Board Thread:News and Announcements/@comment-4214478-20151114045457

So, as you all know, we are in the middle of a wiki-wide cleanup. There have been many updated and new rules introduced, so I understand if there are some you are unaware of. So I'm taking this opportunity to give everyone a general idea of what this wiki, beyond this point, will and will not be accepting.

Please follow these rules. After this thread's creation, there will be little to no excuse for not doing so.

Without further ado, here are the updates with regards to OCs:

- As you probably noticed, Parody OCs are no longer being accepted on this wiki. We are in the process of deleting all the current Parody OCs on the wiki. Creating a new one will result in a short block.

- As previously announced, OCs from mythology are not allowed. OCs from religious texts, still practiced or not, are not welcome. This is includes Greek/Roman mythology! Now, there are some exceptions. Some stories, like the tales of King Midas or Cupid & Psyche have reached fairy tale status, but exceptions are far and few inbetween. If you are unsure if something is considered a fairy tale or mythology, please consult an admin before you create a page. There are still mythology OCs on the wiki, and they will be taken care of one way or another in some fashion eventually.

- Also previously announced, joint pages are not allowed on the wiki either. This means any one page for two or more OCs (something frequently used for OCs that are related) is now not allowed. This is your opportunity to split any joint pages you have into multiple ones before we begin clearning those out as well.

- OCs based on copyrighted media is not allowed (give or take- some fairy tales aren't in the public domain). The most common example would be basing your OC on the Disney retelling of a fairy tale (something that has been a rule for quite some time), but there are many instances of this. Modern fantasy novels, movies, or video games are not considered fairy tales and thus do not fit the qualificiations of this wiki. That being said, keep in mind what is and isn't a fairy tale. Again, if you're unsure about what is considered a fairy tale, ask an admin!

- This wiki encourages diversity! OCs from cultures all around the world are welcome by all means, but if you're going to tackle an OC from a culture that is not yours, do plenty of research. Racism will not be tolerated, and yes, creating a bastardized amalgam of what you think a culture looks like is racism. This isn't open for debate. Examples of these kinds of transgressions include, but are certainly not limited to: Putting a Chinese OC in a wannabe kimono and calling her design "Asian inspired", whitewashing characters from tales from exclusively nonwhite cultures, or making a stereotypical Native American OC with no ties to the culture their tale is from. Diversity and representation is important, so be respectful!

- To build on that last point, research is important if your character expresses any sort of marginalized identity. Gay/bi/pan, ace/aro spectrum, transgender, mentally ill, physically disabled, etc. OCs are awesome and deserve the respect of not relying on stereotypes or offensive portrayals. Create characters, no caricatures!

Thank you for reading! And remember, one last time, the admins are here to help you. We're happy to answer even the simplest of questions, and trust us, we know there is a lot of gray area concerning fairy tales and EAH's canon, which is why we're all here to assist and guide you on this wiki.

Addendum: I'm sure many of you are curious, perhaps even concerned, about my ascension to admin status despite only being a membe for a short time. This was the founder's decisions for many reasons, and I assure you my qualifications are not unfounded. I am a former admin of both the official Monster High and Ever After High wikis, so I have plenty of experience in this field. If you still have any issues with this, you're welcome to take it up with either me or Zee, but my position as an admin here remains standing.  