that you are right, because they have recently added a large collection of new default avatars, including a few that are older people and/or have the appearance of different races. If these new avatars aren't available to you as signup choices (I haven't created a new account in a while and don't know), you can find them in your inventory in the "Library" folders.

At any rate, whether it rises to the level of "ageism" and "racism" I don't know, but it does seem that LL has given some attention to addressing the problems of the default avatar choices.

Racism or Ageism because the default avatar is Pretty much a blank page?

I know a lot of people are looking for reasons to be insulted but isn't that a bit far out there? I know you can walk out after the first few seconds with skin that is black, white, yellow, green or even neon pink.

My standard appearance is Oriental and I have a beautiful mocha skin I wear when I feel like it, I also have a cat avatar and a neko look, just this morning I picked up a very nice 60's style afro, and while there are greifers that will insult you no matter what your appearance is I haven't seen anything I could point to as Institutional Racism in second life.

As for age, that is just a slider set on your Default avatar too. I choose to look younger than I am, possibly I am displaying Ageism against myself.

for now look up its hard to find the sky when you look only at your feet.

It's just a starting point. You can make it whatever you want. Jeez, lighten up. *No pun intended.

Umm you maybe didn't look well enough as there always has been a darkskinned starting AV. And the latest selection of AV's released last week includes older ones as well, you can always modify them, personally I think Fat & Disabled people, Undead, Furries, Bots, Elves and Klingons are under represented too in the default avatar set.

You guys might want to re-look at the Avatar selection (I just did)

The initial "Select an Avatar" screen gives the impression of Racism and Ageism.
Sure you can change the way you look afterwards--that’s not the point.

When I look at the Select an Avatar screen I think SL is for young white folk. (Which it probably is)

My sense is that there should be a greater variety of choices rather than forcing a Black or Hispanic girl to initially be either white or fury.

Possibly the new line of avatars are not yet available at sign up. For the past two days I’ve seen nothing at the OI’s but the typical blan blah blah avys. I agree with the OP though. The selection of avatars was rather limited. So the newest line is a welcome site.
EDIT to ADD:
I don’t believe it was intentionally raciest on the part of LL. IMO

Great first post.

Yep, SL is full of racist, ageist, speciest Goreans.

run run run!

You said it so it must be true... PC arguments are never about facts you just walk in make a statement, toss the bomb and walk out giggling. Then demand that everyone prove a negitive.

for the record i have a fat biker av and a elve troll one too!

and yea before you go crying wolf you could always adjust your skin tone from dark to light and about 10 million other colors

Looks like "racism" and "ageism" are just not going to cut it for those who want to lord it over SL residents and LL with their unassailably wonderful Political Correctness. You're going to have to find a new racket, Tao.

Better yet, give it up and resign yourself to the fact that you're just another human being, albeit one who is foolish and/or ignorant, and not morally superior at all, at least not here.

i think you'll find, or at least i do, that the majority of people in second life are in there 30's or older in real life. deffinatly not young...well not to me anyways

-Crunch

Thank you Aleco, Madhu, and DaQbet for your sensitivity and acknowledgement of the issue—I feel heard.

For the other responders; I am surprised by the defensive, dismissive and discounting statements you people make—not open, welcoming or understanding.

By the way I am in my mid 50’s, younger to me is anyone under 40.

well you could say sl is sexiest too, since all the av's are female to start with

if this is really that big of a deal

A) dont play
B) call your local repersentive
C) file a claim with whichever group you think wouldn't laugh at you

i make dismissive comments because anyone who isnt out just to make a big deal out of it doesn't care, thats your goal right, just to make a stink because you can?

Your start date does not encompass 'always'. There is only a Asian -looking default avatar available for initial selection when setting up a SL account. Unless CSI or another starter sim has some darker or older ones.

.

They were dismissive and discounting because people who cry "racism, ageism, sexism or any other kind of -ism" like you did should always be dismissed and discounted.

Hey Chris Norse, this guy wants your job!

this topic makes me saddest. people still look at each others skin color like it matters for something. Seriosly why? We are all human and all can make our own choices. Simple fact of it is, you can be what ever you want here the sky's the limit. Plus we dont control what av sets are there, you would probley be better off contacting them through there email and telling them.