Escritor Explorer

use overdrive, libby, hoopla, cloudlibrary, and kanopy instead of amazon and audible.

use firefox instead of chrome or opera (both are made with chromium, which blocks functionality for ad-blockers. firefox isn't based on chromium).

use mega or proton drive instead of google drive.

get rid of bloatware

use libreoffice instead of microsoft office suite

use vetted sites on r/FREEMEDIAHECKYEAH for free movies, books, games, etc.

use trakt or letterboxd instead of imdb.

use storygraph instead of goodreads.

use darkpatterns to find mobile game with no ads or microtransactions

use ground news to read unbiased news and find blind spots in news stories.

use mediahuman or cobalt to download music, or support your favorite artists directly through bandcamp

make youtube bearable by using mtube, newpipe, or the unhook extension on chrome, firefox, or microsoft edge

use search for a cause or ecosia to support the environment instead of google

use thriftbooks to buy new or used books (they also have manga, textbooks, home goods, CDs, DVDs, and blurays)

use flashpoint to play archived online flash games

find books, movies, games, etc. on the internet archive! for starters, here's a bunch of David Attenborough documentaries and all of the Animorphs books

burn your music onto cds

use pdf24 (available online or as a desktop app) instead of adobe

use unroll.me to clean your email inboxes

use thunderbird, mailfence, countermail, edison mail, tuta, or proton mail instead of gmail

remove bloatware on windows PC, macOS, and iOS X

remove bloatware on samsung X

use pixelfed instead of instagram or meta

use NCH suite for free software like a file converter, image editor, video editors, pdf editor, etc.

feel free to add more alternatives, resources or advice in the reblogs or replies, and i'll add them to the main post <3

New books.

DNIs do not work. accept this. internalize that people you don't like will see your posts and engage with them. this is unavoidable and the sooner you make peace with it the freer your mind will be. block the freaks and don't sweat the small stuff

building a tight knit circle of fellow weirdos who vibe with your particular quirks and taste is infinitely more rewarding and sustainable than chasing the biggest numbers

don't respond to bad-faith arguments or bad takes; just block people, blacklist tags, filter post content, and move on. don't feed the trolls (or the bigots)

don't hate-follow

don't tag your hate (ex. if you're posting about how much you hate a ship, don't tag it as that ship, etc.)

don't feel obligated to keep following someone who posts stuff that upsets/depresses/angers/bores you just because you know them really well, or because you're mutuals, or because you used to like what they post. following is nothing personal and neither is unfollowing

op doesn't know you; avoid parasocial relationships

don't pick fights or reblog posts just to disagree/argue

spread joy and positivity in your circles

For years - literally years - an LGBTQIA+ section of the fandom has existed. However, on social media and especially on stories that contain Queer characters or plots and themes, there has been consistent trolling, bullying, and negative comments including homophobic hate messages.

Yesterday a number of people within the Queer section of the fandom started receiving anon hate. However, the spelling wording and tenor of the messages was the same as publicly posted tumblr posts from known accounts. And one account in particular. This account was making hate-filled responses to blog posts made by people within the LGBTQIA+ corner of the fandom.

When the individual user was challenged by specific blog users (happy to mention names but only if they consent) the tone of the messages became more serious and began including personal attacks. Now the messages were not just attacking Queer characters, Queer interpretations or Queer storytelling but now including personal attacks of a homophobic and hateful nature against individuals within the fandom.

These messages included as I say, attacks of a personal nature. Some of these were relatively petty but some of them escalated up to encouragment to self harm and encouragement for someone to take their own life. Death threats, people. We are talking about named blogs of known individuals sending death threats to users because of who they are or the way they write fictional characters.

Its easy to sit by and think, ‘Wow that looks ugly!’ And do nothing.

This fandom has a serious problem with hate and yes, with the alt-right. The fandom has ingrained homophobic, racist and white supremacist narratives. Some of that comes from the way the original canon texts express themselves.

When someone receives a message telling them to go kill themselves, the correct response is not to sit by on the sidelines.

This fandom needs to decide what it thinks is right. And I feel I have an obligation as the writer of stories like Triquetra which I am aware changed the zeitgeist of the fandom for a lot of people, I feel I have an obligation to use whatever small platform I may have to stand up against hate and bullying.

I lived through the gaslighting, sock-puppeting, the plagiarism, and so much more. But really it comes down to this:

Either you believe in decency or you don’t. Either you believe in the inherent worth of human beings or you don’t. Either you believe in standing up for what is right or you don’t.

Now is the time to let the world know what you believe.

No one is saying every single user on the internet ever has to personally go to war with every troll. But whoever you are, and whatever your fandom (or none) a show of support from outwith the LGBTQIA+ section of the Outlander fandom would mean a lot. This corner of the fandom has been fighting this fight - that other people keep bringing to them - for a long time. Years and years at this point.

Please, if you think that the spreading of hate messages and death threats is wrong, consider posting a short blog post expressing your solidarity.

Give hate no quarter.