#racist mention cw

[helicarrier]

If someone asks me about my issues with DNIs, I think I’ll just refer them to this post from now on.

Tumblr, as a website, is designed for quick, casual content sharing. You can follow blogs, then immediately like and reblog posts from them. New posts are even recommended to you directly on your dash, so you don’t even need to look at their originating blogs to interact with them. DNIs put a wrench in this intuitive manner of using tumblr. They force someone to stop and detour and read a page before they touch any posts from a blog they don't know, and that contradicts how tumblr is intuitively meant to be used. If you see a post and you like it, and if there’s an icon right underneath it, your first reaction is to click the icon. I’m sure most of us have instinctively clicked “like” (or “reblog”) on a post we found interesting.

DNIs prevent this kind of “casual” interaction. Their existence means you have to stop yourself before you interact (in any way) with a cool post, find the DNI page of the person who reblogged the post and, if applicable, find the DNI of the person who made the original post as well (because they’ll also receive the notification, unless they deleted the post on their blog), read it, then return to the post. Nothing about DNIs are baked into the functionality of tumblr in an intuitive way; if anything, the only real “do not interact with me” function you will find here in tumblr’s infrastructure is the block function.

Because DNIs are so antithetical to how tumblr functions, they're an inherently futile way of preventing interaction with certain groups of people, too. Most people aren't going to read my rules or my pinned post before they interact with my content. I would not expect them to, because it doesn't occur to many people, and it's a lot of wasted time. Even people with certain kinds of users in their DNIs routinely interact with posts made by those very people, proving this point. It is so inconvenient and absurd to read a page every time someone so much as likes a post by a random blog. Those people you don't want interacting with you? They're probably reading your blog; liking your posts even if they don't expressly say they're x group from your DNI. They're doing the same to my posts, too. That's just the price we pay for being in a public space focused on content sharing. And I accept this. Other peoples' behaviour is completely out of my control. I just block people when needed, because it is my responsibility to curate my space.

And that is the crux of the matter: I refuse to pass the responsibility of curating my space onto strangers. I refuse to make it someone else's problem when they are using tumblr in the way it was meant to be used. Ideologically and functionally, it does not make sense to me.

Just think about it: tumblr is a public website. Unless your blog is password-protected, people can find it anytime, and if they really want to interact, they'll interact regardless of your DNI. It’s not like most people will say, "oh, drat, I'm a racist, I should leave!". Maybe they’ll just interact because the labels you dislike are not visible on their blog, so they'll fly under your radar. And at times where peoples' labels or behaviour are visible, the good ol' block button is the golden standard. It always has been.

If I become mutuals with someone, sure, we'll agree to scratch each others' backs, and tag whatever the other person needs tagged. But that's different from expecting every stranger who comes across my content, wherever it shows up, to follow demands that are all the way over here, on this blog. If someone reblogs one of my photosets way over in the Stranger Things fandom, and people see the reblogged post, they shouldn't need to come to my Marvel/Random Shit™ blog and read my pages before clicking the stupid little heart button. But imagine needing to do this with every single person, every single post of theirs. Sure, maybe you’re familiar with the DNIs of the people you follow. But what about all the posts they’ve reblogged? Those posts have OPs. Do the OPs of those posts have a DNI that’s favourable to you, too?

DNIs aren't even optional reads now, and everyone suffers because of that. The proliferation of DNIs has made a culture where if someone accidentally forgets to read a DNI, doesn't know that DNIs exist, or misinterprets the contents of a DNI, it’s considered acceptable to harass them for it. It's anxiety-inducing.

“...Shit, I forgot to like their DNI.”

It doesn't help that I never know what "basic DNI criteria" means, or what the "etcetera" means either, because it changes from person to person. Folks, I’ve seen homophobes with “basic DNI criteria” in their pages. That aside, you can say "bigots DNI", but a lot of transphobes don't believe they're bigots, so you could still get radfems liking your posts. You could say "bullies DNI", but many fanpols don't consider themselves bullies, because they believe if someone writes fanfiction from the perspective of Hannibal Lecter, of course their reaction to it isn’t “bullying”, it's just justified shaming!

Everyone is the hero of their own story, and everyone thinks they're the exception. They will be the exception to your DNI, too. Again, this all goes back to the "you can't control who interacts with your content" thing. It's maddening to try and think of all the angles, all the ways to "catch" people, all the ways to plug up all the holes. You may not want to hear it, but you never will. You can get the broad strokes, but you’ll never get everyone, you won’t even get close. Even if you do somehow manage to fit all the exact terms into your DNI, and you end up with a DNI longer than a CVS receipt, you’re still going to run into all the people who... Simply don’t read it. Meanwhile, you look a little too preoccupied with who’s looking at your blog on a public website, and even if a well-intended person comes across your blog, they may just check out because they’re uncomfortable with the micromanaging.

...If they can read the DNI. Look, I’m all for creative formatting, but I see so many DNIs (and carrds in general) that have hot pink writing on a red background, or baby pink on baby blue, or yellow on lime green, and I can’t read any of it, not to mention it’s a migraine risk among other things. I’m not reading dozens of these pages every other day.

It doesn't help that many DNIs are rude, angry, hostile pages that tell people to kill themselves. That's not right. When someone volunteers to read an information page, they are doing that person a courtesy. It is shameful people need to read things like "kill yourself", "swallow a knife", and other verbal sewage. It doesn't matter if it's directed to them or not. Simply looking for people to follow and interact with, simply liking a post, should not be an exercise in mental fortitude. Needing to read awful threats over and over again should not be a requirement for engaging on this site. Imagine having depression, intrusive thoughts, and so on, where this stuff could land twice as hard. It's gotten to the point where my eyes immediately gloss over when I open a DNI, because my mind simply doesn't want to see any more shit and is trying to protect me. I'm at the point where I don't want to open DNIs at all.

But as you guessed, there's a problem with that. Because DNIs are almost compulsory on tumblr now, ignoring them has two possible outcomes: one, you annoy a ton of people, because maybe their DNIs say they don't want you around, but you're interacting with their stuff anyways. Maybe you get labelled as the person who ignores DNIs. Two, you stop your browsing in part, or as a whole, meaning almost nobody gets likes or reblogs from you anymore, because you’re trying to not waste your time, you’re trying to preserve your sanity, etc. And this hamstrings content creators.

One of the biggest flaws in DNIs is that nobody is obligated to reveal information on themselves. Minors can easily hide their age. Bigots can hide their bigotry. People can remove info from their description until they're clear of someone's initial "new follower vibe check", then put it back. Nobody knows you're a dog on the internet. It's naive to assume people will be honest about themselves, and adhere to a DNI.

DNIs are often so incredibly vague and their attitude so charged that people can't even ask for clarification, because the writer of the DNI could be radicalized and have very unhealthy views, and absolutely attack someone for reaching out. A DNI might say, "don't interact if you support incest", but it never clarifies in real life, or fiction. There has been an enormous uptick in moral panic over fiction lately, so lots of people might ask for clarification, but if they do, the person could say "in real life and fiction, duh!", flame them because they "didn't know something so obvious, it must mean they're sus!", then flame them again because they viewed the poor person's blog and saw lots of mature content they think people shouldn't write. It's absurd, but unfortunately, that kind of panic has spread. Many people use DNIs as extensions of their unhealthy interaction, media consumption, and browsing habits.

So I usually avoid DNIs.

All in all, I don't mind if someone politely asks other people to not interact, or if they say they block for certain stuff, if there’s a clear awareness that it's not a be-all, end-all solution, and that people will still interact. As long as they put the onus on themselves, rather than other people, to curate their space, it’s cool. For example, if someone is an 18+ blog, and they ask minors not to interact? Cool, if they don’t “punish” or otherwise attack minors who find posts of theirs on other blogs, and “like” them from there without going all the way over to the OG blog to see if they’re allowed to do like it. Because again, that’s a bit of an unfair requirement to impose on people. And whatever.

Because people shouldn’t feel like they’re playing minesweeper when they want to click a heart. Between the terfs, racists, and all the other issues, we have enough on our hands already.

[troythecatfish]

The fact that she sums up being Black as cornrows and Motown offers great insight into why in Harry Potter she gave her only Irish character the name Seamus Finnegan, the most notable Black character Kingsley Shacklebolt and the only East Asian character Cho Chang. Part of me wants to engage with this line of thinking and explain why race and gender are structurally very different despite both being social constructs and then I remember that none of these people actually care about that shit.

[cyarskj1899]

Welcome to Florida: where your children will be forced to carry their rapists’ babies but are forbidden to learn why white supremacists with AR-15s commit mass shootings that target black people. It’s on you ron desantis you will never be our president in 2024. Fuck. You!

[cyandelightz]

💭 + your family (existing/what used to be/whatever)

"Oh, this one. I wonder if you'll like what you find by opening this box. I don't."

"My mother died when I was two. Complications in childbirth. My father? Died of infection after being skinned - I'd assume he was in his sixties at the time. Not that anyone's going to cry over him… he was an awful person. The kind of man to stay his hand on calling the police over a child abuse case in case it made him look bad. You understand, don't you?"

"I have two older brothers. One went to be a lawyer in California somewhere. I haven't seen the other since the Flash - no clue what happened with him. The same goes for my younger brother. I have no idea what's going on with him either."

"Suffice it to say I'm not close with the lot. I don't really care what my brothers are up to at this point."

[teresiel]

Yet Another Distressing Wyll Mod

Another mod white-washing Wyll was uploaded on 11 January, 2024.

The mod is called "Wylls of Toril" and is created by Fesstrom, who has no other character mods in their history (and only one other mod, a nice mod which adds a popular Wyll hair-mod to his portraits). This is not necessarily indicative of malicious intent, but it does fit the pattern of prior modders who have little to no history other than a fresh account seemingly created for the sole purpose of offering a mod that alters Wyll's appearance, typically in order to make him appear less black.

The mod was originally posted with three screenshots of an alternate model for Wyll's face, along with three different skin-tones, two of which were a light and dark shade of brown, and one of which was white.

I am going to go into some detail below. I am willing to create more of a point-by-point breakdown and get into even further detail, but wanted first to share the basic description and screenshots. I am hesitant to go into a lengthy break-down from the get-go or without request, lest I be leading or present my own biases, upset, and bitterness as something more than my subjective experience. The more I can stick to the screenshots and links, the better.

Further details under the cut!

I (sanguinarialroot on Nexus) and others attempted to point out the racism inherent to this mod, with some overtly accusing the modder of deliberate racism, and other's detailing the issues without any comment on whether the mod was deliberately racist in intention outside of the operation and reception.

There is also a Reddit thread focused on this subject, and to which I contributed multiple comments (and a lengthy, distressing, thoroughly depressing dialogue with a lengthy, distressing, and thoroughly depressing person towards the tail end of a few comment threads... Trigger warning for a host of manipulation tactics or bad-faith dialoguing, as well as racism denial and baiting someone to share their race and then denying said race.)

I also have screenshots of my posts (the link clicks through to IMGUR) detailing the experience, many of which have since been removed due to reasons that the modder only scrambled to add as qualifying for removal AFTER I'd typed up my comments. This is presumably still being done for other users' as the mods post's count has hovered near 65 for around 24 hours now, despite it's prior post progression having rapid accumulation of comments in the hours closer to it's release.

Please read the comments on the screenshots, as I break down quite a bit of what occurred with a bit more detail and chronological progression than I would on a post in this form!

ONTO SOME POSITIVES (if they can be called as much...)

The modder later added another face model for Wyll, which appears to be their original model, with a wide nose and slightly thicker lips. This was done per another user's request. I'm going to be honest, I didn't notice this "fix" until long after my last posting before I was banned. It does not look quite so different from the modder's original alternate head, but I still regret that I did not acknowledge a potential attempt to improve. Of course, the damage was done and it does not absolve the modder, but it was an acknowledgement of a potential issue.

I would also like to thank the modder for remaning civil throughout the comment process! At no point did they speak lewdly or with hostility, and at no point did my banning seem like a drastic response. I can respect the modder's prerogative to remove me from the conversation towards the end. That doesn't mean I tolerate rampant censorship and lack of equitable culling towards their sycophants all across the board, but at least they weren't belligerent or overtly incendiary via their rhetoric.

CW/TW: Mention of racism + racism denial + race denial + whitewashing + and inclusions of links to message boards that include quite a hefty amount of racism + manipulative commenting + foul language + censorship + dismissiveness towards those attempting to criticize or call out what can easily be perceived as a racist project and racist messaging from the modder and/or commenters.

[7amonathursdayinoctober]

YALL I JUST GOT MY FIRST HATE COMMENT LETS GOOOOO

I'd you are aroace + any other sexuality (aroace lesbian for me) unfortunately you are not allowed to exist bc one random person on the internet said so, sorry people turn in your sexuality permits

I would like to thank the people who have followed me, allowing this person to find me. The Deadpool and Wolverine movie bc that's what the post was abt. My own sexuality. And the invalidating, bi-phobic, racist, man hating, ass that gave me a good chuckle when I woke up and then promptly gave me the experience of euphoric bliss blocking them <3

[cyarsk52-20]

Fuck Ron DeSatan for acting surprised when somebody acts on his hateful rhetoric.

[marleysfinest]

I actually fucking hate this country I'm sorry but we're sitting and watching in real time how the racism has been allowed to fester for way too fucking long, and how white people (mostly men) are being allowed to carry out acts of domestic terrorism because of?? information that was never correct in the first place??? the way that these people are so fucking STEWPID that they think "eNoUgH iS eNoUgH!!!!!!!" when in reality, refugees entering this country legally or otherwise bear no fucking ill relevance to the lives of anyone who lives here. people of colour coming here to escape war and strife are not fucking up your precious unseasoned gammon you fucking idiots. the way that the racism in this country is allowed to be so brazen is just dumbfounding, it's jarring. not long ago a young black boy was slaughtered by a white man and huh. no. no protests against that. I wonder why. I truly am dumbfounded as to why none of these pasty dipshits had anything to say about that. honest to god, peaceful black lives matter protests are met with unreasonable police resistance and arrests, peaceful protests against violence against women are met with unreasonable police resistance and arrests. but this? underdeveloped bags of flour burning hotels housing innocent asylum seekers simply because they're looking for any excuse to be racist cunts? "there are more protests tonight at 5 stay wary". fuck OFF about it I'm so fucking ANGRY at the state of this COUNTRY

[big-edies-sun-hat]

having a tough time and this dumb old book gave me something I have needed all day

[radioconstructed]

⌖ Tonight, on my ALT STATION! I don't respect ANY of you people, so, I'm moderating a BRAIN FRYING DEBATE BETWEEN two Hellborn demons!

⌖ One, a CHARISMATIC individual who happens to be a SUPREMACIST who thinks ALL SINNERS should be EXTERMINATED! The other, a fairly PROGRESSIVE individual, who also happens to be an EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATIVE WEIRDO and defender of the worst crimes these sinners I have committed!

⌖ I hope my therapist sees this and FINALLY lets me exterminate MYSELF!

[cyarsk5230]

She is an elected official in Fl. DeSantis removed her from the Senate floor putting her in a basement w/ rats BC she spoke out against him.

She is a powerhouse

And, yes, she despises him

Rightly so

[cyarskj1899]

https://twitter.com/FOmyronpitts/status/1696849306496463168?s=20💔

[cyarskaren52]

Journalists: the Jacksonville mass murder was not racially motivated violence, it was RACIST violence. We must be specific and direct with our language. Get your English right

[shivasdarknight]

this isnt even spoilers because it's been a plot point for a while, but among the many uncomfortable things in the Hildibrand quests (like the trap transphobia, the near murder and consumption of a Qiqirn (yknow, one of the eorzean tribesmen), the really inappropriate humor leaning into orientalist bullshit + conspiracy theory stuff and where That always goes)

idk i just really hate that they're still continuing the plot with Nashu's stalker. especially because they decided it'd be GREAT to make her super pale and him a perverted brown lalafell 💀💀

like this isnt needed and it's really not funny. stalker plots are genuinely the worst and the xiv fandom is really terrible when it comes to warning people about the contents of these quests

partly because of the obnoxious spoiler attitude everyone has (as in refusing to tell people stuff even if asked, lying about it, and then getting mad when someone goes and intentionally spoils themselves)

but also because this is a fandom darling questline of hijinks and greg. it can do no wrong, ig

[the-sprog]

One of the worst things about not passing is that people who I don't come out to assume I'm cis and make transphobic remarks. And expect me to laugh with them.

[cyarsk52-20]

NAACP was right. Unfortunately, Black Floridans are at risk daily. Keep them in your thoughts as another targeted mass shooting has occurred in the state of Florida. 3 Black lives lost today due to pure hatred for just existing.