#why is tumblr randomly recommending me terf shit

[shubbler]

why the fuck is this based on my likes. what terf shit have i been liking unknowingly

[aragornsrockcollection]

I want to have that discussion about transphobia in fandom.

But how do you expect it to go? That we all reflect on it and discuss it, and there will magically appear a way to make fandom a safe space for trans people without banning transphobic people?

Because what we are discussing here is the Paradox of Tolerance. I recommend googling it, it is a philosophical argument that has been around for a really long time but was codified in the 40’s by someone named Karl Popper.

The paradox goes like this: “In order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must remain intolerant of intolerance.”

And it’s just true. You can’t invite two parties to a table for a good faith discussion when the central tenant of one of those parties is that the other should not exist.

TERFs or “gender critical people” or “anti- trans rights activists” or “I don’t understand what TERF even is, I just believe *insert transphobic statement here* people” being accepted into this community makes it an inherently dangerous and toxic place for Trans people.

If what you want to discuss is “is Venwe a TERF?” you don’t have to take anyone’s word for it. Check out her blog. I did. I found TERF content. I blocked her.

I am grateful for the heads up! I have been being recommended TERF posts by tumblr recently, which greatly upset me and was a negative impact on my experience here, and I couldn’t figure out why. I interacted with Venwe’s blog when she reblogged one of my posts, just about when that started happening. Hopefully it will stop now. I doubt it’ll be that simple, but I’d rather live in hope.

And, to clarify, I’m cis. Transphobia makes me angry, but I don’t feel gut dropping fear when I see it, I don’t feel personally attacked, I don’t have to question whether I can even stay in this community, or if it’s about to be flooded by people who are hostile to me personally.

I don’t have to worry that the place I go online to have fun and engage in my interests with like-minded individuals will suddenly decide that blatently hating me, and people like me, is more okay than pointing out that that hate exists, which is what is happening right now.

@lie-where-i-land didn’t bring this issue up randomly out of nowhere, he wasn’t responding to just seeing venwe’s name on his dash, he was informing @cycas of the nature of a user that @cycas had actively boosted with a reblog of a request from Venwe to get back in touch with the community on here.

And then he has responded reasonably. Honestly, I’m confused why you’re begging for discourse and discussion… there is SO MUCH discussion happening. I see @lie-where-i-land working really hard to inform people about why including TERFs pose a threat to the diversity of our fandom, providing a lot of explainations to a lot of people.

This does not strike me as a witch hunt for the sake of outraged victimhood, or striking out over jealousy like you’re describing.

I haven’t even seen him lose his temper, which as someone who has people I love who are trans, who I have watched deal with this shit, and seen what it does to them- I’m pretty sure I could not be similarly calm.

Probably this is because my head is not the one on the chopping block if we all decide TERFs are welcome here actually.

And my reactions aren’t the ones being picked apart to decide if I’ve brought up the issue of my own dehumanization respectfully enough to deserve being listened to.

If you want to discuss this with me, please do. But please lead with how you think all of this discussion will end, because I’m curious how you think we can solve the paradox of tolerance.

OK, I need to say something about fan culture. No idea if anyone's gonna listen, but I do feel faintly sick.

How do we, as a fandom, want to treat each other?

Around a year ago, a writer I cared about - madamefaust - was violently bullied out of another fandom and deleted everything she had made. All her works, her entire tumblr. It turned out she had been falsely accused of racism by a group of trolls who... Oh, I'm not going to start this again, read it up on my tumblr if you're interested. The point is, she hadn't actually been racist. The reason for this entire charade was envy, and it destroyed her online presence. She cut all ties, so we don't even know she's ok.

The way it happened - and I'm getting to the point here - were callout posts which dragged her name across the entire fandom, instead of limiting it to a discussion among individuals. Look, everyone, what she did! Here are screenshots! And then the next person chimes in, HOW DARE YOU, you should be ashamed! There's no way to defend yourself, if such a thing has started. People read and reblog and judge without actually knowing what happened.

Which is why I would like to say, very emphatically, to @lie-where-i-land: Please do not handle it this way. I understand your point, but the way you're attacking @cycas and @warrioreowynofrohan (who, for context, opposed the 'cancellation' of someone you believe to be a terf) for all the fandom to see, screenshotting their post, inviting everyone to add pressure on them, is not the way to handle fandom conflicts. Many of us around here are old enough to have seen fandom wars, and we don't want them anymore. Let's not spread hatred and contempt. There's enough of that in the world right now.

If you want to express your concerns about transphobia and terfs in fandom, please do! I'm sure most of us will be interested and willing to reflect, engage in discussion, work out ways to make fandom a safe space for trans people. But callout posts of that sort are poison. Please don't do this.