well ! that's just how it goes . i think most of the people who do that sort of thing, do it from a place of real concern. i hope they do, at least

i think if you were to really believe that those who write fucked up stuff do so because they believe those actions to be right or valid or "hot" outside of the fictional realm,, fighting them doesn't seem like as much of an odd move. it does veer into proselytizing and, frankly, with some of the things ive seen people use as arguments it feels a bit like im watching religious missionaries coming in

but i do try to place myself in their shoes! admittedly I don't think i would go about it in the same way but some of the things they say, if you believe them wholeheartedly, really do justify the passion they put into it

i also think it's worth it to engage in real conversations about these things. the infighting and why people so often become reactionary and what are everyone's own limits to what can be represented in fiction. it's hard to have these conversations when we're all set in our ways, though. it's very easy to feel you are right and everyone else is wrong which can then lead to the whole,, I don't want to say tribalism but certainly an Us vs. Them sort of mentality. which is not abnormal but i feel it's unwarranted in this scenario

something that bothers me that i didn't bring up last time i went on a tirade about this is the self-censorship this creates. i think fiction is the prime space to explore all of these dark, shitty things and this whole tension created by callouts and cancellations and blocklists, etc, really works against that sort of creative spirit. i remember freaking out before posting Easy Prey, for example, because I was half certain i was going to get permacancelled (again). and that's vanilla!!

there's plenty of stories I'd like to write but refuse to because i know i value my little corner of the fandom and getting ostracized (again) would negatively impact me. so i opt not to. and that's my prerogative. i honestly envy the writers and artists and otherwise creatives who seemingly do not care about the backlash and just unleash their full potential,, rip

i dislike not having a conclusion to this but alas , what else could i say ,,