Tropes I Don't Like

Forced Diversity

This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but hear me out:

"Just because a story has a diverse cast of characters, doesn't mean it is a good story."
"Just because a story does not have a diverse cast of characters, doesn't immediately make it bad/racist/sexist/pretty much any negative word you can think of."
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Here's the thing: I like stories with diverse characters. I love learning about new cultures and finding new role models that feel like real people in entertainment. When a story makes the diversity an essential part of how the characters interact in their setting, it shows that the diverse nature of said story is intentional.

The problem with diversity in entertainment it is easy to tell when it is being forced. The characters, whether diverse in terms of race, sexuality, life experiences, etc. tend to be merely stereotypes on the group of people they are supposed to represent. No proper character development is given to these characters, and their only "personality" trait often described by the narrator or other characters is whatever makes them diverse.

Most stories with characters who are flat, two-dimensional caricatures are not well-received. This shouldn't be an exception towards diverse casts. To be as objective in a subjective form of media as possible, we should see who this character is, how they grow, and how they interact with the world around them. That is the core of creating a good character whether part of a minority group or not.

Everybody has a personality, hobbies, passions, etc. and characters in stories should reflect those things we see in the real world, but giving each one of them a unique spin. A character's minority group is not a personality trait, but it is a way to provide a reason as to why the character is the way they are. It can also explain why they experience certain things in the story.

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Side Rant:

Even if an author isn't in a group one of their characters represent, doesn't mean they can't write about it. Yes, Own Voices works are a great edition to the writing world. However, putting down authors who write about other cultures besides their own is not okay. They can still create a believable, well-done character without having to be part of that minority group.