If you donāt see a lot of ace or trans or other non-cis content on my dash, it isnāt because I donāt support them. This blog is 100% pro-ace, pro-trans, pro-LGBTQA+.Ā
The lack of reblogs is usually due to either a strong-anti note in the posts or an extreme elevation to the point of sainthood of the individuals involved. This post isnāt bashing people who reblog with either the bashing or elevation. If you need to do either to express your support, opinion, or just your rage, cool beans for you. You do what you need to do.
I sometimes feel like the message gets lost in the fervor. I am pro-trans because trans people are people, fully deserving of human rights. Trans rights are human rights. Sometimes, though, it feels like people feel that the best way to support transfolk is by focusing their attention on terfs. Anything celebratory or positive in the post is lost in the person making a point that they hate terfs, like people feel their best avenue of support is through the bashing of enemies. Ironically, in most posts it feels like terfs gain more attention that actual support of transfolk.
OrĀ they feel they can only show support through saint-like elevation of the individuals. Iāve been on tumblr long enough to remember the posts depicting all women as angels and amazing and godly and etc. The Karen Movement destroyed that, but you still see it in the support of certain minority groups. I feel like this is the equal and opposite reaction as above: people feel like the best way to support these groups is by raising them up on high. I personally dislike this approach because, when youāre trying to point out that these people are people, raising them above human can also leave concerning openings to shred subgroups or bash individuals who arenāt perfect. There are concerning connections between this elevation and cancel culture and purity culture.
These two reactions also make it easy for actual avenues of support to be lost. Itās like when Pride comes around every year and companies sell their rainbow gear and people pat themselves on the back for buying the different colors, uncaring that they didnāt actually help anyone and in some cases hurtĀ those groups when those companies funneled their money into helping people like Trump. It feels more performative than anything else, like people furiously telling hate groupsĀ āDo Not Interactā like that will have any real effect.
I get the need for it and will never bash those who do it. Sometimes, you feel furious or overwhelmed or passionate or whatever, and yelling into the void that is tumblr makes you feel better, makes you feel like youāre doing something, especially when you live in an anti household or neighborhood. When you canāt yell your feelings offline, at least you can make your opinions clear online.
But yeah. If you donāt see those posts on my dash often, it isnāt due to a lack of support. My lack of posts also donāt reflect real-life actions, like voting, calling politicians, signing petitions, and being careful where my money goes, among other things. This blog will always be a safe place for trans, ace, and other LGBTQA+ folk: I just tend to be pickier about how I yell into the void.
