#online fandom

[goodbyeapathy8]

Leaving Kindergarten Mafia

There have already been a few posts floating around about the Discord server implosion of Kindergarten Mafia. They do a great job of outlining the events that happened, with documentation, directly from the folks who were harmed by the server owner (Hann) and mods that helped enable their racism. (Snake and Mouse, Jinx1, Jinx2, mousydentist, Faye, among others.) So I'm not going to do that.

These are my own thoughts on the specific racism and tenets of white supremacy that I observed in the server as well as a general commentary on joining fandom spaces.

Rarely do I emphasize my age but it's relevant so here we are : I am 35 years old this year and Kindergarten Mafia was part of my first baby steps into any fandom. Ironically, my hesitation to join fandom ended up being proven because I had heard, for a very long time, that fandom spaces were dominated by racism and a failure to acknowledge POC fans. For a long time, I was complacent and felt "safe" in that server of 300+ folks.

Until one Native member spoke up about the usage of "spirit animal" as appropriative and the cracks in the foundations began to show themselves to everyone and not just the people with marginalized identities.

I had already started to feel uncomfortable in how the server dealt with ableism. There was also a member who I've previously called out on Tumblr, for usage of the m*dget slur in their story, and who became extremely vocal recently. (Spoiler alert - they wrote an entire essay excusing their usage of it, multiple times in the fic, because they couldn't be creative or bothered enough to come up with an alternative for a "short person".)

Without further ado, let's get into it. These are all from the link above, "tenets of white supremacy in organizations" (and yes, a Discord server of 300+ people absolutely DOES count as an organization).

1. Sense of Urgency, such as prioritizing quick or highly visible results that can exclude potential allies. -> In the server, both server owner and problematic mods continued to emphasize that their "missteps" (i.e. racism) was due to needing to seek a solution ASAP for the good of the server.

2. Worshipping the Written Word, such as valuing strong documentation and writing skills. -> Rebuttals to POC/marginalized folks were constantly full of dictionary definitions, copied over.

3. Believing in Only One Right Way, such as concluding something is wrong with people who refuse to adapt or change. -> POC members and allies were banned when anger was expressed because OUR anger suddenly made it an "unsafe" space for the server owner and problematic mods.

4. Paternalism, such as decision-making processes that are only understood by those with power and unclear to those without it.  -> Despite multiple server users disagreeing with the server owner's tactics (including the co-owner, who stepped down), Hann continued to defend + make decisions.

5. Defensiveness, such as spending energy trying to protect power or defend against charges of racism. -> There's too many examples to cite here. But in the end, it was claimed that the initial problem was solved. And then the problem mod was invited back. With additional defense of why.

6. Power Hoarding, such as feeling threatened when anyone suggests organizational changes. -> Instead of wanting to listen to marginalized identities, the server was threatened with a shut-down. Multiple people stepped up to take over as server owner. But power hoarding was more important so not only was the server shut down... it was resurrected from the dead to include their favorite (white) people. This leads us to...

7. Believing I’m the Only One, such as thinking that if something is going to get done right, then ‘I’ have to do it.

8. Fear of Open Conflict, such as equating the raising of difficult issues with being rude or impolite. -> The initial issue around the problematic phrase was ridiculously hush hush. POC members were banned for their (rightfully so) angry remarks.

9. Believing in Objectivity, such as considering emotions to be irrational and destructive to decision-making.  -> Not just the server owner but the people who rushed to defend them and the problematic mods, claimed to be impartial and objective, based on their queer identities or other things. As humans, none of us can actually be objective and all of us are a little racist because racism is a systemic problem that we were raised under.

10. Claiming a Right to Comfort, such as scapegoating those who cause emotional or psychological discomfort. -> In the end, it was clear that only whiteness was valued when POC folks + allies were banned or made to feel uncomfortable enough to leave (such as myself).

I know I've only posted my thoughts/feelings vs documentation (which, you shouldn't always demand because see above for "worshipping the written word") but if this screenshot of the new rules for the new server doesn't convince you that something (racism/cult-ism) is wrong with these folks... I don't know what will.

TL;DR - Ownership and modding of a large Discord server doesn't make you a god. You are, unfortunately, still a puny mortal with the biases that come along with being as such. I'm sure it was a fun power trip for those involved but I am happy to expose the rotting underbelly in a way that I see fit.

In conclusion, I leave you with further reading that will help decolonize your mindset and has done a much better job at showing that the problems with the Kindergarten Mafia are not unique (as they claimed). It is one that those of us with marginalized identities face constantly and we are fucking tired of running into this and being treated in a way that emphasizes the problem with our existence in real life. Intersectionality and decolonization is what will actually liberate us, and without both, online spaces are simply the same reflections of real life.

At the very least, I hope it gives some of you food for thought.

(I will also post my Scathing Letter™ that was my last message in the server as a separate post because I am wordy AF and this is already too long.) [1/26/2024 update] Now with part 2 because apparently I had more things to say.

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

Someone congratulate me on my restraint.

Saw a video on YouTube about how RTD had no interest for "saving Doctor Who" because something, something, not bringing back the character of Davros, because he's an ableist character.

Thrice I started to compose an angry reply. And thrice I stopped myself. And I ended up doing something else, instead. Even though the existence of the video, and self-righteous, mocking replies in agreement put me in a bad mood.

[snortoborto]

Does anyone else have trouble engaging in fandom online because you're just afraid that everyone hates you? Like everything you have to say will just be annoying?

I hate being open for interpretation by others. Especially as someone who constantly over explains, cause I'm so scared of being misinterpreted. Like, it's okay for everyone else to have fun online...but not me, lest I accidentally come across wrong.

I can accept that everyone else is passionate and talented, when it comes to posting fandom related content, but I'm so scared to post or talk about anything I like too much. Everyone else's art and opinions and posting habits are fun and endearing, but when I do it, it's cringe.

I just wish I didn't police myself so heavily. I overthink everything and it always keeps me at an arm's length from like, connecting with people and making friends online.

[oldmannapping]

I think fanfiction and online fandom are juvenile wastes of time.

APRIL FOOLS they are amazing ways to decompress and let your mind think about something other than silly old real life, and they take a lot of skill and creativity to do properly.

Ha ha what a trickster I am

[safflowerseason]

It’s not a coincidence that anti-fandom discourse, which has single-handedly reframed decades of sex positivity in fandom, has also coincided with a broader crackdown on sex positivity across the internet.

[labelleizzy]

I bought an actual factual paper type book, y'all! It has worksheets to start figuring out how to do my activism closer to my own core values and I can't wait to read it!!

Image description: a photo of the yellow-orange cover of "Fandom Acts Of Kindness: a heroic guide to activism, advocacy, and doing chaotic good"

[wyndlerunner]

Non-tumblr social media is wild cuz at least tumblr is upfront about being unhinged

Every time I open Facebook to check out marketplace, I see so many clickbait fandom posts that present random headcanons as legitimate facts about a show or movie

[usamazahid]

Online Fandom

The shorthand for "fanatics" is "fandom." In press accounts of sporting events from the late 19th century, the term "fandom" was first used to describe participants in activities. Creating online fan communities on social media is one approach to keep followers engaged. This platform allows people to connect their online interests with one another, even when they are in different places.

Some individuals may consider the fans to be "strange," "lunatic," "toxic," "disgusting," and even some people may hate them. As most of us are aware, many fans show their intense feelings by debating with others and even starting fights on social media sites like the celebrity's Facebook or Twitter page or even in person. Of course, fans are where the more extreme star-pursuing cases have occurred.

Fandom behavior is inconsistent. Groups of ardent fans are frequently linked with certain harmful behaviors. They frequently act antagonistically and insularly against other fandom communities, with "fan wars" being a typical aspect of online communities. Additionally, a lot of fans quarrel among themselves, especially when they have divergent opinions. For instance, "ship battles" occur between groups who value various kinds of partnerships.

Fandom, though, also has a lot of benefits. These groups frequently assist users in finding online networks to join and friends who share their interests. Additionally, fandom can bring together people who share a common passion from all over the world. Additionally, viewers of less lucrative franchises may contribute money to the project through websites like Patreon or Kickstarter.

For my part, I'll be honest in my response and open about my devotion in my own networks. When we share things we appreciate with one another, I believe this can be a topic to discuss our shared fandom and interests. It can also strengthen our bonds and connections. I have a lot of fandoms, so if you ask me which one, I belong to, I'll tell you that I like a wide variety of things and people. I enjoy watching TV shows and movies about superheroes.

In my opinion, a fan can be someone who truly likes something and wants to know more about it. Some people might not consider that they are fans since they are not obsessed with a thing and don't actually know as much about their idol as their fandom does.

[lightasthesun]

2023 is coming to an end so this is my annual I love my online friends so fucking much you wouldn't believe me if I told you post.

[lilyminer]

People who were popular in high school will join fandom spaces like: “Why is there a disproportionate number of queer people around here!? Why are you guys cosplaying in public? Why are you guys not ashamed of the cringey things you do!?”

Like, everyone is welcome in fandom, but y’all gotta acknowledge the “weird kids” that you never understood in highschool were here first. Usually since we were kids. Queer ppl aren’t taking over fandoms, fandoms are just a place of community where queer people find each other and can be understood.

[cosmiclion]

Love wins 😌

And a version for my aro/ace/not interested in kissing for whatever reason siblings:

[sleep-deprived-person]

So apparently KOSA (2024 edition) is getting either thrown out until next year or put into effect in six days. That was a guesstimate based on a different person saying that's when Congress is back in session and may be false.

Update that's going in the main post at the top: it has enough support to pass Congress.

It failed the last two times because people were voting against it.

This time, KOSA has traction among the pro-LGBTQ parties. Because nobody is fucking calling their bullshit and screaming from the rooftops that calling it the "Kids Online Safety Act" is misleading.

What will it passing do?

Nothing much, only prevent any education on LGBTQIA+ (it's that stupid fucking argument about us grooming kids again), shut down nearly every fandom space on the internet, and make it required for most big tech companies to have your ID.

Want to have resources for kids to discover their identity readily available? Yes? Then fucking speak up against this stupid fucking bill.

Fandom spaces like Tumblr, Twitter (? I thought the MAGA assholes liked Musk?), Tiktok, Archive Of Our Own, and any other website that hosts fanfic or fanart? Either shut down permanently, forced to uproot to a different country and down for a while (best case scenario, and they likely won't be able to send any data, and therefore fanfics, to the US), or gutted so that you only get to put G rated cishet ships on there, if any shipping at all. How to avoid that? I've already said it: Call your fucking representatives.

Want to avoid the fucking dystopic task of being legally obligated to give big tech your government issue ID? Again, cause an uproar. Call your goddamned representatives.

If they can pass this, the ripple effects could be catastrophic.

So, for fuck's sake, any Americans that can impact this stupid fucking bill and see this? Do everything in your power to shut it down because you have until February twenty sixth (26th) to send this bill back to where it belongs.

And if you can't do that? Reblog, copy my tags, and boost the signal.

Sorry not sorry for ranting, making you scroll through that, and swearing a probably excessive amount, but KOSA is a bill with a GLOBAL IMPACT being passed by ONE COUNTRY because some old people are scared of two guys with who were told they were girls kissing within five hundred miles of a child. Fuck this shit, I shouldn't have to worry about bad bills in America but I fucking do because I use the internet and would like to avoid mass censorship. Fuck this, fuck conservatives, and fuck the fact that some boomers make your country's policies.

Now, if you won't mind me, I'm going to be up until three in the morning downloading fanfiction or copying and pasting them into a a text file if I can't so I can read them by the end of the week.

[liimonadas]

randomly rememebered a very silly maya content creator AU i came up with like 2 years ago. its just dumb fun haha

[curioscurio]

I'm rewatching Steven Universe and I will never forgive Fandom for what it did to her

[thediktatortot]

Fandom is so different now and it’s becoming un-fun with how quickly shit moves.

I just want to enjoy things. I don’t want to have to play a game of Artist-Race that seems to be afoot lately.

Ya’ll eat up fandoms, leave artists and writers bone dry and then move on so fucking quickly then fucking wonder where all the Good Fandom Stuff is.

Idk Maybe cherish some things for longer. Reblog stuff. Interact with people. Comment and share.

Fandom is Capitalism now and I’m not being nuanced.

[piratespencil]

This is so funny to me. Reducing them down to their simplest attributes. Turning them into symbols.