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I’m a relative newcomer to the Reylo fandom, so I was hesitant to even jump into the conversation.
But, I can’t hold this in, and frankly it would be irresponsible for me to sit back in silence.
This is not a subtweet to anyone in particular. Just some thoughts.
But, I can’t hold this in, and frankly it would be irresponsible for me to sit back in silence.
This is not a subtweet to anyone in particular. Just some thoughts.
I often explore dark tropes & themes in fiction & am very conscious of the line between fiction & reality. I try to thoroughly tag sensitive content & avoid racist characterizations or depictions of characters.
To me, it's basic human decency. But it impacts a bigger picture.
To me, it's basic human decency. But it impacts a bigger picture.
So. If anyone ever comes to me & points out I’ve done/said/written something racist, it is NOT my place to double down & defend myself.
I want to believe I'm a generally good person. It would be hard to look at myself & think I might have done or said something racist.
But.
I want to believe I'm a generally good person. It would be hard to look at myself & think I might have done or said something racist.
But.
But, I am white and shielded by a lot of privilege. And it is not my job to sit behind my shield while ignoring the very people telling me I’m wrong.
It is my job to listen. It is my job to educate myself.
It is my job to learn.
It is my job to change.
It is my job to listen. It is my job to educate myself.
It is my job to learn.
It is my job to change.
And I cannot do any of those things without humbling myself & accepting and understanding, first & foremost, I HURT someone.
Maybe inadvertently & definitely not on purpose, but for whatever reason, it happened.
Internalized racism exists, as uncomfortable as it is to admit.
Maybe inadvertently & definitely not on purpose, but for whatever reason, it happened.
Internalized racism exists, as uncomfortable as it is to admit.
So, if someone says I hurt them, then I'm at fault. I don’t get a POV on whether or not something is racist.
Because I've never had racism directed at me, personally.
If someone says I did a racist thing, I must accept that my position is, by default, the offender.
Period.
Because I've never had racism directed at me, personally.
If someone says I did a racist thing, I must accept that my position is, by default, the offender.
Period.
It's ugly & uncomfortable. But, sitting behind the safety of my own POV & privilege, insisting why I’m right is not going to change a goddamned thing.
Defending myself against someone’s claim I did or said something harmful does not move the dialogue forward.
It doesn’t help.
Defending myself against someone’s claim I did or said something harmful does not move the dialogue forward.
It doesn’t help.
Because when I am defensive, I build walls.
And when I build walls, I need to ask myself what it is I am protecting?
I need to tear racism down, not build it up.
I need to listen.
I need to change.
And when I build walls, I need to ask myself what it is I am protecting?
I need to tear racism down, not build it up.
I need to listen.
I need to change.
Because at the end of the day, racism isn’t about my pride, my reputation, my point of view, or even me at all.
It’s a system that’s been in place for too damn long, and it needs to come down, violently, if need be.
It needs to be smashed, eradicated, destroyed. Utterly.
It’s a system that’s been in place for too damn long, and it needs to come down, violently, if need be.
It needs to be smashed, eradicated, destroyed. Utterly.
And I can’t claim to be an ally if I’m not listening to the very people telling me I’m hurting them.
This is important, so I'll say it again:
I CAN'T BE AN ALLY IF I'M NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE TELLING ME I'M HURTING THEM.
This is important, so I'll say it again:
I CAN'T BE AN ALLY IF I'M NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE TELLING ME I'M HURTING THEM.
I’d like to hope we all have good intentions here, but if this community is going to truly make strides forward, then we need to fucking listen & own our shit, no matter how stinky & unpleasant it is.
I’m talking to white people specifically, since this is our mess to clean up.
I’m talking to white people specifically, since this is our mess to clean up.
Racism is deadly. People are fucking dying. Over the color of their skin. Today. In the year 2020.
We can’t defend that, my friends. We need to listen. We need to change.
We can’t defend that, my friends. We need to listen. We need to change.
My American Reylos in particular have a seriously important fight coming up, especially in November.
We need to stand together. We need to #RESIST.
We need to vote.
We need to stand together. We need to #RESIST.
We need to vote.
I guess if I lose followers over this then c'est la vie. But please know all this is coming from a place of love.
I don't want to add to any discourse. But this issue is bigger than fanfic & fandom stuff.
My doors are always open for an honest exchange of dialogue.
No walls.
I don't want to add to any discourse. But this issue is bigger than fanfic & fandom stuff.
My doors are always open for an honest exchange of dialogue.
No walls.
