JasonClearwater
Absent
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2017
- Posts
- 951
Hi folks,
I had already decided to leave the site for a while to focus on both readers in my readership outside of Lit, but I had one last thing to say, so I'll say it here, knowing what will come of it. I've already baited the troll(s) to the extent almost nothing I write will ever made it to red again, so why not finish what I started?
I still have a glimmer of faith that there are more good people than there are arseholes, both in the world and in this community. Plenty of you who have supported me who have zero interest in GM, and you've done it because you like to see other people succeed. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I didn't expect it, and it's been humbling at times just how much time's been invested in me. I've had people read screeds of my writing when I knew it didn't interest them in the slightest, and give me useful, helpful critique.
I see a huge amount of support for other authors here, I see very real attempts to help each other, to foster and develop new authors, to elevate them. I believe that, as jaded as many of you are, and as blunt as some of you can be, the majority of your hearts are in the right place.
But I would ask you this. When you see hate speech, when you see exclusion, please speak up. Make it not okay to behave that way. You don't have to stoop to the level of the fuckwit (my current favourite Aussie insult), you just have to call it out.
Because of the support here, I've shucked off the homophobic garbage that's come my way, knowing it wasn't the opinion of the majority. My experimentation through melding humour, horror and bi fantasies, has taken me to places where I expected to get some fairly harsh criticism, and I haven't been disappointed (or concerned about it).
But what I would like to see, is an end to homophobia being protected as 'understandable'. I know, there are plenty of religions and groups that see 'gay' as evil and wrong and disgusting, but do you hear gay people calling out all the disgusting hetero sex on this site? ;-)
That's all. Just call it out, for your fellow authors who colour outside the lines. We're an inclusive community, and while we may not have the same preferences, inclusivity is about more than just tolerating your fellow men and women being in the same space. It's making them feel welcome, part of which is speaking up against unwarranted attacks that denigrate their community.
Thanks again for all the support, the commentary, the beta reading, and the friendship. And the clarification on the Oxford comma. I've been pleasantly surprised so many times by private comments and feedback and offers to help, that in some ways, Lit has restored my faith in humankind.
Thanks again for making me feel welcome for so long. Now, I need to go stand in some fire. ;-)
Jase.
I had already decided to leave the site for a while to focus on both readers in my readership outside of Lit, but I had one last thing to say, so I'll say it here, knowing what will come of it. I've already baited the troll(s) to the extent almost nothing I write will ever made it to red again, so why not finish what I started?
I still have a glimmer of faith that there are more good people than there are arseholes, both in the world and in this community. Plenty of you who have supported me who have zero interest in GM, and you've done it because you like to see other people succeed. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I didn't expect it, and it's been humbling at times just how much time's been invested in me. I've had people read screeds of my writing when I knew it didn't interest them in the slightest, and give me useful, helpful critique.
I see a huge amount of support for other authors here, I see very real attempts to help each other, to foster and develop new authors, to elevate them. I believe that, as jaded as many of you are, and as blunt as some of you can be, the majority of your hearts are in the right place.
But I would ask you this. When you see hate speech, when you see exclusion, please speak up. Make it not okay to behave that way. You don't have to stoop to the level of the fuckwit (my current favourite Aussie insult), you just have to call it out.
Because of the support here, I've shucked off the homophobic garbage that's come my way, knowing it wasn't the opinion of the majority. My experimentation through melding humour, horror and bi fantasies, has taken me to places where I expected to get some fairly harsh criticism, and I haven't been disappointed (or concerned about it).
But what I would like to see, is an end to homophobia being protected as 'understandable'. I know, there are plenty of religions and groups that see 'gay' as evil and wrong and disgusting, but do you hear gay people calling out all the disgusting hetero sex on this site? ;-)
That's all. Just call it out, for your fellow authors who colour outside the lines. We're an inclusive community, and while we may not have the same preferences, inclusivity is about more than just tolerating your fellow men and women being in the same space. It's making them feel welcome, part of which is speaking up against unwarranted attacks that denigrate their community.
Thanks again for all the support, the commentary, the beta reading, and the friendship. And the clarification on the Oxford comma. I've been pleasantly surprised so many times by private comments and feedback and offers to help, that in some ways, Lit has restored my faith in humankind.
Thanks again for making me feel welcome for so long. Now, I need to go stand in some fire. ;-)
Jase.