Nicole des BouvrieNov 11, 2022
Erin Fulmer

I’ve boosted lots of info about CWs this week. I’ve also seen CWs weaponized against BIPOC and other marginalized folks, so want to clarify:

White ppl, it’s racist to ask BIPOC to CW racism. Racism CWs are Not For You. (Same goes for other axes of discrimination. If you’re holding the privilege, STFU.)

It’s not ok to harass/confront people about CWs. Just move along. You have tools to curate your feed.

I will boost marginalized voices on this issue. Feel free to unfollow/block me for that. 👋

Nov 10, 2022 at 10:24pmWeb
Show threadErin FulmerNov 10, 2022

Frankly I feel this should all go without saying but obviously this is not the case.

Actions speak louder than words but staying silent is an action too.

I’m not perfect on checking my own privilege but I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn.

Show threadErin FulmerNov 10, 2022

I have enjoyed my time here so far and that has given me rose-colored glasses. But I want it to be safe for everyone and the correct response to people saying it isn’t is NOT minimizing, explaining, ignoring, or dismissing. The correct response is advocacy for fixing the problem.

Having a built-in CW function is an amazing tool that allows us to choose kindness to each other. Using it as a cudgel is abuse.

Show threadErin FulmerNov 10, 2022
Thanks for tuning into this episode of my imaginary podcast, “Erin Is Mad About…”
Show threaderinsnarksNov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer one of my faves, I produce several episodes of my own on the daily!
Show threadcrusoetpNov 10, 2022

@erinfulmer Holy heck, what type of fragile white person would ask for a content warning on posting experiences with racism?

Maybe if it's making you uncomfortable.........?

Show threadCaffe NekoNov 10, 2022

@erinfulmer I feel there is a lot of miscommunication around this.

1) I don't believe white ppl should directly comment on a BIPOC and tell them what to do. Not their place.

But 2) when I saw a white person who made a post on here cross posting to Twitter saying we all needed to read it - and she on Twitter when on to drag the 'culture' of Mastodon of asking ppl to use CW for traumatic content - that erases the trauma community.

Show threadCaffe NekoNov 10, 2022
@erinfulmer I have boosted many posts FROM the trauma community that were NOT DIRECT comments to BIPOC posts but were instead to Journalists migrating here from Twitter - telling them about the CW practice.
Show threadCaffe NekoNov 10, 2022
@erinfulmer For this white person to go on Twitter and drag ALL of this & conflate the general pleas from the disability and trauma community w/ white fragility is offensive.
Show threadCaffe NekoNov 10, 2022
@erinfulmer The trauma community does need their space and if they post a general post about it and I boost it that's not the same as I'm telling a BIPOC directly what they can or can't do. We need to separate these two actions - and I don't see that happening w/ reactionary wide sweeping judgements.
Show threadjrm4Nov 10, 2022

@erinfulmer

I've gotten one block for being "rude."

I'll be neither ashamed of, nor proud of, more.

okay maybe a little of the latter

Show threadCavyherdNov 10, 2022

@erinfulmer "If you’re holding the privilege, STFU."

Can I get this in a needlepoint, please?

Show threadRik  🇵🇸 Nov 10, 2022
@erinfulmer Let me follow you for that
Show threadRyan SchultzNov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer @caffeneko Preach! 🏳️‍🌈
Show threadKoraunuiPakehaNov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer My question is more about do non-white people need it CWed because sometimes maybe they’ve had enough of it in a day.
Show threadMorganNov 11, 2022
@KoraunuiPakeha @erinfulmer yeah I've always tried to CW varying forms of marginalization *for* the marginalized group
there's certainly no harm in adding a CW, and I know that sometimes ppl do need a break so it's probably a good idea if you're talking about a marginalization you don't experience
it's just unfair to ask people to CW their *own* experiences, especially when that's coming from someone who's not affected by it and is just uncomfortable facing reality
Show threadEvelyn  Nov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer This is the energy I really needed to see <3
Show threadGtmlosangelesNov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer if it hadn’t been CW, it would have been something else to assert the mob white power structure, as we always do. This isn’t really the conversation about how and when to use CWs that we white people like to pretend it is. It is really about letting our bullies off their leashes for a bit to establish our security after feeling threatened, and then mopping up with apologies and concern once our territory has been fully re-asserted. At least, that’s how it looks to me.
Show threadIsiikNov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer I’m embarrassed to ask but what is CW? Code word? Culture war?
Show threadMorganNov 11, 2022
@Isiik content warning
Show threadIsiikNov 11, 2022
@raphaelmorgan thank you
Show threadProtectDemocracyEverywhereNov 11, 2022
@Isiik @erinfulmer content warning
Show threadWordsRWeaponsNov 11, 2022
@crutherford @Isiik @erinfulmer thank you, this was driving me nuts! :P
Show threadProtectDemocracyEverywhereNov 11, 2022
@wordsrweapons @Isiik @erinfulmer I asked the same question three days ago 😂
Show threadJames BaillieNov 11, 2022
@Isiik @erinfulmer CW here means Content Warning: the feature where you can add a little title to a post so people have to click on it to see the contents (like this!)
Show threadADHDKitsuneNov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer Hello, new here. As a HAM Radio operator I am used to "CW" being morse code. A quick look up regarding social media suggests it means "Content Warning". Do I have that correct in your context? Thank you!
Show threadDr. Abbie 🌞Nov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer Thank you for articulating this! This aligns strongly with my views. For example, I have appreciated CWs about US politics (and they were downright necessary for my mental health when the Roe news broke earlier in the year), but CW asks(/demands) should not be weaponized against people marginalized in that relevant topic.
Show threadDr. Abbie 🌞Nov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer As further part of the nuance, I don't think "content warning" is the appropriate term. Something more like "content note" seems more applicable to how most of fedi uses it in practice.
Show threadJohn RibbonNov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer Everyone has the tools to curate their need. No need to tell people to STFU.
Show threadBarney Dellar (he/him)Nov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer Thank you 🙏🏻
Show threadGLFC After Dark Nov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer an entire generation has missed the basic grade school principle of "sticks and stones may break my bones but names can never hurt me."

Who made you queen of the unprivileged? Who's claiming that the "unprivileged" need special help and aren't good enough to make it on their own? You think the special snowflakes can't make it without safe spaces? What does that say about what you think of them?

As someone of mixed race (a bullshit concept anyway), people like you serve to divide and sow dissent where it didn't exist before.

GROW. THE. FUCK. UP.
Show threadLoredenaNov 11, 2022
@erinfulmer not just against BIPOC, though that’s what I’ve seen the most. It’s also being used as a cudgel against Trans and disabled posting about their lived experiences. I think it’s fine and good to cut when speaking about others but should never be expected when speaking about oneself. There’s likely much more nuance but I find that a good starting point. I’m particularly uneasy when seeing threats to block entire servers because of refusal to hide personal experience
Show threadyuvipandaNov 12, 2022
@erinfulmer @mstine “if you are holding the privilege, STFU” is concise and beautiful!
Show threadjaxxie1981Nov 15, 2022
@erinfulmer This is a fantastic reminder. Discussions on racism should be uncomfortable for white people. Choosing to not see it is a privilege. Demanding that BIPOC protect your peace is downright racist tone policing.
Show threadzhiviNov 19, 2022
@erinfulmer thank you.
Show threadMichael PetersonNov 19, 2022
@erinfulmer
Show threadHeide EstesNov 19, 2022
@erinfulmer 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Show threadJoe Welch he/him🏴Nov 20, 2022

@erinfulmer not trying to derail your post but one thing I think white people can do is to be thoughtful about the use of content warnings when choosing which posts to boost or favorite - this morning I made the decision to favorite a George Takei post instead of boosting it so I'm not like injecting un-CW'd content into my followers' timelines without their consent - so they can curate their feeds as they wish.

Not that George Takei needs any boosting though, for real.

Show threadYvonne Aburrow 🌻Nov 20, 2022
@erinfulmer “favourite” as in LIKE and AGREE 😍
Show threadMx. Amadi LovelaceNov 21, 2022
@erinfulmer we also need to talk (and I have been at more length than I have energy for) about the ableism of appropriating an accessibility tool, which is what CWs are for, and using them for non-access needs, which is pretty much everything I've seen them used for thus far.
Show threadCynthia AdinigNov 25, 2022
@erinfulmer thank you. Having to explain why the routine experience of racism shouldn't need a trigger warning, to a group that doesn't experience it, would be exhausting to deal with. On top of already dealing with the actual racism.