#pluralkit user

[dollystuffs-chiori]

alters are so funny. why are you gay. why aren't you gay. mirrors are scary. every time I look at pluralkit there's new people. where did you come from lmao

[stxrmonster]

SKSJSKS I LOVE THESE USER BOXES AHH <33

credits: @boards-emojisandboxes

I love these sm !! If you like userboxes I definitely recommend the blog credited above

[plural-culture-is]

Plural culture is coming up with more and more outlandish replies to "Why is the bot talking?" every time it's brought up

.

[clownrecess]

I've made a discord sever for disabled people in general, but primarily high support needs disabled people.

It is VERY anti endo so dont even think about it, endos.

https://discord.gg/4zPTApEtKR

[the-rockstar-templates]

we have started making userboxes!

here are some examples of it!

[alt; userbox reads "this system find the sound of rain comforting" in the dyslectic font.]

[alt; userbox reads "this alter much prefer talking to their partner then other people" in the dyslectic font.]

feel free to send in requests!!

[awesomeface]

AND ALSO INACCESSIBLE KEEPPROXIES OR WHATEVER. I CANT TELL WHAT THE HELL YOURE SAYING WHEN YOU HAVE #AESTHETIC SENTENCES BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR MESSAGE PLEAAAASE GOD

[lefluoritesys]

A breakdown of apps you can use to communicate with your alters as separate people and write down information about them online and offline with their pros, cons, and a personal rating because I really needed it when I was new to being a system:

Note: by "PC" I mean any computer/macbook/etc. By "all devices" I mean PC, mobile, tablet, iPad, etc.

I apologize for mistakes in advance.

1. Antar: An app created to chat with your "inner self," found in both Play Store and AppStore. One of the more popular ones among systems. It is an app where you get to create personas that would be chatting with each other in chats called "sessions." Those sessions can either be given a name or just left named after the date they were created on. Each persona is given a color that would become the color of their messages in sessions. Offline app.

Pros: Fiarly easy to use, no in-depth information needed to access it fully. Biometric lock; 4 languages (English, Chinese, Hindi, Spanish) for the system, however any language can be used via text; no limit to the amount of personas added (as far as I'm aware). Messages sent by the wrong persona can be changed; the "quote" feature allows you to start a thread under a message; provides descriptions of each persona. You can also give your personas an avatar rather than just a color. Has a "replay" and "visualization" feature, though I'd say it's strictly just for funzies.

Cons: Not available on PC; has no backup, phone-related resets or deletion of the app results in all information lost. Session order constantly changes depending on which senssion you entered, which in my opinion (+OCD) is a nuisance; you can't delete the "me" character which I've been wanting to do for a while. Can't add hexcodes.

Personal rating: 6/10. If you need an app that you can lock from unwanted visitors, if you don't mind and even prefer something simple, and if you don't care that the conversations might disappear, this app is a good choice.

2. Discord's PluralKit: A more avdanced discord bot with tons of settings and commands that was created specifically for systems. Allows you to add almost any information about your system memebers, even such things as birthdays. The way it works is, it "proxies" your messages with a certain command somewhere in the "normal" message, sends a message identical to yours from a bot created with the name you chose, and deletes your original message. Basically replaces a message from your account with a message from a bot you created earlier. Proxies are small commands that give the both a green light to do that, and they can be whatever you want them to be. Online bot.

Pros: Feels like different people are talking; allows you to track your switches; available on all devices; one system can be linked to multiple accounts, although you can't create multiple systems under one account; allows you to group alters together; allows you to restrict access to certain information from all users; allows you to add as many alters as you want; has a number of ways you can access the information you put in which would all be sorted and organized for you; autoproxy allows you to not proxy every message you sent; since you can't delete messages of other people on servers that are not yours, and the bot messages are not, in fact, yours, PluralKit allows you to react to the message with an emoji that deletes the proxied message; while you can't use it in DMs, you can set up commands in DMs with the bot; every memeber has a unique code, and so does the system itself, and it records when the member was created; can be exported to SimplyPlural.

Cons: Commands are difficult and complex, and so is the dashboard; can only be used on servers; sometimes offline as all bots are, though rarely; you can't use it anywhere outside discord (a con for those who don't use discord); I had instances where I saw people use it for roleplay which is also allowed; proxies are a pain; you'd need a guide to tell you why certain things are needed in it; you cannot reply to messages with gifs when using a proxy; when being exported to SimplyPlural it exports everything, so if you had 10 members on SimplyPlural and 15 on PluralKit, it's best to add those 5 manually than delete 10 new exported alters (I did it with 100+ alters by accident and it was a pain).

Personal rating: 9/10. Complex, difficult to figure out, but once you get ahold of it and how it works, you'd be amazed. Also a pain that you can't use it in DMs, but it's to be expected from a bot. And you can always create a server with just you.

3. Discord's Tupperbox: A discord bot created mainly for roleplay, but actively used by systems who cannot get along with PluralKit. A simpler bot, easy to use and figure out, most things can be done via dashboard, doesn't have the opportunity to add a lot of inofrmation. Online bot.

Pros: Simple; allows grouping alters; allows different tags for different members and groups, sometimes individually; way simpler commands, and most things can be added via dashboard; looks and works almost the same as PluralKit when in a conversation; available on all devices.

Cons: Can't add avatars via dashboard, only using the commands; can't add two alters with the same name (which you can do with PluralKit); people reported it glitching out and deleting members; mainly used for roleplay; gives a weird list of members via commands that is unusable in my experience; doesn't work out of discord.

Personal rating: 7/10. Perfect for people who just want to talk and not write down information about them with the bot, but the threat of members being deleted, especially as a larger system, is concerning. We mainly use it for OSDD-1a subsystems. It was also not created for systems, as far as I'm aware. I see more cons than pros.

4. Simply Plural: Another more well-known tool used and created for systems. Simply Plural is an app that allows you to create profiles of your members and add any information you'd like about them via custom fields. It has a chat feature, allows you to track your front and switch history, add friends, and many more. Supports endogenic systems (which is being mentioned not for discorse purposes but as a fact. Whether you find it good or not is up to you) and allows singlets to create profiles as well, although I don't know a lot about that part. Both offline and online app.

Pros (and a bit about the app): Backup included; tracks your switches and front, allows you to change exact time for them, too (24-hour clock down to minutes included); the polls feature works like polls on same Tumblr and everywhere else but specifically for your system memebrs; analytics provide information about who fronts the most, during what time of day they usually front; you and your friends can see each other's profiles, which is why singlets can also create profiles, which allows you to acces info about each other's systems; "trusted people" feature allows you to pick whether you want everybody to see your alters or not, or if you want outsiders to see your profile at all; provides resources and guides to plurality (which I personally haven't checked, but still putting it in the pros, if somebody thinks I shouldn't, let me know); has an app reminders feature; you can add as much information as you want; front history shows up in a person's profile; alters can add notes; alter groups are available; available on all devices, however, only as a website on PC; colors of your alters can be used in the chat to highlight names; hexcodes are available; "custom front" is a status you set with fronting which can be hilarious sometimes; connects to PluralKit in a number of ways.

Cons: The chat feature is a bit difficult to use, and first time I did, I freaked out because I couldn't get out of it (the trick is to go to "channels" and press "navigation", there you'll see the dashboard); friends can't communicate with each other; copy-pasting is hard on both mobile and PC; something about the interface and navigation irks me and our visually impaired self; notes have same visibility as the profile itself, which is inconvenient if you want your profile to be seen but not your notes; avatars can't be added via website.

Personal rating: 6/10. I don't like how it looks and works (probably due to being visually impaired and other issues), but if you manage to get the information in it, it's pretty accessible and thoughtful of what systems might need. Could be used as a tool to start working with your system rather than do it long-term.

5. Twinote: An app that is your "personal Twitter." Pretty sure it was created for the purpose of having fun rather communicating with alters. Offline app.

Pros: Backup provided; allows "private accounts" that other "users" can't see; can create as many users as you want, as many posts as you want; can upload up to 4 images; works almost like Twitter; has a chat feature; comments, retweets, likes are present; "lists" feature allows you to group users and see only their messages which could be used for "things only protectors sent" and such; storage shows all pictures used in the app, so you won't lose anything; tagging and following people is still an option, and following private accounts give that user an opportunity to be the only one seeing their tweets.

Cons: Can't upload videos; can't do much with anything other than posts and profiles, so trends and other stuff there is off-limits (as far as I know); you have to constantly switch between profiles for the chat feature; share button only shares the contents of the message; very easy to accidentally press the wrong button and delete a tweet by dragging it left (which I almost did a few times).

Personal rating: 7,5/10. I know it's probably annoying that I didn't just type either 7 or 8, but the reaosn why is cause I have mixed feelings about it from a practical point of view. We use it strictly to communicate what we did during the day as a small journal and just joke with each other, and it's incredibly funny in itself, but it doesn't allow you to write down a lot of information about your alters and has a character limit in profiles. So it's strictly for communication.

6. Notion: An app created as a dashboard for literally everything you could ever dream of. You can personalize it however you want and use it for whatever you want. Those who saw the post we made a while ago probably know the reason I'm mentioning it is due to a template that I linked here. Online app.

Pros: Can be used for literally everything without limits; available on all devices; big and has enough storage for a lot of information, text, projects, etc; can be designed however you want; a lot of useful templates for all life instances (even taxes); can be shared with people who also use Notion in a variety of ways (either only comment, only see, etc); can add your own custom covers and icons via both gallery and links; looks neat and doesn't mess with visual impairment for us; can add a page in a page in a page which can be used for diaries; links to different pages on other pages are also available; endless possibilities, I could rant all day.

Cons: Glitches on the phone a lot; certain things are allowed on computer and not on mobile and vice versa; all templates available only on PC; you need to have an account in order to use it; glitches if it's offline; sometimes deletes a bunch of text because of glitches, usually the triggers for it are writing a lot in it directly or erasing previous text a bunch of times; can't invite someone in your space, it would take too much storage; some storage needs to be bought, although, I don't know the limit (but there's a lot. Like, a lot)

Personal rating: 9/10. With all its antics, I love this app dearly, it's incredibly useful, and you learn to deal with the cons. It's the best one I've used for communication and information storage so far.

7. Texting Stories app: As ridiculous as it sounds, it could be used as a tool to communicate with your alters, especially in secret. We are fighting for our safety here, so I ask you to take this suggestion seriously. Could be used when you don't want to let anyone know you're a system and have noisy family members/relatives/etc who like to snoop through you personal devices, by using it, you can say you've just been doing a story. Offline app.

Pros: I believe you can add as many people as you want; can add avatars; different stories can be different days of the week; easy to use; easy to brush off as "just making stories."

Cons: Can't change colors, you need to pay for most things.

Personal rating: 5/10. Can be used for emergencies and communication only, although we haven't used it much.

8. Notes: Just the same plain old notes app on your phone that everybody has installed as default. Offline app.

Pros: Easy to use; can be easily lost within your other notes for privacy; used for literally everything you desire, even drawing; automatic backup.

Cons: Doesn't give you the ability to really present as separate people; doesn't have as many options as Notion.

Personal rating: 5/10. used it at some point just for communication, was cool, somple, easy, but nothing too big.

I hope this helped to put these apps in perspective. I do apologize for it being a bit all over the place, but I did attempt to make it coherent enough (I am currently in a psychotic state, it's difficult for me to communicate). And remember, there are always options to use a written journal rather than a digital one. If anything, it's better to keep both in case one gets lost. Who knows, maybe our parents asking us what we would do if the internet disappeared is actually a warning. /j /nm

-host

[sophieinwonderland]

Now, why would you dare me to embarrass you and your pals like that?

I appreciate how you wanted my attention so bad you posted me to not one, but two subreddits.

Makes a girl feel special! 🤣

I have actually never seen Wikipedia cited as a source about endogenic plurality. Though I do see anti-endos all the time, when asked for sources, telling people to just Google things.

Anyway, here's @guardianssystem's document filled with academic papers about endogenic plurality:

I've compiled my own, but honestly, theirs is better organized than mine.

And in the interest of fairness, here are all the anti-endo papers debunking endogenic plurality:

Sorry, I forgot. Those don't exist. Oops. 🤷‍♀️

Echo chamber? LOL!

Weren't you the one spouting a bunch of lies on Tumblr, got totally debunked, posted the people who debunked you to r/systemscringe to have a hugbox where fakeclaimers could assure you how the people who contradicted you are all fakers, and then blocked everyone who disagreed with you?

Weren't you also the one who, when shown a quote from an expert in dissociative disorders who worked on the DSM-5 saying that a disorder isn't a disorder if it doesn't cause distress, argued that the people who defined what disorder are must be wrong about that definition?

You're a misinformation machine who can only find support when huddled in cringe subreddits. Don't try to talk about people in echo chambers.

Also, you know most of psychology is just... listening to people? That's how it's been as long as the field existed. DID (or MPD at the time) was a recognized disorder since long before the first brain scans were conducted on DID patients. It's saying something though when basically every single scientist who has ever researched endogenic plurality has said they believe it's a real thing, or that it could be. While absolutely zero academic papers have expressed that it's fake.

There is also an fMRI study into tulpa systems that's been in the works, but results have yet to be published.

Sure, if that's what you'd like me to call you, Crazy. 😊

Anyway, Crazy, you should know that just because you personally find something scary doesn't mean everyone will or that the thing is bad. Personal preferences are a thing.

In a study of tulpamancers though, most generally reported their lives becoming better after the practice.

78% reported improvements in their mental health, and 91% on overall life.

There are many out there who would jump at the chance to have someone there with them that knows them intimately, and to never have to be alone again.

If it's not for you, then so be it.

But it's certainly not something to be afraid of.

And maybe, for those who are willing to commit to the practice while America struggles with an epidemic of loneliness, it's something worth being open to.

This is actually pretty fair.

But that's now, and I'm looking at course of history and trends of plural acceptance.

300 years ago, any plural would be viewed as demon possessed and end up tortured or killed for their plurality.

70 years ago, all plurality was seen as a mental illness, and it was common to force plurals, as well as anyone else associated with mental illnesses, into asylums.

30 years ago, the first real plural communities were able to connect on the internet and form in small numbers.

8 years ago, the first studies into endogenic plurality started being conducted. 4 years ago, the ICD-11 acknowledged that you could have multiple distinct personality states without a disorder. 2023 marked the first, but certainly not the last, time a system used their system name as an author of an academic paper.

Recently, new plural resources have been designed and put into use. More servers than ever are using Pluralkit. And Simply Plural went from 100k users at the end of 2021 to 210k at the end of 2022.

Progress is happening far more rapidly than you realize. And you had best be ready for it.

BOO! 👻

Oh, hey, I just realized... this is literal pluralphobia!

Liberté!

Egalité!

Fraternité!

And yes, The Future is Plural! 😜

[sysboxes]

Sysboxes FAQ

Responses to some questions we frequently get! This post is long, so full responses are under the cut, but here are the questions this post addresses, in order:

What are userboxes and how do I use them?

How do you make your userboxes?

What styles/customization can I request?

Do you have a box for X?

When can I send in a request/When will the askbox reopen?

Is there any particular media you absolutely won’t make boxes for?

Why hasn’t a box been made for my request yet?

What does X term mean?

What is your syscourse stance/Why can’t pro/endos interact?

What are userboxes and how do I use them?

Userboxes are rectangular images, often with an image on the left and information about a person on the right. They were originally meant to appear on a Wikipedian’s user page to convey something about a person. To use our boxes, you can reblog them to your tumblr page and/or right click to save the image for later use.

We have seen people put userboxes in their intro posts, in a certain tag on their tumblr, in Discord and PluralKit profiles, on their SimplyPlural, or in exchanges with friends. We generally request that you credit sysboxes when using our userboxes.

How do you make your userboxes?

Different mods use different methods, like Canva and MS Paint, but our main method of making boxes is using yerich.net/userbox. In the box that says “Left Box (ID) Text”, enter the code “src=“yourpicturelinkhere” height=“45px” width=“45px”>”, replacing yourpicturelinkhere with your image URL. Customize your userbox using the rest of the options on the site. You can screenshot your box here, or you can go to htmleditor.com and paste the “Raw HTML” code from yerich. Then you can use HTML coding mess around with size, font, and color before screenshotting your finished box.

What styles/customization can I request?

This post details a lot of the customization options you can request, like boxes vs. banners, different fonts, colors, and images, including hand-drawn art by mods. Note that if you are requesting an image that contains someone else’s art, we must get permission from the artist to use the image for a userbox.

This being said, we are not infallible to making mistakes on the origins of an image. We do try to reverse image search when provided with an image in an ask, but if you notice your art in a userbox without having been asked permission for its use, please let us know so we can remedy the situation.

Do you have a box for X?

Please search our blog using a keyword for the box you’re looking for and possible variants on it. For example, if you’re looking for a box about food, try food, foods, eat, eats, and eating as keywords. If you’re looking for a box whose keyword is a common tag on our blog, try checking #hard to find tag on our blog for boxes. If you cannot find a box with these steps, we likely have not made one yet or whatever we do have is unlikely to fit your request idea.

When can I send in a request/When will the askbox reopen?

We let people know whether requests are open or closed in three ways: the box in our intro post, the title of the askbox itself, and a post when requests first open or close with the tag #sysboxes status update. When our requests are closed, please do not send any in for “when requests are open”; it will be deleted.

At any given time, we have hundreds of requests in our askbox. We try to keep requests open as long as we can, but even with a large number of mods, there is only so much we can do. We run this blog in our free time, while dealing with work, school, and mental and physical health issues. We do accept questions/appreciation while our requests are closed, but sometimes we save them to respond to when we clear the askbox, to look forward to later.

Is there any particular media you absolutely won’t make boxes for?

We are okay with requests pertaining to fictives from most media, as we understand they cannot control what source they introjected from. We will not make requests that express support for harmful media. As for media we won’t do requests for introjects from, we have decided not to make boxes pertaining to true crime or nazi introjects, for our and others comfortability. This is not a complete list, as different mods have different boundaries, but we try to honor requests whenever possible.

Why hasn’t a box been made for my request yet?

If you want to know exactly when your userbox will come out, send in your request off anon, and when we queue it, we will privately respond to your ask letting you know when to expect your box. Note our queue is very long.

We do not always do requests in the order we receive them. Some requests we must discuss or reword (for length, misinfo, etc.) before making. We do not make requests that incite hate/harassment, include misinformation (and can’t be reworded), include (specific) details that may endanger the user, or put us in the middle of heavy discourse we do not want to be roped into.

What does X term mean?

This is a userbox blog, and as such, we prefer you do not direct your questions about DID here. We are not professionals (and cannot diagnose anyone), and we recommend looking for credible resources. If you cannot find anything for your question or would like resources, some of the mods are ok with asks about things relating to DID on their system blogs. Mod blogs ok with these questions include @fromthewondersystem and @circular-bircular.

What is your syscourse stance/Why can’t pro/endos interact?

Individual mods fall across the syscourse spectrum, but this blog is overall anti-endo. In truth, we do not know nor much care whether it is possible to have a non-traumagenic system. We feel our system experiences are deeply informed by our trauma, and this is very different from endos’ experiences.

Additionally, mods of this blog have faced much harassment and harm from the pro-endo community, including being set back in recovery, misinformation, cultural appropriation, abuse, death threats, and doxxing. We are aware these issues extend beyond just the pro-endo community, but this is where we have most commonly found them. For these reasons, we do not want endos or pro-endos interacting with our blog or using our userboxes.

There are plenty of pro-endo userbox blogs already. We do allow syscourse-neutral/unaligned people to use our boxes - we are not here to force you to pick a side. People who are not pro-endo but allow pro-endos to interact with them may use our boxes, but we recommend noting that we are an anti-endo blog.

[urfavoritesecretadmirer]

Stuff that would get us fake claimed bc this trend is so amazing in my eyes

(And no I'm not asking to get fake claimed bc apparently I'm not allowed to make jokes)

High alter count

We don’t have an exact number, but our overall estimation is pretty high (not in the thousands but yk 100-150).

Not being able to control switches

We can’t control when we switch but it’s usually in stressful/negative situations. We also can’t control who takes front.

Alter variety

Istg, people are weird when it comes to alter variety. It’s always “oh your alters are all similar? Fake!!” Or “oh your alters are all very different? Fake!!” Our system has a lot of variety.

Has a TikTok account

“Omg, a system with social media?! Fake!!” Believe it or not, we only started our TikTok in late June of last year. We’ve known we are a system since way before that. So yes, systems can have TikTok accounts. Because I guarantee there are thousands of systems on TikTok who are not open to being a system that you will never know about.

Posts about system stuff

Damn, I didn’t know it was illegal for systems to be open about being a system. I didn’t know my literal existence, labels I choose to use, etc were taking away from the “real systems”. My apologies, Mr/ms high and mighty ceo of Reddit moderation as your 9-5.

Has simply plural

“Omg an app for systems?! And you’re using it?! As a system?! Fake!!” I’m not allowed to use one of the few useful apps that can log switches, keep track of members, send messages, help you meet other systems, make polls, make your layout look pretty if you want, etc without getting fakeclaimed. It’s almost like it’s an app for systems, and systems use it. Shocker.

Uses pluralkit

“A system using a meaningful way of communication and another good way to keep track of members?! Fake!!” Apparently redditors think that pluralkit worsens amnesia barriers and derealization. Is this true?? If so tell me, but it doesn’t happen for us. Because obviously, I’m not fronting all the time. How am I supposed to feel derealization if I’m not there?? Also it’s not like our main account profile is by default the host. Our user has <3 and our systag in the name for christs sake.

Goes to school

I know, shocker, I have a life. I’m not physically incapable of having an education as a system. And believe it or not, I have decent grades too. Systems are traumatized, not stupid (directed at that one boy at my old school).

Doesn’t want final fusion

Excuse you, but this system has been here for me and has been around since I was five (I think). I’ve only now fully accepted the fact I’m a system. I think it’d be a bit rude to just say “alr you can go now” like I don’t wanna be alone tf.

Introjects

We ain’t Introject heavy, but ig even having two introjects makes you fake. This may be a shocker, but it’s more common to have other disorders alongside DID/OSDD than to not. This, and again, this may be a shocker, but it includes ADHD and autism.

In sys relationships

Me, the host, has personally never been in an in-sys relationship. But I think in our system there’s like, two? And then there’s a lot of ‘it’s complicated’ or ‘situationship’.

Decent communication

Obviously, it could be better, but we overall have decent and healthy ways of communicating with each other. Usually it’s talking out loud or leaving little notes.

Alter intros

Because apparently it’s a crime against being neurodivergent to share about your alters. We obviously can’t share everything for obvious reasons but we want yall to get to know us.

DNI alters

This may be a hard pill to swallow, but DNI doesn’t always mean the alter is some dangerous monster. It can mean that alter is too little to be online, it could mean that alter is a social anxiety symptom holder, it could mean that alter just doesn’t like talking to people outside the system/at all. These are just a few examples. Or maybe, that alter just doesn’t wanna be fuckin interacted with. But these alters should still be acknowledged. Why? Because healing is a thing. Locking them away isn’t healthy. Maybe they want people to know not to interact with them. But noooo, all DNI alters are awful people apparently.

Other mental health disorders

We have anxiety and depression (diagnosed and genetic), medically recognized ADHD, and tics. And yes, all of our alters have tics because it's caused by your brain and we share the same brain.

[plural-culture-is]

pokemon fictive heavy culture is being like "pkmn? more like pk;m n"

[anotherkinnity]

⛅ you're invited to another kinnity ⛅

☀️ a welcoming and active 18+ community for spiritual otherkin, fictionkin, therians, and other alterhumans since 2018 ☀️

we feature:

🍂 an active and friendly user base

☁️ a resource catalog of alterhuman terms

🍂 ticket verification for server access

☁️ pluralkit for systems

🍂 a large role menu [including 16 color roles]

☁️ a server-wide blacklist and blacklist chats

🍂 two types of memory jams - one of which was invented here!

☁️ an experienced, knowledgeable and active staff team

advertisement aside, this server has been my online home for years now, and we would love it if you joined! we just updated our whole server - layout, aesthetic, and all. if you've seen us floating around online before and haven't joined, or perhaps joined in the past and left, now is a great time to check us out. we hope to see you soon!

-mayor warren

[just-paradox-things]

Another template already! Yayyy!

Had an absolute vision for a Roxy Lalonde inspired template. It's basically a cutesy cat gamercore template with some nods at wizardry. I kind of want to play this game, tbh.

🐈‍⬛ …………………………

`Loading…`

**MEOW** *!*

`PRESS START`

🐾 “Input your name!”

> |...

> [NAME]|

↩️

🐾 “Input your age!”

> |...

> [AGE]|

↩️

🐾 “Input your pronouns!”

> |...

> [PRO/NOUNS]|

↩️

🐈‍⬛ …………………………

`Loading…`

🐾 “Great job, [NAME]! let's get you leveled up!”

**MEOW** *!*

🐾 “Fill in a couple fields and we can get started! ^w^”

🎮 Class:

> [ROLE]|

👾 Subclass?:

> [OTHER ROLE(S)]|

🪄 Meow meow?:

> [SPECIES]|

🧙‍♀️ Where you from?:

> [SOURCE]|

`PAUSED` ⏸️

\> Menu > Settings > Gamerules

🫂`TOUCH`: True/False/Prompt

😼`BANTER`: True/False/Prompt

😻`FLIRTING`: True/False/Prompt

😺`DMS`: True/False/Prompt

😸`FRQs`: True/False/Prompt

😽`SOURCE TALK`: True/False/Prompt

🙀`DOUBLES`: True/False/Prompt

🐈‍⬛ …………………………

`Saving your settings…`

🐾 “Return to your game?”

\> Yes!

No

🐾 “All set up?”

\> Yes!

Not quite

🐾 “Yay! Let's go!”

🐈‍⬛ …………………………

Here's what it looks like in Pluralkit:

I'll try to make it work in the comments. I love you Mobile Users, but Tumblr does not.

[lighthouse-app]

Hello everyone! It has been a moment, and we had a rough few months following a procedure and some other real life situations. But now we're back and can finally confidently release an update. This is a big one. We've listened to what the users were asking, and did what we could to get a chunk of our tasklist done.

Overall

Lighthouse has a slightly new design. The banner is gone, as you can see. That was originally there because we had improperly formatted the navigation bar. Now, there's more of a focus on the website itself, hopefully reducing any distractions.

Almost all large backgrounds have been replaced with small pixel art drawings (made by us) to save on data and load times.

Emoji parsing via Twemoji has been removed. The project was discontinued in early 2023. Lighthouse trying to reach Twemoji was partially why load times were so long.

Because of us personally getting pulled into syscourse (without us wanting to), we have added a Philosophy page to the website. We hope it's now very clear where we stand.

Communal Journal

Each system and subsystem gets their own communal journal now with pagination. The page for it also has prompts, if you need help figuring out what to write.

For privacy and clarity, the communal journal now is on its own page.

Systems

Alters can now appear in multiple systems. They have a "main" system and "other" systems. When looking in their "other" systems, these alters will have a ✦ next to their name. You can place an alter in up to 5 other systems. The breadcrumb navigation currently still points their their main system, though. This will hopefully be fixed at a later date.

Forums

Forums now have a cleaned up reply section. formatting shouldn't be escaping on the alter cards.

In areas where you need to choose an author of a post/reply/etc, there is now a searchable dropdown. We hope this helps large systems.

Glossary

Despite the controversy, we have decided to bring back the glossary. Its new purpose is not to serve as a giant dictionary for terminology, and we will be pruning definitions in the coming days. Users are opted out of the glossary by default, and this can be changed in the settings page. Guests and logged out users can see the glossary.

We know users want us to allow custom terms for their own account, which is something we plan to add in the future.

Other Changes

We hopefully fixed a bug in our Pluralkit import logic that doesn't just gloss over members that weren't added. Lighthouse will keep trying to add a member until it succeeds. We suspect this might make another issue arise, but we'll figure it out from there.

[thestudsystem]

Alright, this might be a bit of a long-run, but

I have a question for SimplyPlural and PluralKit users,

We're planning on requesting to get Discord back by our parental guardians. And I've been looking at this button on SimplyPlural for a long, long time.

Settings > integrations > Pluralkit

...has anybody tried this? And if so, how did it turn out on Discord? I've been curious to try this, absolutely because we have over 300 members and we don't wanna individually make profiles on Pluralkit, to anybody who's used this, how did it come out? How does it work, and if you could, do you have any recommendations? Anything would be appreciated.

[circulars-reasoning]

PluralKit

Had a few seconds in a discussion today about PluralKit and accessibility. Ironically enough, due to accessibility issues caused by PK, I had to step away from the conversation, and my thoughts have been buzzing. I wanted to get them out here!

This post may be interacted with by any side of syscourse, to any degree. Please enjoy some discussion on the topic!

(And, fair warning - I'm pretty sick at the moment, so I'll be trying my best with words here!)

TL;DR: I don't view PK to be an accessibility tool, as I frankly do not understand how it fits the definition, and I'm a bit concerned by the amount of people requesting it be considered as one. However, I do acknowledge it as a good supplementary aid for communication, which is very different than an accessibility tool. I also think it’s important to acknowledge the very real criticisms of PluralKit, as well as the benefits it can have for systems. At the end of the day, calling it a communication tool literally harms nobody, and the usage of accessibility tool really isn’t needed.

PluralKit as an Accessibility Tool: Yes or No

I do not understand how it fits the definition of an accessibility tool. Accessibility tools, in my eyes, are assistive devices or aids that make a previously inaccessible place accessible, within context of the situation. For instance, screen readers are an accessibility tool; they allow those with the inability to read a screen the ability to do so - they can now access that space.

PluralKit does not do this. It does not add something to Discord that makes something that was once inaccessible, suddenly accessible.

The conversation that prompted this included numerous arguments for why it was an accessibility tool, but none of these actually showed me something being needed.

PluralKit allows for people to change their usernames and profile pictures.

This is not accessibility - it's comfort. I change my name using the nickname feature, and I find that, like anyone else in the world, I don't need an individualized profile picture for every particular state of being I'm in. Numb is just as happy being a yellow triangle PFP as Debbie is - that's just a picture. It doesn't have to represent us. And even if we did have a stronger emotional attachment to our image... It still wouldn't prevent us from accessing the space.

PluralKit helps people track switches, and if you change your nickname, it changes who said what earlier in the conversation.

This is not accessibility - it's growth, healing, and comfort, rolled into one. Being able to see who said what from a specific system is an absolute bonus, for sure - but even for us, a system who has had to work out their own way of tracking switches (hello, tumblr post sign offs), they aren't a requirement for accessing the space. We don't absolutely need to know who said what at any given time in order to be able to speak in a Discord chat. Yes, being able to read back through and know who said something is a big benefit, and could help a system in their growth. I'm not saying PK is bad - I'm just saying it's not an accessibility tool.

PluralKit allows systems who have large fronts, more frequent co-fronting, or regular switches feel like themselves.

Comfort - not accessibility. You can still talk in that server, even without PK. Also, speaking as a user who is at almost al times co-conscious with the others in my system, with such ease of switching right now that we can blur and blend seemingly at random... the nickname feature can be used at any time. If I want to feel distinctly like myself, I change my nickname to my name. Takes less than a minute to change my name in all the servers I'm out in (Currently around 10 servers).

PluralKit allows system members to talk to each other rapidly.

Again - why is PK necessary for this? When this happens to us, we just have the other person write (Like This - signoff) or they just. Say it, without even bothering to sign off. PK isn't necessary, meaning it's a comfort, not an accessibility tool.

And that's the extent I've seen for why it's an accessibility tool. Sadly, I just can't agree. The terminology I would accept far more is a supplementary aid - it's something that can supplement an already existing space, to make it better, but it doesn't provide accessibility.

Jeeze, Circ, Why Are You Being A Words Lawyer About This?

Primarily because "Accessibility Tool" has a lot of connotations. Let me think of an example...

I work in a middle school with numerous students who have individualized education plans, or IEPs. One accommodation (AKA, something that is absolutely required for the student to access the material) I provide is speech-to-text software. This is considered an accessibility tool. It is inherently part of every device students use. If it is not currently able to be used, I in turn must provide alternative accommodations, so the student is able to access the text.

This differs strongly from supplementary aids. An example of this in an IEP would be something like Manipulatives in math. Do you remember ever playing with things like these?

These are Manipulatives. They're in schools to help students have a visual and tactile way to access the material. These are not an accessibility tool, because the student can still access the material without it - they just can occasionally access the material better if they have these aids.

Now, if I do not have manipulatives on hand one day... that's alright! I try my best, and I find other ways to help the student. It's not perfect, but I can still help the student. I go to the parent and say "Just so you know, So and So could not fulfill this supplementary aid today, as I didn't have the materials, so we did X instead." It's a sad time if the student struggled more, but the fact is, the student doesn't need this aid - they just enjoy it more and learn better with it. It is always preferable to have the aid, but sometimes it just cannot happen for various reasons (lack of resources, lack of time, student refusal, etc).

If, however, I do not have speech-to-text accomodations... I cannot teach that student this material that day. I MUST provide that student an alternative - whether it be an accessible version of the assignment, a scribe, or an alternative location where someone can provide the accommodation. They need this to access the materials. If I go to the parent and say "Just so you know, SO and So could not fulfill this accommodation today, as I didn't have the materials," I could easily be sued where I live for not meeting student needs.

So why am I rules lawyering the term so much? Well. If PluralKit is an accessibility tool, then I should not be able to deny people access to it in servers where it's "needed." It would be like denying someone wheelchair access, denying deaf interpreters at a hearing event, denying my students the ability to use crutches when they've broken their feet.

And I'm worried that's where a lot of the "PK is an accessibility tool" talk is trying to lead towards.

How "PK is an Accessibility Tool" Can Be Harmful

Accessibility tools are tools that are required to be there for people to access a space. So what happens when a server can't or shouldn't add PK?

For instance: I am sure there are systems out there with epilepsy, migraines, or similar "flashing-lights-cause-me-problems" kind of things (forgive my wording, the illness is making this part harder). I am one of those systems, actually, and I had to leave a chat about this topic today due to the nausea caused by me accidentally watching chat when 3 systems sent PK messages at the same time. The flash of the double messages triggered the migraine nausea - it had been a particularly bad day at work, with other triggers for my migraines, so this just happened to be bad luck today. I try to be good about not watching the chat like a hawk, particularly in busy chats, but I forgot this time around.

Now, let's imagine this was a server for epilepsy. Should PK be there? Probably not! But if it is an accessibility tool, then it should be there, or else the space is not accessible. There isn't a conflicting need with things like screen readers and wheelchairs - but there is a conflicting need with PK.

By suggesting it's an accessibility tool, it's laying credence to the idea that PK should be required in spaces, regardless of if it actually needs to be there. This is an argument I’ve actually seen a lot - if anyone recalls that movement awhile back for Discord to add “plural functionality to all servers” for “accessibility.” And there's a lot of problems with this that I can see.

Aforementioned conflicting needs (migraines, epilepsy, etc)

The chance for systems to accidentally out themselves via accidental proxies (hello, muscle memory)

Related to above: this could be incredibly dangerous in spaces where it’s not safe to be visibly plural. For instance, my students often form discord servers to talk about school. If PK was an accessibility tool, the need for it would be there, and a student accidentally proxied, that could lead to bullying, outing them to administration (which could get parents involved), and harassment.

The pressure to fit in is strong, and as someone who has been in a system spaces for a bit of time - I always felt pressured to use PK when I started out. It felt like I was faking if I wasn't presenting every aspect of myself at all times, and trying to differentiate myself from the other alters. I had a constant fear of being fakeclaimed for not being "system-y" enough.

Related to above: Now further in our healing, we don't struggle with this nearly as much, but I also have come to realize how much differentiating ourselves came to harm us so much. By focusing so heavily on who was fronting and when, on who we individually were, our own personal identities -- we often let our collective identity fall to the wayside, and ignored the compromises that needed to happen. Our system got so much healthier when we found a balance of individuality and collectiveness, and I fear PK has a tendency to encourage that differentiation to a harmful degree (not inherently, but socially).

This leads to a major "Cancel-Culture" problem for those who do experience issues with PK and cannot have it present; I've been called ableist for less egregious things than "not having a bot in a server." I have seen people say before that it was ableist to not use PK in system servers, disregarding the potential for conflicting needs. If I ran a completely unrelated-to-systemhood server, and someone asked to add PK, I would feel pressured to do so, even when I know it's going to make things much harder for me. (And actually, this isn't a hypothetical! I did do this in a server I helped moderate.)

And this is where we get to the crux of the argument, I think.

Should PK Be In System Servers?

duh

But seriously, it's a great tool for communication purposes, and it helps a lot of systems! I think that a system server should likely use it, particularly when requested.

But it shouldn't be required!

And by using the term "accessibility tool," it comes with the inherent connotation that it is required for the space to be accessible, when it really is not. It's required for some systems to feel comfortable. That's a big difference!

And I really do think comfort is a major factor here, and why a lot of systems try to argue that it IS an accessibility tool - because "Without it in a server, I won't feel comfortable accessing it!)"

Without my noise cancelling headphones, I don't feel comfortable "accessing" stores. It makes me anxious and nervous and I can sometimes melt down or run away when I don't have them. I recently had to run away from ALDI because I didn't have my headphones.

But I could still walk in. I could still be in that space. I could access the store. I even bought groceries that day. Just not comfortably, and not to the fullest extent.

That's all, Folks!