Can a burlesque show make 'Star Wars' more inclusive?
Toronto Star|January 11, 2024
In The Empire Strips Back, Princess Leia can be Black and Luke Skywalker can be a woman
NICK LACHANCE
Can a burlesque show make 'Star Wars' more inclusive?

A long, long time ago (the ‘80s), in a basement far, far away (in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia) … I fell in love with “Star Wars.”

I was an awkward kid — who wasn’t? — but the “Star Wars” universe became a place of refuge, a place where the neighbourhood kids didn’t relentlessly make fun of me for being bad at sports or trying to move objects with my mind (because in that universe, the Force was my ally and I could). As I evolved into an awkward teen and then an awkward adult, “Star Wars” continued to be there for me, and helped me to open up and embrace my artistic side.

For me, “Star Wars” has always felt like a place where I belong. Heck, I’ve got six “Star Wars” tattoos and counting! The older I’ve gotten, though, the more I’ve come to see that it doesn’t feel that way for everyone.

Shai Roach says she finds it very freeing” to play Princess Leia in The Empire Strips Back." She considers her Leia less elegant but grittier than Carrie Fisher's portrayal.

I’m a white dude in my 40s — the original trilogy was literally made for me. From that realization has sprung a desire for the fictional universe I love to become more inclusive. Over time, the identity of “Star Wars” has been shifting; newer movies and shows have made room for a diversity of ethnicities and genders to have starring roles. This expansiveness has only enhanced my love for “Star Wars” — I think it’s fantastic that I can look at what “Star Wars” was and see how it’s grown into something more people can see themselves reflected in, yet it continues to be something I recognize and love.

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