on safe space and slam

[succulentpoet]

This is for anyone who is a poet, runs a venue, or attends poetry slams semi-regularly: do you have any guidelines about maintaining the slam as a safe space?

In any open forum, there is the capacity for sexism, racism, homophobia; for oppression; for threats; etc. And while freedom of speech is paramount to the success of slam, it can also be a

Comments

[beeblefish]

Oh please. I'm a man and I recognize the need to name sexist patriarchy as what it is. And to let women rage against it. It's because (white) men are the first class citizens of the world that violence is so easily propagated by them. Hearing that out isn't being submitted to reverse-sexism, unless it suddenly reverses a thousand years of gender oppression as it's doing it. Maybe men need to be made to feel discomfort sometimes, did you think about that? Maybe they need to feel like their privilege isn't taken as universal, even if it's only in art. It's called de-centring and I suggest you look it up.

[succulentpoet]

Nathan, take a minute and think about something. (First, remember that I completely adore you. Okay?) I think your commentary is interesting, and certainly something that I can recognize as a result of years of higher education in anti-oppression. There is a type of classism here, that assumes that everyone with any brains will understand the theoretical underpinnings of sexist patriarchy and de-centering. One of my issues with academia is that it is often removed from the real world

[beeblefish]

Fair enough, and thank you for the check about classism, because it is something that I need to work at. That said, I'm also tired of men who complain about reverse-sexism. I think it's ridiculous and I hear it all the time. So when I read a man complaining about this it gets to me and I react. But you are right, I did jump to conclusions and mis-read the context, so I apologize for my overly strong comment. But also, Lisa, I have to let you know that your comments have made me feel this is an unsafe space for me to express my opinions. You can't always make a space safe for everybody, and I've found that (not just hear but on my journal as well) LJ is a non-safe space for me, it's why I hardly post anymore. I understand your desire to manage your space the way you want and call people on their behaviour, which is valid, but I guess that just means that I can't be a part of this space or conversation, because I do want to call people on things when I think they are wrong. I don't want to upset you by writing this, but I

[beeblefish]

Points taken, and thank you. My point about safe spaces is, though, personal to me. What I consider a safe space is somewhere where I can express anger, frustration, and feelings of having my arguments dismissed. It's also partially about the space that I feel gets taken up by politeness. Politeness, though I value it, is also a form of control. And anger is not welcome in polite spaces. Which is why I don't feel I can express myself that way, here. Which is why I don't feel I can express myself, here. Right now, I'm not angry, so I can say a bit more, but knowing that if I'm really upset by something I can't say it means it's not a safe space for me

[succulentpoet]

Can you think of some examples of women who do this? Because they probably didn't make ME feel unsafe, I don't know that I would even remember them.

[shannons_words]

i can always think of a few women performers that have affected men in a way that they tell me that they feel angry at how she discusses them, blames them and is hateful and intolerant towards them and their behavior.

but they do not feel unsafe

hatefulness and safety can go hand in hand for some groups but not others