#god forbid people have fun in a fandome anymore

[sappy-detective]

[clearlyclueless]

I understand every issue and problematic thing abt the things that I like. But can we just not. I'm too desensitized and overestimated on the internet even though it's my only source of being happy at this point I'm just so sick. Peace and love on the planet earth. I'm too tired to care about bad things anymore

[buddiebeginz]

Welcome to today's unhinged B*mmy thoughts:

Gotta say as a queer person I'm so done with that part of fandom calling me homophobic because I don't like a ship. Or because I don't think T*mmy treats Buck right. Or god forbid I don't think making a daddy kink joke in the same breath that Buck is talking about his father dying makes since.

Also B*mmy shippers this you???

Being so afraid of Eddie being queer and people relating to a fictional character you actually felt the need to make an entire video celebrating how much you want him to be straight. You do realize him having relationships with women doesn't automatically make him straight right? Because fyi up until very very recently all Buck has ever had has been relationships with women.

Oh and I don't know how it is that we're somehow fetishizing a ship many of us have been invested in for years. That we ship because we love the bond between Buck and Eddie and their family with Chris. Is there smutty fanart/fics sure but most of our fandom is centered around the love these two men share and us wanting to see that turn into something even deeper than it is. I also think it's insanely hypocritical to accuse Buddie shippers of fetishizing when a lot of you B*mmy stans used to be Buddie shippers. Only as soon as you got to see two guys you think are hot kiss Buddie didn't seem to matter anymore. You chose to care about a ship with very little substance because it has the physical stuff you wanted to see vs Buddie which has all the emotional depth your ship doesn't. But sure we're the ones fetishizing a m|m relationship. Okay.

I'm also just really tired of you all acting superior and like you're somehow the boss of the 911 fandom because your ship is canon. Is it fun to have a ship you love become canon? Yes. Would I love for Buddie to become canon? Hell yes. But canon ships have never been more important than non canon ships especially when it come to fandom. People have always headcanoned ships that weren't canon some that would never ever be canon no matter what. Especially when it comes to lgbtq couples. Yet now that Buck is dating T*mmy (which btw they've never confirmed they're even in an official rs) somehow it's not okay to ship him with Eddie. Or to have theories about them getting together. Or to dislike Buck with someone other than Eddie. Nevermind the fact that most of you B*mmy shippers disliked every other woman Buck and Eddie were ever even with. Somehow that was okay because they were women but it's not okay now that Buck is with a guy and it's a ship you like.

Also this you too???

But sure we're the homophobic and toxic ones in the 911 fandom.

[usedtobethelegendcreator]

Okay, let’s try that again.

Hey, I’m TheLegendCreator. ’Sup, how’s it going. I’m 17, from Louisiana, and I really, really want people to talk to me. I write a lot, I draw even more, and I like writing analyses on Hazbin Hotel. Minor DNIs will not stop me, because frankly, I’ve seen worse. I’m autistic and have an anxiety disorder. High-functioning or low-functioning? Both. I’m the token cishet in this wild wonderland. I’m occasionally funny.

I’m in (and have been in) a lot of fandoms, so here’s a list:

Beyblade Burst

Encanto

Gravity Falls (pre-Book of Bill)

The Silmarillion

ATLA

Soul Eater

Hazbin Hotel

Noragami

If you’re ever doubting which one is currently my hyperfixation, just look at the banner. I update that.

I was only in the Soul Eater fandom for a couple weeks, so I never got around to writing anything for it.

I’m always open for requests and asks. Always. I like to joke that it’s my Wattpad training, but if you give me a prompt, I can usually whip something up in a week. I’ve been trying to sound more approachable about it, because I miss doing that. I love doing requests, whether it’s art or writing. But be warned—my writing is much better than my art. I’m getting better at it, but I’ve been told my art looks horrible.

My AO3 account is TheLegendCreator. That’s my username literally everywhere. I’m on Reddit, too. (Not anymore. Got perma-banned for posting pictures of myself having…fun. Because god forbid women do anything.)

My other account is @thelegendcreator. I no longer have access to it. That’s where all of my Encanto stuff is. Go take a look if you want.

If you’ve been here a while, you might have heard of NOT-TLC. That’s Leah, my friend from school. She got me into Hazbin Hotel by showing me “Hell’s Greatest Dad”.

If you think you remember someone with my username on Wattpad—congratulations, you’ve found me! I had to delete my account there, but if you dig deep into the Beyblade Burst fandom, you’ll see me eventually.

I have quite a few favorite characters, so here’s a list. Yeah, another list. I swear I’m not usually this boring.

Alastor the Radio Demon

Bruno Madrigal

Ford Pines

Shu Kurenai

Zuko

Soul “Eater” Evans

Maedhros

Yato

The genre of fanfiction I write wildly varies, depending on the fandom. I don’t write smut often, but when I do, I make it filthy. I’m still trying to figure out what my ‘type’ is when it comes to favorite characters…so far the only consistent thing is that they’re guys.

I’m not a big fan of AUs, outside of Canon Divergence. Unless it’s Modern With Bending. Then I’ll French-kiss that fic, please and thank you.

And down below are some of my favorite people!

@captaintrips9

@walkingweirdmageddon

@thecrazyashley-blog

@diamondkat

@eggcats

@tardis-scooter

(EDIT, because apparently people need it:

I’m not excusing Alastor’s abusive behavior towards Husk. I’m just giving Alastor the overall “not as much of a jerk as you could have been” award. Let Husk be responsible for his actions, let Alastor be responsible for his, and leave me the fuck alone about it. I don’t have the time to slowly walk you all through how Husk’s actions as an Overlord were horrendous. Instead, take a moment to imagine what it would be like to have your soul gambled to an Overlord in the Hellaverse, then get back to me on how you still think Husk was the nicest sweetest kindest Overlord ever.)

(ONE MORE EDIT:

Now opening, @thelegendcreator-version3!)

[spaceorphan18]

Aggressive shipping annoys me so much - I'm scared Luke and Nicola will stop interacting or will not want to show up in future seasons anymore.. especially Luke who gets attacked for having a girlfriend everyday. I just love their friendship and I love Polin and I don't want to lose it😭😭

*sigh* Okay. Let's talk about this. Because, honestly, I don't really like talking about this stuff. (I'd rather be talking about the characters)

I'll preface this with... I don't care what the actors are doing in their personal lives. Did I watch all of the promo tour? Yes I did - because it's fun watching them (and by them, not just Nicola and Luke) do silly things like build furniture and answer stupid questions. It's a part of the illusion.

Do I need to know what they actually do in their personal time? No, I do not. Unless they're being genuinely bad people (and neither Nicola or Luke seem like that) then I do not care.

That said -- I hear you Nonny, I feel you Nonny, I getcha Nonny <3 This is now the third fandom in which I got to witness this first hand and it's not fun, and it's a bit uncomfortable. And it is always sad to see people end up in the crossfire of the nasty side of fandom.

Nicola Coughlan is a goddamn professional when it comes to handling all of this. She is just so on top of it, and I think (and I hope) that she and Luke were/are smart enough to have had conversations where they addressed how to navigate all of this. (as much as one can navigate things like this.) I think Nicola will be just fine. It's hard to read Luke because he seems like a more inward person and I haven't not interacted with any thing he's done outside of Bridgerton and the Bridgerton press tour, so I just don't know.

I will also say this... there does seem to be a genuine friendship/bond between the two of them. I reckon it's like those stories you hear about people who've been to war together and when they return, only they really know what they went through. I can only assume that filming something that's as intense and vulnerable as a romance might give you that type of bond as well. They seem very comfortable with each other -- in a way that may transcend friendship a little. But what I think the most unfortunate thing is that people (fans) don't seem to get that that bond can be special without it having anything to do with sex or physical intimacy.

And so, if I can offer a little reassurance, they both seem professional enough that it'll be through other opportunities (or, god forbid, the show deciding their story is done) that they leave the show. I think the fictional characters will remain intact and fine.

As for the actors themselves -- whose to say. So, I guess I'll offer this -- block all the idiots you stumble across. Continue to support Nicola and Luke and the Bridgerton team in a positive and respectful way. And appreciate the stuff we got. There are always going to be the crazies out there - and unfortunately, there's not much we can do about that. But at least we can continue to have a sense of decorum in our own actions.

<3 <3

[tododeku-or-bust]

In the 2013 survey of AO3, black people were only 2.4%. So not so much leaving in droves as never being invited to the table to begin with.

Yooo. I swore there was more of us before. Goddamn. This is crazy to me. But you right, fr. Fandom has been one of the most unwelcoming places I've ever been in terms of my Blackness. Like essentially, the only way you're allowed to kick it is if you never question anything. Everything flies. Whitewashing? Racist caricature? "Art style". Stereotype in fic? A complete misunderstanding to downright cruelty towards your existence in writing? "Freedom of the author". Racist author in general? "That's just their opinion". God forbid any of these creators are popular lmao, then you're really not going to convince anyone. Nobody's gonna speak up for you, either. The "fun" is more important. It's not safe nor an escape if you're not willing to suck up and pretend your humanity doesn't matter for the sake of "fun".

It's why I stopped actively interacting, fr. If people find me, I love that, I love to have them. I love to create bc I love these stories and these characters. I love to share, and I support people when I can, when they're respectful. But I've seen and experienced enough, fr. I don't think sacrificing my feelings is worth trying to be a part of a community that hates me for me. It's demeaning, and I deserve better than that. I don't wanna play anymore, not with people who don't value me or my depiction. Y'all can have it.

[duskcowboy]

Y’all realize you can make your own Elain crackship weeks without harassing real people, right? Like you can do that and we’d leave you in peace to do it? You don’t have to target and harass a group of people who are just trying to find the tiniest minuscule of enjoyment in this f*cked up fandom? Making threats and creating a whole tag so that you can ridicule real people just trying to have fun. You’re preaching about fandom inclusivity and the “rules” for fun fandom events while harassing and bullying real people who were only trying to do a considerate thing for others in a fandom where that’s rare. Your collective outrage speaks volumes of your lack of empathy.

Elain week is about Elain and positivity of her character. Elain fans have had to put up with the most heinous, misogynistic, cruel hate for years and god forbid we want to have a week where we are able to celebrate her with positivity.

Again, you can create your own ship weeks since it’s apparent you only care about Elain in the context of ships. I can’t even believe a rule against domestic abusers has led to this, but how can I even be surprised at this point when this fandom just sucks the goodness out of everything and warps it into ugly, unnecessary drama for the sake of what? Likes? Laughs? The thrill you get from putting others down?

I barely even participate in this fandom anymore. I only really contribute during fandom appreciation events because it’s the only time when it’s supposed to be about positivity and most of the fandom understands to respect that and leave others alone during that time. But now even that is being stripped away. And again, for what? A fictional domestic abuser that I can’t even tell if you actually care about. It seems to me that the real problem you have is the simple fact you live off joining the mob mentality and cyber bullying. Cause you realize that’s what you’re doing right? You’re mass posting negative, mean, and spiteful messages towards people you don’t even know—going as far as making threats to take over the event to purposely attack those who want to enjoy Elain during her week.

Congratulations. You’ve achieved what, exactly? Right, nothing. It’s honestly no surprise that you’re the type of people who would go this far for characters the author herself said are “giant douchebags,” nevermind the fact the domestic abuse hotline was even provided at the end of the book. If I hadn’t already lost all respect for how this fandom behaves towards one another, I sure have now.

[cryscendo]

i was gonna reply to your comment on my post but i thought id bring the discourse straight to your inbox instead alskfjdslk its not like we're telling teenagers to go out and discover some weird kinks of their own right this second lmao but they absolutely have to learn to be comfortable with the fact that people are going to be into kinky shit they think is weird and thats its not in fact a moral issue and also none of their business lol

like when i was a kid everything was so fucking raunchy and im not saying it was better but everything has to be so fucking sanitized now and thats not good either. when i was a kid online in the 00s people would literally link you to shock porn videos as a joke and that was just an accepted norm. nowadays there are so many ways to tailor your online experience to you and people are just ignoring all these block and filter functions and look at shit they know they dont like and bitch about it when they had every opportunity not to see it

and it goes back to the fucking rocky horror discourse like god forbid youre trying to portray a queer character in a way thats anything other than the most palatable beige blank slate that ever was. god forbid a queer character acts or dresses or looks or behaves in a queer way aksfjsld they want everything to be so fucking boring and palatable to 1) encapsulate every single queer experience on earth in a single piece of media and 2) be tolerable to straight people because theyre under the illusion that there is any acceptable way for a queer person to be to a bigot other than dead. both are a useless endeavor and they need to quit wasting energy on caring about either

like god fandom just feels so bleak nowadays and i know part of it is bc of how fast things move and no one can hold longterm interest in stuff anymore but a huge part of it is how flat out prudish people are all of a sudden

let ships be problematic let queer characters be weird let sex be kinky lmao let fandom by fun again my godddd

sorry for the rant aklsfjkdshfdk i apparently had a lot to say but hey i love you thanks for complaining with me xxxxx

omg i’m so sorry i meant to respond to this earlier than now!!! i saw it originally when i was waking up for work and thought “ooooh she’s making some banger points i’ll respond to that on my break” and then i just… forgot. so here i am now better late than never 🥰

i’ve always had a bit of a problem with the incessant need to sanitize fandom. i’m not saying ppl can’t curate their fandom experience to appeal to their interests, because obviously, they absolutely can. HOWEVER i do think it has become much more policed than it once was.

i think kink, and understanding its place on a fundamental level (especially within queer spaces), is something that takes maturity to fully understand. like with the rocky horror thing, the use of sexuality and kink is inherently different than what a young person of today might perceive it as. it doesn’t particularly surprise me that people are so sensitive to it, because they simply don’t understand their roots — they’ve formed this concept of queerness that pleases them, and therefore find other demonstrations of queerness to be antiquated or “back-pedalling” (even though we both know it isn’t). i think it’s dumb and immature to try to dictate “right and wrong” ways to be queer, but i’m also not all that shocked that it’s happening.

all this to say, queer characters don’t have to fit into the boxes that we deem as “appropriate”. just like how real queer people don’t owe an explanation for who they are, these queer characters don’t HAVE to reflect every queer person that engages with their media.

personally for me, kink is a MASSIVE component of the queer experience. so because of that, i like my favourite bitches to be kinky but that’s just me 😌

absolutely feel free to rant anytime your opinions are literally always correct to me <3

[barbswo]

I always suspected that being a writer means dealing with people who will throw rotten tomatoes at your head, because you don’t write how they would want you to write, or because you don’t give into stereotypes, or because you do, and that annoys them. Over the past couple of months I grew accustomed to waking up and reading all different things about my talentless and horrible self.

And that’s not okay, but it is what it is. I can handle criticism even if it comes wrapped in insults and shitty comebacks.

But death threats are a different story, and I hope we all understand that. It’s one thing to be dragged for your art, and a whole another one to read “drop dead” when having breakfast with your grandma. It’s totally unacceptable to continue sending those messages when I reply with a gif to the first one, because I honestly don’t know what you expect me to say.

I am a polite and kind person and I prefer to have fun rather than start some battles with haters, cause those can’t really ever be won. It might’ve been my fault in the first place, cause I decided to reply, encouraging the flow.

But enough is enough guys.

So please. Kindly.

FUCK OFF.

I don’t know why I have to explain these things over and over again—if you don’t like a story you DON’T READ IT. Especially when it didn’t cost you a cent, because fanfiction is bloody FREE.

God, I wish I had your free time, because how can a person read a 420k words-long story while not even liking it and then proceed to go and shit on it not just somewhere over the internet, but in the author’s dms is beyond my level of comprehension. Fuck! Just write what YOU want YOURSELVES and include all those wonderful tropes and plot-twists and smut scenes that I apparently am incapable of delivering and leave. me. be.

I hope pressing the “ask” button to send those things made you feel good. Eat that superiority, giggle and high-five yourself for getting through my skin. I don’t even know how many of you are there, counting that you come shielded with anonymous masks, and it’s unsettling.

You did manage to hurt me, congratulations. Don’t tell me if the celebratory cake tastes good. I don’t want to know.

Just one question though—what do you expect to happen? That I will rewrite the entire thing? Start hating it and delete it? Delete this account? Forbid anons to ask me questions? Well, here’s a newsflash: I won’t do it. I perfectly get that some readers prefer to keep their nicknames a secret when asking their questions, counting how toxic this fandom is proving to be. And no matter how much shit you pour into my inbox, I won’t stop loving what I do.

It might be impossible to handle, I know. How dare she be proud of her work? How dare she not ‘drop dead’? Grrr, let’s think of another thing to insult...

So just. Stop. I won’t entertain you anymore. As soon as I see curses and insult and threats I’m sending you to the bin. (Unless I decide to make fun of you if you reach another level of stupid, so approach with caution)

Being kind is free. So is being polite.

But being a bitch is free as well, so yet again.

Live, laugh.

FUCK OFF.

[sgiandubh]

Hello! I am Caitriona anon. My ask was prompted by a comment from succulently speaking who commented in your post a few days ago “what has Sam done wrong and what exactly do you want him to do”? You responded he needed to step up his game. That’s why I asked about Caitriona because I thought it funny how much you post about Sam and what he should or shouldn’t be doing and I thought, I wonder why Caitriona doesn’t get that same treatment? I've been following you since you got here. I understand your position. My only quibble is I don’t think of them as one entity and I think Cait especially has pushed against this for years. She’s offended at the notion. As I said, of course it's your blog and you can post whatever you'd like and certainly don't owe me an explanation, but I thank you for the one you gave anyway. I’ll continue to read you because I enjoy you. I hope I didn’t offend or that I was impertinent.

Dear (returning) Caitriona Anon,

For an Anti, you sound pretty literate and polite. So, I am going to answer you and try to keep this dialogue line open. Try me: keeping dialogues open is my bread and butter, IRL. Has been so for twenty years.

Thank you for understanding my position, but I do not really need to be 'understood', like a minor Romantic poet by his posterity. I try very hard to rationalize yours and I believe it is your constitutional right to believe what you want about this saga. Conversely, it is my prerogative to believe exactly what I want about it, based on what I do consider to be relevant facts. Not social media, press circus or PR induced tacky blogger manipulation.

Having said that, it is also my constitutional right to express my opinions and try to encourage others to do so, in a no-drama, friendly environment. It would also seem that determined Mordor to marginally step up their game, for I seem to be the nightmare these people collectively manifested every single time they howled 'the shippers are stupid', on full moon nights.

Shippers are everything but stupid, pumpkin. They are witty, funny and completely immunized to bullshit. For rhetoric bullshit with honors is your question: why Caitriona doesn’t get that same treatment?

You know very well why and I am going to tell you a Romanian proverb: cine nu muncește, nu greșește. Loosely translated: no work, no mistakes. How do you want me to say anything about a statue, who doesn't show us anything else about her life anymore, spare her outfits, her make-up and some rare events, with or sans the PA? Oh, and marGINally, her erratic business projects, for ever ongoing, hinted and never ever, God forbid, materialized? SAG-AFTRA strike? News of it never seemed to have made it to Caitrionaland. Israel-Palestine conflict? Prudent silence, but hello Tilda, darling, how are you. Ukraine? Last I heard/seen, a short appeal for helping the refugees and then crickets. Women's rights? Again, a short snippet on Persia, then mum. Just what the fuck is this supposed to be? Surely not a coherent PR strategy for a gifted, intelligent and fun (yes, fun!!) 44 year old actress who wants to keep her lucky strike going on! Let me tell you: she doesn't come across as dignified. She comes across as despising, condescending and entitled. Too cool for school, too sexy for your car, peons.

She is not Queen Victoria, for crying out loud, and we are definitely not amused!

You then proceed to say 'she pushed against it for years'? Please, do not insult my intelligence! She pushed against shippers who deface the nice Narrative, when she needed sympathy and massive support for her Belfast promo, unwittingly making a major PR blunder and for ever fracturing this fandom in at least two savagely antagonistic camps. Then, a cold, totally DGAF attitude, including towards her stans: tough to be her stan, when your Goddess is more silent than a Poor Clare (pun totally intended) nun! And she denied being an item with S (which is a complete, pious lie), because that is the Narrative, ever since IFH.

So, it's safe to say: yes, public Caitriona Balfe is dismissive of the notion, but since when is social media indicative of an undeniable or even intimate truth, especially in that particular world of hers? Oh, and by the way: sorry to be pedantic, but - it's offended by the notion, not 'at the notion'. Simple curiosity: you translate your thoughts from which language, exactly? My bet would be either German: bei, or Russian: обидеться на - yes: literally 'offended at'.

My complete Romanian proverb includes a conclusion. In full, it would be: cine nu muncește, nu greșește, dar nici nu reușește. No work, no mistake, no success.

How I wish to be proven wrong, Anon, on that one: you can't even imagine! Thank you for the time you took to answer me. I am afraid we agree to disagree. Change my mind? Not in a million years.

[chaifootsteps]

Hi!! Same anon with a foot in the fandom and the shipping servers of hazbin here! (The one who told you about how everyone of the creative side that ISN'T always blowing steam up Dani's ass, HATES HER GUTS). Literally, SO MANY active people in the fandom have her quietly muted. Another fun fact, Husker//dust is actually one of THE MOST DEVISIVE ships in the fandom. Hazbin fandom is sort of broken up into ships. Husker//dust is the loudest but NOT the biggest: just look at AO3: Radio//dust fics: 2,024 Husker//dust fics:  809 

Val//vox: 583 Radio//husk: 504 It's not overwhelmingly more popular than any other ship.

Here is the issue, for as many people that ADORE Husker//dust, it is as many people's ALL TIME NOTP. I can't tell you how many creators i know who have had both the word and tag blocked for years (and have been PISSED the last year how the husker//dust people stopped tagging their ship because they were "sure it was cannon so everyone just has to deal with it."

It isn't just a petty ship war reason, most hazbin fans are very pro multiship. It's the fact that the spindle crew's love of husker//dust lead to all of the fandom's number 1 bullies and bootlickers to hop on that bandwagon. The husker//dust fandom is UNBEARABLE to interact with because it has captured all of the cloutchasers, Viv ass blowers, fandom police and 13 year olds in the greater hazbin fandom and put them in one place. It is single handedly the most toxic section of the Hazbin fandom. By having it blocked people like dani just DISAPPEAR out of your feed. (unless you also follow sto//litz) A lot of creators have had very personal negative interactions with the Husker//dust fandom and it soured the ship for them (even if they were once into it). They used to regularly hop onto other ships' fan art and say "do husker//dust next!" there was an OVERWHELMING wave of fandom harassment in 2020-2021 lead by people with husker//dust bios explaining why all other ships that weren't cha//ggie and husker//dust were problematic and bad (and they did this by harassing some of the BIGGEST artists and writers from other ships. Constantly. In call outs, in the comments of their works, using their ship tags, etc) Tiktok was FULL of videos making fun of all ships but Husker//dust while literally stealing fanart of creators to make fun of their ships. (examples of videos: a HUGE radio//duster's gorgeous ship art over a soundtrack of barfing noises or with cartoon edits of characters like sponge bob pointing at the art and freaking out about how hideous it is)

I see a lot of people upset with the art style of the new show, a lot of people upset about the voice actors, a lot of people upset about the direction of the plot but you'd be surprise how many people are okay with all of that but their ONE straw for dropping the series was 'if husker//dust became cannon or teased and I can't avoid it's fandom anymore on twitter' So tl:dr: promoting one ship after letting the fandom go unchecked and wild for 4 years wasn't the great show promotion they thought it was either. I think they thought it was THE favourite ship of the fandom simply because they are the loudest and most drama prone and because Viv only follows the accounts that idolize her and therefore ship Husker//dust because it was the 'most likely ship to be cannon compliant and GOD FORBID you ship something that isn't cannon or part of Vivzie's grand vison)

Well...shit! Looks like we're about to get Stolitz 2.0

Everyone cross their fingers and pray that the comparison ends exactly there, because if one of these characters extorts sex out of the other, I don't know what we're all going to do.

[sandumilfshou]

Meta analysis/hypothesis on what is influencing the rise of anti culture

FAIRLY LONG POST.

I feel like antis (as most commonly minors) are stuck in this vicious cycle that has been perpetuated by internet culture over the last 20 years without having the advantage of the early internet etiquette/warnings/safety education that we as millennials and older got.

Kids these days are pretty much online from birth. The internet encourages people to post their thoughts and opinions at all times, often without much thought, and this norm is perpetuated pretty strongly through sites like Twitter and TikTok. So they're posting all of their thoughts and feelings and opinions left right and centre, often without privacy settings turned on, usually on social media sites where anyone can see these posts. And because the internet is a panopticon, unless you are on a private or hidden account, everyone is also able to post their own opinion about your opinion. It's easier than ever before for someone to discuss, argue, reject, and attack other people's opinions. And it's human nature to double down and defend your position instead of coming to an agreement or neutral ground (or god forbid change your mind), especially when tone is difficult to get across via text, and even so when people are often automatically argumentative and aggressive in their initial response (I have been guilty of this many a time).

This is all tied up in what I think for minors is a fundamental misunderstanding of what the internet is. It isn't a safe space, it isn't sanitized for your comfort, and it isn't censored or controlled much outside of strictly R18 sites other than literal illegal content being reported. But there seems to be this view among minors and antis that by default the internet should be safe for them to navigate, and they should not be able to stumble across, access, or engage with adult content (not even necessarily NSFW stuff either). So when they see this, they're shocked and appalled that it exists where they can see it, and because of the above, have been encouraged by the nature of the internet to post their very strong, often underdeveloped and shallow, opinion about it! They do not understand that the internet is the wild fucking west and outside of strictly under 13 sites and parental controls put on them, that it is your individual responsibility to curate your OWN safe space on the internet. Be liberal with the block button! Make use of mute functions! Set your shit to private so people who don't know you can't interact with your posts!

But they don't do this, because they were never taught about the dangers of the internet like we were. I remember when you should never give out ANY personal information about yourself, not even your first name, hell even saying the country you were from was often frowned against. We were taught that the internet is dangerous and you are responsible for keeping yourself safe. Now kids are putting out their name, their age, their country, all of their mental illnesses and neurodivergences and triggers all over the place! (It doesn't help that so many social media sites are encouraging linking your identity on other sites as 'verification', making it very impossible to be anonymous or fully under pseudonyms anymore.) So they think the internet is a safe and fun place to spend their time and encountering any content they dislike is free real estate to have a very loud opinion on, and are conditioned to double down on this when questioned.

This leads to two things that have become pretty rampant recently:

A lack of understanding of basic fandom culture and etiquette

The rise of puritanist views from LGBT+ youth on sexual deviance / morality / kink, and the encouragement of broad censorship.

Cancel culture is so fucking rampant these days. Kids especially are terrified to be cancelled or called out, especially since cyberbullying is so fucking common now. For kids this is often tied up in their real life school interactions, but it is rapidly becoming normal to consider your online identity and interactions just as real and valid as your physical, everyday interactions. Internet friendships are just as strong - or even stronger - as those you have in real life at school, or work, or sports clubs. It's known that people spend more time on the internet now than ever, so more and more of our time and mental energy and space is taking place in the virtual sphere. Being involved in something that negatively affects you like cyberbullying, or being cancelled or called out, or even just labeled as 'problematic' is so much bigger now, and it's not as easy to "just log off" or "just turn off your phone" as it used to be, because SO MUCH of our identity is caught up in online spaces now.

There's this dichotomy where we are encouraged to post all of our thoughts and opinions on the internet where anyone can see them, but cancel culture is also making people - especially kids - terrified to make mistakes or withhold opinions for fear of being labeled 'problematic' or 'siding with xyz if you don't post an opinion that disagrees with it'. There's a hyperawareness of what could be considered problematic behaviour, this strong need to be performatively moral, even if it means throwing someone else under the bus to prove that you're unproblematic!

This all links back to my previous two points. It means that common historical fandom etiquette - things like "don't like, don't read", the term "squick", "YKINMK - your kink is not my kink (and that's okay)" have all but disappeared from lexicon and culture. Where in the past we used to scroll past things we didn't like, kids now feel the need to call it out to prove themselves morally superior and unproblematic. They don't care that most of the time the space is NOT FOR THEM, they ignore all of the 🔞emojis and "MDNI" warnings, because of this fundamental misunderstanding that the internet is not always by default going to be palatable for them. Internet culture has destroyed any sense of 'if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it' which used to be more normal (though that didn't mean people still didn't label every fic with NO FLAMES PLZ!!!11!)

Because of this lack of 'fandom etiquette', because of this misunderstanding of how the internet works and historically has been, because of this instinctive reaction to immediately disapprove of and attack content they viscerally dislike, instead of ignoring it, this is giving rise to puritanist views and talking points amongst LGBT+ youth, minors, and antis. They are literal minors who are literally not even relevant to these conversations and concepts, as most of them are R18, inserting themselves where they aren't wanted into discussions on and posts about things that they consider sexually deviant or immoral. Because they are CHILDREN. Of COURSE they don't like this content!

I'm not a psychologist, but I wonder if developmental phases are playing a part here. Like, when you learn to differentiate concrete and abstract thinking, the ability to understand nuance and separate fiction from reality. A lot of these antis are literally too young to be able to understand some of these conversations, but don't understand this, and don't understand why they should not be involving themselves in these R18 areas that are clearly designated NOT FOR THEM, because "it's on the internet and I can find it easily, so therefore it's applicable and valid for me to have an opinion on this!"

And all of this culminates into what we are seeing now as the anti phenomenon. So TL;DR -

The internet is a panopticon. Everything you post can be viewed by everyone. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone is encouraged to voice those opinions. Opinions now must always be morally superior and unproblematic, or you risk being cancelled.

Minors are coming across content on sites they are on that is not relevant to them, and ignore R18 warnings and MDNIs to insert themselves into these spaces to give their opinion, because they have a fundamental misunderstanding of what the internet is and how it works, due to a lack of internet safety.

This means that common fandom culture/etiquette is being lost, and all of this is giving rise to youth parroting what they don't realise are puritan talking points and arguments against sexual deviance, morality, kink, and encouraging censorship. Which may or may not be exacerbated by the psychological developmental phases they are going through, which could be affecting their ability to understand abstract concepts and nuance, such as separating fictional morality and real life morality when it comes to taboo/dark/kink concepts in fan spaces.

(BTW many of my talking points above are thanks to @rainystudios' amazing academic papers which should definitely be checked out by anyone interested in this.)

[mcsm-confessions]

Hot take but MAN I really wished there were more artists or just members in general who did more with the female characters from mcsm, and not just all of them just even a handful would be nice because I’m sorry to say this but aside from like a few of them, I really just do NOT care about the male characters in the slightest and that includes male Jesse (except for yellow suspenders, he’s done nothing wrong) like I’m sorry but even if I were to dissect them under a microscope at the end of the day they’re just, there to me.

But the female cast in the other hand, asides from just hating ONE of them, most of them have SO much potential to be used in stuff like AUs or even Fan Art but for most people to blatantly ignore that is INSANE. I think with my mindset being this way since I am in other fan bases (mostly as an observer) where most fans actually pay attention to the female characters (Genshin, Honkai Star Rail, PreCure, Love Live, Idolmaster, or any media with a large amount of female characters in it) and going here is WHIPLASH LIKE EXCUSE ME?

And to bring up shipping, why is that aside from Jesstra most sapphic ships are blatantly ignored for (I’m sorry to say this) Jesskas, the ship that’s the equivalent of stale bread with a glass of lukewarm tap water, not even filtered and crispy. Like the fandom treats the pairing as the holy grail of “perfect” (by making Lukas blander than saltine crackers because we can’t possibly have his sassiness corrupting the innocent green suspenders Jesse (aka making it actually interesting) oh, no, no, no! Thou shan’t be!) like god forbid y’all see someone Maya and Fem!Jesse, Olivia and Petra, Nell and Emily, Harper and Ellegaard (look I know Harper and Ivor are a thing and love them but Harper x Ellegaard is a thing), hell even het ships like Fem!Jesse x Axel, because it’s not your stale white bread of a ship. Like sorry if my insulting this ship but it’s true and cannot hold back anymore.

But besides that I really wish there was more content of the female characters even if it’s just two others and it doesn’t even have to be serious or canon abiding content! Do silly shit, do shit like idk them at the beach, self insert POV or just in different situations whether it’s just for fun or an AU.

~~~

[jenny-from-the-bau]

Literally I check your blog every day and love your fics where you play with the idea of Trans BAU. Like nb masc jj is so important to me! I love them! Anyway I enjoy your silly little head canons and they make me smile and everyOne being angry needs to chill. Fucking with gender and imagining the blorbos doing the same is the best. ❤️ signed an nb dyke 😎

Thank you so much!

I'm gonna use this ask as a bit of a soapbox:

Fandom, headcanons, fanfic and all of that is just a fun way to explore storytelling and characters and make friends who like the same things as you do. If we can't say "what if a character was X", then it all falls apart. If we have to stick to canon, then what's the whole point?

It's also not harming anyone to say, "hey, I think JJ isn't that feminine, especially in later seasons." You can disagree! That's fine! We're all doing our own thing and interpreting the characters in our own way!

However, I don't understand why JJ being less feminine is the worst thing in the world? Why is imagining her as trans something to get so angry over? Consider that please.

It's really hurtful to be a masculine person and have people message you like being masculine (or god forbid, a MAN) ruins a character entirely. Being told that a character being trans is basically destroying them is...not a great feeling for a trans person.

Anyway. I'm not gonna harp on this anymore, and I'm not answering the like 5 asks I got calling me a misogynist and talking about JJ like they personally know her. I'm gonna keep doing my headcanon, vibe, gaytrans nonsense and you can just disagree and block me

[herboretum]

on the topic of minecraft coming back i also feel my shame and cringe coming back too

ive been thinking about that one tiktok from a long time ago, and its general message was that the reason why fandom spaces were and are so toxic is because of regular, ordinary, "not-the-weird-kids" joining said spaces during lockdown, and its kind of been fucking with my perception ever since i watched it because its true

ask me 2-3 years ago what i liked and i couldn't give you an answer out of shame because i enjoyed minecraft smps. i'd be too embarrassed. and yet now i am able to parade that i enjoy a children's game like roblox simply because its what everyone likes now, and it isnt deemed as cringe or "childish" anymore. liking something that was originally perceived as weird is now normalized. its very weird and i hate that it has turned out this way

youd think this would be great for someone like me who cant shut the fuck up about what it likes but surprisingly not. im only really able to talk about my interests openly because i make them vague. anything more specific and i know i'll get judged harshly. i can say i like stuff like drawing, minecraft, roblox, animation, children's shows, whatever, but anything more and it feels shameful. its wild. i kind of miss when there were these sort of internal "cliques" because at least i knew what to expect from like-minded people. now its really a gamble to see if this person i am talking to fws the shit i like, and god forbid they start judging me about it the second i open my mouth

erm anyways yah ramble 4 today .,,,, im only saying this cause im dressing up as a minecrafter for cool awesome halloween and ive been so nervous about how i'll be judged, esp since its a pretty renown character . maybe its bc ive had a bad history with anything minecraft but . idk! i just be worrying and shit ! i need to fucking calm down and remind myself that cringe is dead and i should only focus on having #fun and whimsy .......... yay!!!!

[eowynstwin]

oooooo i love to see the pot get stirred 😈

but im also curious as to what you think!

the choose violence ask game-

1, 2, 8, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25

LMAO i just realized thats like… all the questions im so sorry you dont have to answer all of them 😅

i’m over 18 so dont worry! muah!

Oh DAMN. Naturally I’m gonna answer them all!

1. The character everyone gets wrong

Gaz. I think people tend to write him as this sunshine sweet golden retriever boy, when in-game we see that he’s a sarcastic little shit who doesn’t hesitate to take the piss out of Price, his commanding officer. Guy’s way more interesting than what people allow him to be.

2. A compelling argument for why your fave would never top or bottom

Stealing @lunarvicar’s answer to this question nearly wholesale, because I agree entirely. Ghost’s trauma would make it very, very difficult for him to endure bottoming. I think a good fic could manage it, but it would have to be done right.

8. Common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

That ANY of these men want to be fathers. I don’t know why so many fucking people are obsessed with children on this goddamn site.

16. You can’t understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

The fucking hybrid thing??? First of all, put your pussy into it and call it the furry kink that it is. Second of all, most people who write this shit aren’t even writing characters anymore. They’re just writing bad anime porn and slapping the CoD character names on there to generate notes.

18. It’s absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on…

Farah/Alex. The amount of trust that exists between them? Come ON. But god forbid anyone care about a brown woman in this fandom.

19. You’re mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like…

CRINGE IS DEAD AND I KILLED IT BABEY. I will swim in the ocean of A/B/O while humanity remains fearfully at shore.

21. Part of canon you think is overhyped

Uh. I dunno. That any of the stuff that happens in game is indicative of any kind of real-life heroism?

22. Your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores?

Gaz’s aforementioned shit-stirring. I just know he’s so fun to bitch about things with.

23. Ship you’ve unwillingly come around to

This might surprise people, but I was wary of ghostsoap in the beginning. I have never liked fandom’s penchant to hyperfocus on relationships between men to the exclusion of all else—but in fairness to the ship, there isn’t much else in any of these games to pay real attention to. As you can see, ghostsoap and I have lived happily ever after.

25. Common fandom complaint that you’re sick of hearing

“You should just let people write what they want and what makes them happy without bashing it.” Actually Becky, I will continue to be a petty bitch, thank you.