Sunlight On The Lino

TLDR: In ten days last month, the Wikimedia Foundation fired the longtime lead developer of MediaWiki and disbanded the team whose entire job was to listen to volunteers. Most of the people they fired were union organizers. Wikipedia’s editors are now threatening to strike in solidarity. The Foundation is sitting on $296 million in reserves and a freshly profitable AI revenue stream. This is a confrontation with global implications.

happy pride month from everyone's favorite transgender LESBIAN video game characters!!!

White people on tumblr really need to stop:

Shoving themselves into conversations about race and racism where nobody asked for their opinion

Creating arguments and division where none existed before they stated their opinion

Policing how people interact with media that centers black characters

Media should be enjoyed authentically by everyone that interacts with it, that's the point of it. Some people are going to look at Sinners and think "Remmick is blorbo." And you know what. That's perfectly fine.

Some of these people, contrary to your two-dimensional beliefs, may not even be white. I mean, sure, racism is complicated and anyone can be racist, but you'll excuse me if I find it icky when a white person blindly hurls accusations of racism at a multiracial audience just because some of them liked a white character that some (not all) people interpreted to be racist.

White people trying to dictate what people should like based on race… Sure does remind me of some very specific things in my history.

Seriously though, what is shaming people for liking white characters and bullying people into exclusively posting about black characters supposed to do except give people negative feelings about interacting with that media in the first place? Congratulations. You're really helping black media.

You can't force people to like the characters you want them to with any other media. It's actually considered pretty fucking rude to do so.

Why do you think the fact that Sinners has a black writer and director and mostly black cast suddenly makes this behaviour okay?

Anyways, post about whoever you want forever, especially if it's in support of black centred media and especially if it's in support of Ryan Coogler.

Let me be clear, I don't think criticism of racial dynamics in fandom is invalid when it's coming from the right people. You'll notice that I had no problem with OP amplifying the voices of fans of color or sharing their thoughts and opinions about the movie itself.

What I do have a problem with is white voices drowning out POC ones (something you agree with I see).

And what I do have a problem with is gatekeeping and policing people and trying to control how they interact with media.

I think it's possible to acknowledge concerns about white characters being centered in black media while also believing that shaming people for liking certain characters is counterproductive and a huge double standard.

My concern has never been whether people should or shouldn't criticize fandom trends (the system). It's whether turning individual fans into moral targets, making them feel discouraged and defensive, actually helps the media and communities we're both trying to support.

You don't have to agree with me. It's fine if you don't.

I do however, take issue with you and your followers making snap judgements and assumptions about me based on my icon and a few glances at my profile. Respectfully asking you not to do that shit either.

Me, literally accepting the opinion of a black woman:

I'm not entirely sure what that opinion is because you didn't give me much, but I think I can connect the dots.

As an African person with their own history of suffering due to racism and segregation, my opinion happens to be pretty damn valid as well though.

And you don't know what I think the point of Sinners is.

All I mentioned were different opinions and experiences fans have. I didn't say shit about myself.

You don't know what I think about Remmick. You don't know what I think about racism. You don't know what I think about vampires.

All you know is what I think the point of fandom interaction of Sinners should be:

It's fine if you think it should be about something else.

But don't act like I persecuted you, ignored people or said that it's never valid to talk about fandom racism just because I pointed out a double standard and wasn't okay with a blanket condemnation of every person ever who posted about Remmick.

And yeah, it's funny that sometimes one might end up gatekeeping and policing to get people to NOT gatekeep and police, but I haven't quite figured out an ethical solution around that one, so you sure got me there.

Anyways, I'm going to take myself out of this conversation. I'm not trying to change your mind, you're pretty unlikely to change mine and we're clearly just talking past each other.

I'll end it off for you.