http://www.socialjusticeleague.net/2011/09/how-to-be-a-fan-of-problematic-things/ I think this is a pretty interesting read. And it applies to many fandoms, Including One Piece. Cmon dont deny it! 
EDIT: For the link allergic
I like things, and some of those things are problematic. I like Lord of the Rings even though itâs pretty fucked up with regard to women and race (any narrative that says âthis whole race is evilâ is fucked up, okay). I like A Song of Ice and Fire even though its portrayal of people of colour is problematic, and often I find that its in-text condemnation of patriarchy isnât obvious enough to justify the sexism displayed. I like the movie Scott Pilgrim vs The World even though it is racist in its portrayal of Matthew Patel, panders to stereotypes in its portrayal of Wallace, and trivialises queer female sexuality in its portrayal of Ramona and Roxyâs relationship. For fuckâs sake, Ramona even says âIt was a phaseâ! How much more cliche and offensive could this movie be? Oh wait, remember how Scott defeats Roxy, his only female adversary, by making her orgasm? Excuse me while I vomitâŚand then keep watching because I still like the rest of the movie.Liking problematic things doesnât make you an asshole. In fact, you can like really problematic things and still be not only a good person, but a good social justice activist (TM)! After all, most texts have some problematic elements in them, because theyâre produced by humans, who are well-known to be imperfect. But it can be surprisingly difficult to own up to the problematic things in the media you like, particularly when you feel strongly about it, as many fans do. We need to find a way to enjoy the media we like without hurting other people and marginalised groups. So with that in mind, here are my suggestions for things we should try our darnedest to do as self-confessed fans of problematic stuff.
Firstly, acknowledge that the thing you like is problematic and do not attempt to make excuses for it. It is a unique irritation to encounter a person who point blank refuses to admit that something they like is problematic. Infuriatingly, people will often actually articulate some version of the argument âIt canât be problematic because I like it, and Iâm niceâ. Alternatively, some fans may find it tempting to argue âWell this media is a realistic portrayal of societies like X, Y, Zâ. But when you say that sexism and racism and heterosexism and cissexism have to be in the narrative or the story wonât be realistic, what you are saying is that we humans literally cannot recognise ourselves without systemic prejudice, nor can we connect to characters who are not unrepentant bigots. Um, yikes. YIKES, you guys.
And even if you think thatâs true (which scares the hell out of me), I donât see you arguing for an accurate portrayal of everything in your fiction all the time. For example, most people seem fine without accurate portrayal of what personal hygiene was really like in 1300 CE in their medieval fantasy media. (Newsflash: realistically, Robb Stark and Jon Snow rarely bathed or brushed their teeth or hair). In real life, people have to go to the bathroom. In movies and books, they donât show that very much, because itâs boring and gross. Well, guess what: bigotry is also boring and gross. But everyone is just dying to keep that in the script.
Especially do not ever suggest that people not take media âso seriouslyâ, or argue that itâs âjustâ a tv show. The narratives that we surround ourselves with can subtly, subconsciously influence how we think about ourselves and others. Thatâs why creating imaginary fantasy and sci fi worlds that have more equal societies can be a powerful thing for marginalised people, who mainstream media rarely acknowledges as heroes. But even if you donât think that media matters, there is still no reason to focus exclusively on unequal or problematic fictional worlds and narratives. If it doesnât matter, why donât YOU stop taking your media so seriously and stop fighting us on this? You with your constant demands for your narrow idea of ârealismâ (which by the way often sounds a lot like âshow me naked skinny ciswomen, and goreâ). If in your framework tv shows arenât serious business, why does realism matter? Why canât you accept that it would be totally cool to have AT LEAST ONE BIG MEDIEVAL FANTASY EPIC WHERE WOMEN AND POC WERE LIKE, EQUAL TO WHITE MEN AND STUFF. STOP TAKING IT SO SERIOUSLY.
Secondly, do not gloss over the issues or derail conversations about the problematic elements. Okay, so you can admit that Dune is problematic. But wait, youâre not done! You need to be willing to engage with people about it! Itâs not enough to be like âOk, I admit that itâs problematic that the major villain is a fat homosexual rapist, but come on, letâs focus on the giant sandworms!â. Shutting people down, ignoring or giving minimal treatment to their concerns, and refusing to fully engage with their issues is a form of oppression. Implicitly, youâre giving the message that this personâs feelings are less important than your own. In fact, in this case youâre saying that their pain is less important than your enjoyment of a book, movie or tv show. So when people raise these concerns, listen respectfully and try to understand the views. Do not change the topic.
Thirdly you must acknowledge other, even less favourable, interpretations of the media you like. Sometimes you still enjoy a movie or book because you read a certain, potentially problematic scene in a certain way â but others read it entirely differently, and found it more problematic. For example, consider the scene in Game of Thrones where Drogo rapes Dany (which he does not do in the books). One of my friends feels that it was portrayed like rape fetish porn, sexualising the act and Danyâs pain. But I feel that the scene focuses on Danyâs pain and tears in a manner that is not fetishising them (though even so the narrative is still totally fucked up because Dany and her rapist then go on to have a good, sexyfuntimes relationshipâŚuh, no, HBO). I donât agree with my friendâs interpretation but I recognise it as a totally valid reading of the scene.
Also, as a fan of problematic media, you need to respect the fact that others may be so upset or angered by media you love that they donât want to engage with it at all. In fact, one of my best friends wonât watch HBOâs Game of Thrones because of the racism and misogyny. Thatâs a completely legitimate and valid response to that tv show, and me trying to convince her to give it another shot would be disrespectful and hurtful. If you badger others to see what you see in something when they are telling you itâs not enjoyable for them, youâre being an entitled jerk. Youâre showing yourself to be willing to hurt a real person over a television show. That really is a sign youâre taking things too seriously.
As fans, sometimes we need to remember that the things we like donât define our worth as people. So thereâs no need to defend them from every single criticism or pretend they are perfect. Really loving something means seeing it as it really is, not as you wish it were. You can still be a good fan while acknowledging the problematic elements of the things you love. In fact, thatâs the only way to be a good fan of problematic things.
