Introduction
Prejudices are a problematic and recurring issue in modern societies. In the most basic sense, it refers to the irrational predisposition against a person, a group of people or an idea. Prejudices can have a significant influence on relationships between people, even if they are not aware of them in the first place. The reason why irrational predispositions are a negative phenomenon lies in subsequent discriminations. Prejudices can be extremely varied, ranging from race and gender to religion and culture. A common expression of a biased attitude is attribution of particular qualities to all representatives of a particular group regardless of their real beliefs. Not only does such predisposition diminish people’s uniqueness, but it also oversimplifies the complexity of interpersonal relationships. A well-known superhero film X-Men explores the theme of prejudices, thus highlighting real social issues.
The X-Men Film Reflection on Prejudice
X-Men is a story about people with extraordinary abilities who are distrusted by ordinary people. Although many superhero plots are in reality power fantasies, the goal of which is to entertain the audience, X-Men is noteworthy for its exploration of the problem of discrimination. The depiction of what social challenges the X-Men face and how they respond to them is particularly useful for modern society. A large component of the people’s distrust of the X-Men is the simple fact that they are different, rather than some negative actions they have done in the past (Gittinger 180). Subsequently, regardless of the prevalent fantasy component, racism, bigotry, and prejudices are established themes.
It is especially peculiar that the attention to prejudices in this story may actually be unintentional. The reason for this is that the X-Men movie is based on an older comic of the same name. That work was published in the sixties, during which it was customary to have a homogenous set of characters with no diversity, and the X-Men was no exception (Lama 3). Nevertheless, the theme of prejudice was at least considered as early as the first issue of the comic, in which an idea of humanity being unprepared to accept people with supernatural abilities. In the following years, that theme became more pronounced, as the cast was becoming varies as well. Characters of different nationalities and ethnicities started to appear, which had signified the comic creators’ willingness to accentuate diversity long before it became mainstream.
Even if X-Men was not created for the promotion of social justice, it did explore the roots of prejudices. Within the fictional world of X-Men, evolution has caused the development of supernatural abilities in some humans. These people are labeled as mutants, who are feared and discriminated against. The reason for such attitudes lies in the uniqueness of these mutants, which scares the general population and forces it to adopt a negative viewpoint regarding them (Lama 4). The parallel between mutants in X-Men and real life persecution is evident. In essence, the movie is a fantasy representation of the prejudices ethnic, racial, sexual, and their minority groups face on a daily basis.
Although there was a positive appreciation of the X-Men’s contributions in society at first, the onslaught of anti-mutant sentiment was inevitable. Within the story, X-Men were prosecuted by the government’s robots programmed to seek them out and detain or eliminate them. At a later point in the story, prejudice against mutants became systemic, as the legislation was introduced that obligated mutants to register (Lama 6). The situation is further exacerbated by the government’s initiative to seek a cure for X-gene. All of these themes have actual inspirations from the real life.
The most evident example of prejudice in history highlighted by X-Men is the Holocaust. In the immediate aftermath of World War II, a question was raised that still has no definitive answer. Psychologists attempted to explain what motivated the Nazis to commit such crimes. One of the first explanations was the cultivation of “us vs. them” mentality that framed anyone different from Nazis as enemies (Gittinger 190). Regular Germans who followed Hitler were brainwashed into dehumanizing Jews and treating them accordingly. The same principle is shown in X-Men, where large masses of people fail to see mutants as humans. This prejudice is reinforced by prominent political figures, such as Senator Kelly, promoting anti-mutant sentiment.
For decades, this theory was accepted as an adequate explanation because it was simple and convincing. However, new studies showed that attributing prejudice to one’s nature is not appropriate (Pettitt 156). Specifically, the theory was hampered by its inability to explain why some groups are targeted while others are not. Furthermore, it did not account for situational considerations, such as whether other persons in the proximity affirmed or opposed the discriminatory attitudes.
X-Men creators were evidently aware of this discrepancy, and used resources as a cause for prejudices. Naturally, the deficit of resources is a real-life issue, which precipitates violence and wars. X-Men showcases this idea in the form of rivalry involving military, corporations, law enforcement people, all of whom feel threatened by the mutants (Pettitt 160). Similarly, ordinary people also feel threatened for the simple reason that mutants are more productive and can outcompete them in the job market.
Another resource causing rivalry between these groups is political power. It serves as the root of disagreement inside groups, which are supposed to be united. For instance, minority organizations are hesitant to collaborate because they are concerned that their political, social, and economic interests may be swallowed or even subverted by the umbrella group’s objective. At the same time, the dominant group is also cautious of empowering minorities as they can promote their own interests at the expense of the interests of the majority (Tasker 385). This fear might explain the anti-mutant sentiment of Senator Kelly, who might be genuinely concerned about mankind being underrepresented in case of the mutants’ rise to power.
It is possible to link Xavier’s (and Magneto’s) campaign for mutant rights to the 1960s civil rights movement in the United States, which was also characterized by mob violence and widespread prejudices. The parallels become even more pronounced when certain anti-mutant groups in X-Men are compared to real-life organizations, such as Ku Klux Klan that was open about its discriminatory views (Westermann 605). Numerous mutants conceal their real identity while blending with ordinary humans, which is also a famous tactic of oppressed minorities. At the same time, there are mutants who attempt to evade persecution by volunteering for the governmental treatment of the X-gen with unknown consequences, which is not unprecedented in history.
It is noteworthy that mutants face different prejudices depending on the people they interact with. Similar to how in real history, not everyone was opposed to the idea of black people’s empowerment for the same reason, people’s opinions in X-Men vary. Westermann references Susan Fiske’s survey of students’ prejudices, which ascertained three types of biased attitudes – paternalistic prejudice, scornful prejudice, and envious prejudice (609). Naturally, no similar study was made on people in X-Men, although envy of mutants’ abilities is a common theme in the movie (Westermann 609). From this perspective, the people who do feel jealous of mutants would be classified as those experiencing an envious prejudice.
This is the point where the film differs from real life. Historical minorities did not have enough resources, numbers, support, and knowledge to resist the oppression. In comparison, mutants in X-Men are actually capable of fighting back and asserting their position. The less minorities have the ability to resist, the more likely the government is to engage in a more subtle form oppression, which places the blame for their subjugation on the oppressed groups (Pettit 165). Whereas mutants could resist and integrate into society despite discrimination policies, historic minorities could not afford it due to the lack of power.
Portrayal of leader in X-Men is also reminiscent of real-life historic figures. Probably, the most recognizable people for fighting oppression are Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Westermann writes about apparent similarities between King and X-Men’s Charles Xavier, while Malcolm is compared to X-Men’s Magneto (610). From this point of view, Charles Xavier, attempts to improve relations between mutants and humans, as King did between black and white Americans. Meanwhile, Magneto is a militant ‘reverse-racist’ who, having lost faith in the unfulfilled ‘dream,’ fights for his people’s liberation by any means necessary.
It is a compelling argument, and Magneto’s use of the term ‘by whatever means necessary’ leaves little doubt that the writers meant the parallel, though the similarity is entirely incorrect. To begin, despite his claim that “mankind isn’t wicked, just misinformed,” Xavier establishes a school to educate mutants rather than humans (Werbe 305). He reasons that if people perceive that the mutants do not pose a threat, they will have no cause to hate and fear them. In reality, confident Black leaders in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including Booker T. Washington, advocated a similar policy of educating Blacks on working and living better with Whites.
However, by the 1960s, when Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and other Civil Rights leaders all urged for some form of resistance, this method had entirely fallen out of favor. Furthermore, Xavier rarely advocates, fights for, or even speaks out for mutant rights, preferring to persuade the X-Men to “use their tremendous skills to safeguard a world that hates and fears them” from other, more malicious mutants (Tasker 389). This is akin to King shielding the White majority from Malcolm X and the Black Power movement instead of working for Black equality and justice.
At the same time, the Magneto/Malcolm X comparison is considerably worse. Magneto, like Malcolm X, appears to be sincerely concerned about mutant rights and even assumes a separatist viewpoint at one point. Despite this concern and his past relationship with Xavier, Magneto is more concerned with world dominance than mutant rights (Werbe 308). The misguided nature of his organization is reflected in its name – Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Such a title immediately conjures up images of terrorist means and extremist goals, while leaving no room for civil disobedience. Naturally, this representation of Malcolm X is inappropriate, who was not as violent. The reason why this point is disconcerting is that such a viewpoint accentuated worries of White Americans regarding Black people and reinforced their prejudice.
Inappropriately blaming the oppressed minority for their victimization is not merely a fictitious or historical event. Today, this belief is expressed in numerous ways, which are not limited to the discrimination of black people. For example, it is relatively common for men to hold a viewpoint that women are at fault for being raped. The rationale is that by wearing revealing clothes, they actually provoke the perpetrators. Another widespread misconception is blaming homosexual people for being beaten, as sexuality was their own choice.
On some level, X-Men United recognizes the misguidedness of such reasoning. It can even be stated that the film satirizes the idea of families reacting to a child who ‘comes out as gay,’ thus deconstructing victim-blaming tendencies (Pettitt 166). It is no longer feasible to will oneself into not being a mutant any more than it is to not being homosexual, female, or of color. However, the X-men creative team fails to follow the criticism to its logical conclusion (Werbe and Charlotte 310). The reason for this is that it accepts the premise that mutants must somehow integrate into regular society rather than expecting the community to grow more inclusive.
The Significance and Implications of Engaging and Analyzing Prejudice
Prejudice as a psychological issue is essential in today’s society since it highlights various problems such as discrimination, segregation and poor physical health. Both directly and indirectly, intolerance has been linked to lower physical health in studies (Maunder et al. 1). Living in an unhealthy environment and having limited access to health resources due to prejudices are two examples of direct effects. Prejudice-related stress and altered health behaviors are examples of indirect effects. Other studies have found a link between perceived bias and poor mental health, both ethnic identification and even feelings of optimism (Maunder et al. 2). Being a member of a group that is subjected to natural or imagined prejudices can negatively influence one’s health, both physically and mentally.
Stereotypes not only cause incorrect beliefs, but they can also lead to prejudice. They can impact the ability of the minority representative being discriminated against to get a job, secure housing, and other receive other benefits. In extreme cases, minorities are subjected to violence, both psychological, such as death threats, and physical, such as being beaten. According to research, discrimination can harmfully influence one’s overall health (Maunder et al. 2). The reasoning behind this idea is that a person who is discriminated against may have poor living conditions, lack access to adequate healthcare, and be generally stressed. It is reasonable to suggest that the health of a discriminated person’s spouse is also affected, increasing their risk of depression and putting additional strain on the relationship.
People live in a world where they can frequently move around without constraints. People’s level of identification with their native country influences their level of prejudice toward individuals wishing to immigrate to their country (Laurence et al. 398). If there is widespread prejudice against a particular immigrant group, immigration policy will likely reflect those prejudices, potentially making it more difficult for members of that group to immigrate. Segregation policies can also be caused by prejudice and discrimination.
In addition to investigating the causes of prejudice, researchers have studied various methods for reducing or even eliminating it. One way that has shown significant success is training people to have more empathy for members of other groups. Other techniques for reducing prejudice include: increasing public support and awareness of anti-prejudice social norms (Laurence et al. 400). It is also important to increase contact with members of different social groups, make people aware of inconsistencies in their own beliefs, and educate them about the discrepancies in their own opinions (Laurence et al. 400). Overall, adoption of rules and regulations requiring fair and equal treatment of all individuals is a pathway to reducing the impact of prejudices on society.
Conclusion
Altogether, X-Men raises are serious issues, and their potential impact on readers’ perceptions of race relations should not be discounted or reduced. Despite the film’s goal of entertaining the audience, it actually highlights an urgent social problem that is still relevant. Engaging viewers of all ages with social issues that are frequently disregarded by mainstream media and educational institutions is an effective way of raising public awareness. Furthermore, even if the X-Men film fails to effectively or accurately portray what scholars have discovered about bias and group interactions, the themes it raises remain relevant and important. In society, where visuals are important than the actual content, popular films are useful for the dissemination of proper values, and X-Men succeeds in this regard.
Works Cited
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