#especially considering this particularly tmmy/xqc fight wasnt technically his or about him

[fayewoodss]

What went down with Dream last night was a wild ride for everyone that resulted in a lot of antis coming out the woodwork as well as fans turning on each other. I don't want to debate the use of the word and if/when someone has the right to reclaim it because I don't think that conversation is productive for anyone right now, regardless of what you believe. I think it's a valuable conversation to have with plenty of great perspectives and empathy, but people are still so riled up that a lot of people are not willing to talk to each other, just talk over each other.

However, I think Dream made some valid points in his follow up about the hypocrisy of situations like this when he has consistently been the target of slurs, harassment, and defamation as a neurodivergent person (and now confirmed autistic person) while the internet cheered it on and even rewarded it. Not that *everyone* did that with incidents like Gumball, but there was an overwhelmingly loud mob that supported physical and verbal violence against Dream in multiple scenarios. Even last night, many CCs criticizing Dream were revealed to have engaged in the behavior themselves, using or supporting the use of slurs against Dream in the past. I don't think it's wrong to point out the extreme levels of hypocrisy the internet flies into when it has to do with Dream.

I do think most of his responses to the backlash comes from a place of genuine frustration and hurt. I think many fans and stans of him alike can understand that and resonate with him deeply. Many have shown that they do resonate with the emotion behind it, even if they don't agree with the act.

At the end of it all, especially with everything including the reddit response being deleted, it just makes me sad. I know Dream says he's grown a thick skin and doesn't let things bother him too much, but I really hope he's okay after this, especially being vulnerable about a new diagnosis and the added perspective it brings to his experience on the internet.

You can be critical of someone and hold them accountable for their actions, and still have empathy for everything they've gone through and how it can reach this breaking point.