Racism in Fandom

[clevermanka]

If you, a white person, are tired of hearing about racism in fandom imagine how tired non-white fans are of the abuse they continually suffer in our fan spaces. I know we are all tired and we want to enjoy our things, but what about the other people who want to enjoy those things, too? We need to accommodate for their needs. We need to provide them a safe space and it's beyond insulting, not to mention hurtful and rude, to suggest if they don't like it, they can just go elsewhere. Don't people notice how similar that sounds to "America? Don't love it? LEAVE!" Do you really want to be associated with that mentality?

Posts like this (Tumblr) are heartbreaking. How can we look at that creator and tell them to go away? That we're not willing to protect them?

We now know that AO3 has the resources to improve, they are aware there are issues, and there are lots of people out there with suggestions on how to begin the work. Yet people in the OTW, people on my DW read list, people everywhere, cry censorship and refuse action because it's not their job to make the call on what's allowed. The attitude discouraging for me, a white person. The emotional weight that puts on fans of color must be awful.

We've got to do better, and silence is complicit. Neutrality places us on the side of the oppressor. If we don't believe it's the responsibility of AO3 to protect its users from exposure to hateful, hurtful content, we are part of the problem.

I'm not asking my mutuals to make the decisions on what must be done--pretty sure none of y'all are on the OTW board. But I expect the people I'm mutuals with to support reform in fandom spaces. I expect my white mutuals to voice their support for anti-racist actions in fandom spaces. I'm done being friendly with white fans who don't engage with even the minimal point of agreeing we need change. I get being tired! I'm tired as fuck y'all, but I guarantee I'm not as tired (or at risk) as fans of color.

naye put together a truckload of anti-racism resources and links if you'd like to acquaint yourself with them. Let me see your voices. Let me see you asking for change.

Comments

[clevermanka]

We've been calling for action for years, now. The people who might make the most difference aren't going to run for the board of an organization that is looking more actively racist by the day. OTW needs to take some of that reserve money and put it toward hiring people who know how to do this work and can lead us to a better, more inclusive platform.

Nobody is asking individual fans to solve the problems. That sort of defense is making me increasingly angry. We're asking the OTW and AO3 to hire professionals to solve the problem. This shouldn't be a contentious stance. AND YET.

eta: I'm gonna get a little salty here, too, and note that one's ability to avoid awareness of these issues is a HUGE example of privilege. Huge.

[desireearmfeldt]

Yes, it's absolutely a case of privilege (mine).

I agree, the OTW leadership should be taking action they're not taking.

I know that individuals have been posting about the problems and the need for change and ideas for solutions. I know there have been collective actions in the past, aimed at trying to get the OTW decision makers to change things, like last year's open letter. I don't know of any such current organized actions but I would guess that they exist -- in which case, joining such a thing would be one way for and individual to help make change happen. Or, if they don't exist, helping to organize such a thing would be a way for an individual to help make change happen.

As in national politics, I'm looking for ways that I, as an individual, can contribute to getting change to happen.

I thought you might be a little more likely than me to have heard about those things already, so I asked. I apologize if that was out of line.

[clevermanka]

Not out of line, no, just a reminder of privilege, and it's good to recognize that.

I'm not sure what people want or expect when they ask about collective action. We already are acting collectively. We are writing letters to the board, talking about it on social media, bringing attention to these issues, and still nothing happens. I don't know what larger group of unknown origin could attempt. It's not like we can unionize to affect change or something.

The "but is anyone organizing" question is often used as a delaying tactic by people who are interested in maintaining the status quo. It fits nicely with the "it's not my job to determine content" to absolve ourselves of the responsibility of taking direct action.

Direct action: Complain loudly about the fact that fandom has a racism problem. Support and amplify the voices of fans of color who call for change and defend them when they're slandered. Distance yourself from fans who question the need for improvement.

Much like cutting the racist members of the family off our lists for Thanksgiving dinner, we need to stop blithely interacting with racist members of fandom. People on both sides of the issue need to face the fact that supporting bigotry has consequences.