these sorts of things don't "just happen";
Right. So.
I wasn't going to actually post about this, even though I've been following this since the night before when somebody on my flist (unnamed out of respect to them) linked me to this post on journalfen which began tracking the whole discussion/wank/i'm-not-sure-what-you'd-call-it. what began in bandom as an exchange over whether or not writers should be required to include warnings (rape, sub-con, but then quickly spiral out of control into the ridiculous as escalating arguments try to bring their examples to the extreme in an attempt to evoke the "slippery slope" argument), has now become a much larger discussion that i know -- personally - i'm not sure i'm able (or ready) to talk about in a lengthy, intelligent and not emotionally overcharged manner, but i thought that it's something worth linking for those of you that don't know about it (or DO know about it and want to follow it more), would be interested, would like to add their voice, whatever.
before you click on any of these links (or perhaps even read the rest of this entry), just know, none of this is pleasant stuff. the individuals that are being linked in these rundowns -- more often than not -- display what i believe is grossly and horrendously dismissive behavior towards individuals with PTSD, survivors of sexual abuse and assault, and those who may suffer other forms of emotional and psychological trauma. i have been made angry, upset, disgusted and saddened by the behavior displayed by some of these people and although i do see how some of their base arguments (occasionally) some times do raise interesting questions, i think more often than not.
by linking this stuff i am not saying that i believe that all writers need to immediately start warning anything and everything in their stories, which is how some individuals are misconstruing some of the arguments made against them. yes, i believe as a creative person you have the right to shape the experience the reader has with your piece however it may be -- whether that means no warning for rape so that it can be a SURPRISE! is up to you; if you want it to be a jarring and difficult experience that forces the reader to perhaps relate much more viscerally to the piece/antagonist/whatever -- you can. however, i also believe that as somebody who creates something and then places it within a community based on shared consumption that you should at least be thoughtful, deliberate and careful about how you exercise that creative power. don't just do it because you can do it. do it because it is necessary, which, i believe, more often than not -- isn't the case.
fandom is, in no way, a "safe" space -- as much as i think participating individuals would perhaps like it to be. but that does not mean it cannot strive to be or that we, as individuals within it, should automatically dismiss the thoughts and opinions of fellow members of the community who DO have the right to voice their opinion as well, even if the thoughtfulness they request may step on your creative toes. i am of the opinion that, in a lot of ways, internet culture is a culture based in selfishness (self-gratification, self-recognition, self-expression); there is a lot of back and forth in these discussions about priveledge, entitlement, and an individual's right to their work, their journal, etc and how that should not and will not be sacrificed for the sake of trying to accommodate to what is essentially 'somebody else's problem'. i know that these sorts of arguments have happened before and will happen again, that anyone here can point at the whole shitstorm and say 'the internet is not srs bsns', but to me this discussion has moved far beyond just the internet and has become much more about the ignorance that is still perpetrated on victims of violence. many of the individuals that are stepping forward with personal experience have had it thrown back in their faces as 'their' problem, forcing ownership on them of something that they themselves did not actively chose for themselves and essentially dismissing the entire concept that as a result of trauma their experience of the world around them is not just YOURS+BAGGAGE but quite possibly completely different. and that's where i get really upset and have to step away.
anyway. i'm not exactly sure what else to say. maybe i'll have more to say. or maybe i'll just have a bowl of cereal since this whole thing has got my insides kind of messed up and i think whatever last little bit of intelligent coherency i had this morning just got eaten up by this post. sorry to be a complete downer this morning, but i really couldn't stand not saying anything anymore.
anyways. a few links.
- the original link off of my flist
- a collective overview of some of the more prominent voices in the discussion, by lcsbanana
- a list of common detailing techniques and tactics utilized in this debate, by queenofhell
- impertinence's post on her own personal experiences with abuse, triggering and warnings. as her her request when linking this: Warning: Very explicit discussion of sexual assault and the nature, anatomy, cause & effect of triggers. Is itself triggery.
also to those of you on my flist that i are being effected by this discussion in so many different ways, i am thinking of you and my heart goes out to you and if you need a safe space or somebody to talk to in any way shape or form, please don't hesitate to reach out.
I wasn't going to actually post about this, even though I've been following this since the night before when somebody on my flist (unnamed out of respect to them) linked me to this post on journalfen which began tracking the whole discussion/wank/i'm-not-sure-what-you'd-call-it. what began in bandom as an exchange over whether or not writers should be required to include warnings (rape, sub-con, but then quickly spiral out of control into the ridiculous as escalating arguments try to bring their examples to the extreme in an attempt to evoke the "slippery slope" argument), has now become a much larger discussion that i know -- personally - i'm not sure i'm able (or ready) to talk about in a lengthy, intelligent and not emotionally overcharged manner, but i thought that it's something worth linking for those of you that don't know about it (or DO know about it and want to follow it more), would be interested, would like to add their voice, whatever.
before you click on any of these links (or perhaps even read the rest of this entry), just know, none of this is pleasant stuff. the individuals that are being linked in these rundowns -- more often than not -- display what i believe is grossly and horrendously dismissive behavior towards individuals with PTSD, survivors of sexual abuse and assault, and those who may suffer other forms of emotional and psychological trauma. i have been made angry, upset, disgusted and saddened by the behavior displayed by some of these people and although i do see how some of their base arguments (occasionally) some times do raise interesting questions, i think more often than not.
by linking this stuff i am not saying that i believe that all writers need to immediately start warning anything and everything in their stories, which is how some individuals are misconstruing some of the arguments made against them. yes, i believe as a creative person you have the right to shape the experience the reader has with your piece however it may be -- whether that means no warning for rape so that it can be a SURPRISE! is up to you; if you want it to be a jarring and difficult experience that forces the reader to perhaps relate much more viscerally to the piece/antagonist/whatever -- you can. however, i also believe that as somebody who creates something and then places it within a community based on shared consumption that you should at least be thoughtful, deliberate and careful about how you exercise that creative power. don't just do it because you can do it. do it because it is necessary, which, i believe, more often than not -- isn't the case.
fandom is, in no way, a "safe" space -- as much as i think participating individuals would perhaps like it to be. but that does not mean it cannot strive to be or that we, as individuals within it, should automatically dismiss the thoughts and opinions of fellow members of the community who DO have the right to voice their opinion as well, even if the thoughtfulness they request may step on your creative toes. i am of the opinion that, in a lot of ways, internet culture is a culture based in selfishness (self-gratification, self-recognition, self-expression); there is a lot of back and forth in these discussions about priveledge, entitlement, and an individual's right to their work, their journal, etc and how that should not and will not be sacrificed for the sake of trying to accommodate to what is essentially 'somebody else's problem'. i know that these sorts of arguments have happened before and will happen again, that anyone here can point at the whole shitstorm and say 'the internet is not srs bsns', but to me this discussion has moved far beyond just the internet and has become much more about the ignorance that is still perpetrated on victims of violence. many of the individuals that are stepping forward with personal experience have had it thrown back in their faces as 'their' problem, forcing ownership on them of something that they themselves did not actively chose for themselves and essentially dismissing the entire concept that as a result of trauma their experience of the world around them is not just YOURS+BAGGAGE but quite possibly completely different. and that's where i get really upset and have to step away.
anyway. i'm not exactly sure what else to say. maybe i'll have more to say. or maybe i'll just have a bowl of cereal since this whole thing has got my insides kind of messed up and i think whatever last little bit of intelligent coherency i had this morning just got eaten up by this post. sorry to be a complete downer this morning, but i really couldn't stand not saying anything anymore.
anyways. a few links.
- the original link off of my flist
- a collective overview of some of the more prominent voices in the discussion, by lcsbanana
- a list of common detailing techniques and tactics utilized in this debate, by queenofhell
- impertinence's post on her own personal experiences with abuse, triggering and warnings. as her her request when linking this: Warning: Very explicit discussion of sexual assault and the nature, anatomy, cause & effect of triggers. Is itself triggery.
also to those of you on my flist that i are being effected by this discussion in so many different ways, i am thinking of you and my heart goes out to you and if you need a safe space or somebody to talk to in any way shape or form, please don't hesitate to reach out.