Read on Twitter
bandom / other fandom stuff i wish i knew when i was a kid on the internet: a thread
tw for abuse, grooming, mentions of explicit content, self harm and suicide
tw for abuse, grooming, mentions of explicit content, self harm and suicide
i do not think it's healthy for 10-13 year olds to be on the internet. but i know you're going to be on the internet regardless, so here's some advice and my personal experience.
i HAVE made this thread before but received criticism, which was justified. here is my redo.
i HAVE made this thread before but received criticism, which was justified. here is my redo.
the majority of fanfic written for bandom specifically is m/m written by women. most of the time it's out of fetishization, and more likely than not romanticizing abuse, self harm, suicide and drug use.
consumption of fanfic distorted my idea of relationships in my young mind +
consumption of fanfic distorted my idea of relationships in my young mind +
as the majority of fic i consumed was hard kink/romanticizing a power dynamic that usually makes one venerable to abuse. i assumed all relationships had a dominant and a submissive counterpart, both sexually and in other aspects of life. it projected the heteronormative +
ideals i was raised on onto lgbtq couples, so i assumed all couples were like that. it made me venerable to abuse later on in my life, as i had the idea in my head i was either 1) supposed to submit or 2) had to have the ability to support my partners emotional issues without +
any support in return. this effects me to this day. it is something i am actively unlearning.
fan fiction can be extremely beneficial to your artistic development, though. if you're going to read fanfic, use ao3. ao3 has archive warnings? tags and ratings. its also just the +
fan fiction can be extremely beneficial to your artistic development, though. if you're going to read fanfic, use ao3. ao3 has archive warnings? tags and ratings. its also just the +
superior site as the writing is better. avoid explicitly marked fanfic, read the tags and jump out of the fic if it becomes uncomfortable.
internet spaces, especially fan spaces, WILL have predators in them. when you first begin on a site, you won't know the sketchy from fellow teenagers/fans yet. but usually you can trust your gut. don't send selfies to anyone, ur real name, ur school. basic stuff u already know.
stay out of nsfw spaces. it can effect your views on sex later in life, it's unsafe for you and it's filled with hard kink/other content which minors shouldn't be consuming. it's normal to explore sexuality, gender and self expression on the internet, but be safe about it. +
don't interact with nsfw accounts, and don't post explicit statements, ESPECIALLY on public accounts. it's unsafe, makes you an easy target for predators and it's just not smart.
like i said: it's normal to explore sexuality in ur early teens, but don't become apart of nsfw +
like i said: it's normal to explore sexuality in ur early teens, but don't become apart of nsfw +
spaces/communities. it's not healthy for a developing mind to be exposed to that much hard kink and extremely explicit content.
it effected my view on relationships later in life, was the reason i was groomed and gave me a perspective that all relationships are about sexual +
it effected my view on relationships later in life, was the reason i was groomed and gave me a perspective that all relationships are about sexual +
control. it goes back to what i said about the dominant/submissive dynamic mentioned earlier. NOT ALL RELATIONSHIPS HAVE A POWER DYNAMIC LIKE THAT. but when you consume that content at such a young age, your brain will blur the line between sexual fantasy and real relationships.
don't be a dick. don't call people "cringey" for enjoying things. don't make fun of people, don't say slurs, don't be ableist. if someone corrects you, LISTEN! don't continue making jokes behind that person's back. cyber bullying is an actual problem which i've faced but +
also contributed to. if someone isn't causing or promoting physical harm to others, there's no reason to say anything. let them vibe with whatever it is they're doing. harassment is becoming a really big issue online lately, be actively against it.
this wasnt an issue i had growing up but it's recently become an issue that should be addressed. people have been doxxing others lately, and its messed up and scary. don't click links anyone sends you (use your judgement to see if its sketchy, yknow?). grabify is a link ppl use +
a lot. watch out for this. im sure there's more out there, just be aware and careful of all that.
stay away from lgbt discourse. most of it is pointless, and has no real basis outside of the internet. if someone's identity isn't actively promoting or causing physical harm to someone (zoophilia, pedophilia [using the terms maps and nomaps]) they're probably fine.
like what YOU like. dont let anyone call you cringey for enjoying something, don't hate yourself for finding joy in something. whatever you like is probably cool as hell. enjoy it, make friends who enjoy it, make fan art and edits and videos. HAVE FUN!!
don't pick up a swearing habit LOL. it got me in a lot of trouble in middle school, and it wasn't fun. just try not to pick up the habit lmao.
stay away from like, amino and roleplay popular sites. not all roleplay is inherently bad, but it is used against minors a lot, and can take a wrong turn really fast. be careful if you get on that side of the internet.
explore your gender and sexuality!! change ur pronouns!! experiment with identity!! don't let people police what labels you use, if it makes you feel good then go for it!!
