Alioth Fox (but you can call me Daddy~)Feb 6, 2023

Queer people aren't saying you CAN'T eat at Chick-fil-A or play Shitty TERF Wizard Game. We're saying that we don't see you as a trustworthy, safe friend if you choose to do so, and you don't get to dictate how we feel about it. You don't get to dictate how your choices affect others' perceptions of you.

It's not even about "boycotts." It's about literally the most basic litmus test possible: asking you to sacrifice something you DON'T EVEN NEED. We're not asking for money. We're not asking you to picket. We're not asking you to go out and hold a sign. We're literally saying "don't eat at this one particular fast food restaurant" and "don't spend money on this one particular video game," both of which are wholly unnecessary leisure activities.

And even if you CAN'T make that tiny sacrifice, literally all you have to do is just... not talk about it? Like... it's not like we're hacking people's computers to figure out whether they've played Shitty TERF Wizard Game or not. The whole conversation really does show how performative and shallow some people are.

Because we're not even saying "you can't play this game." We don't have that power. We're just saying "I do not want to associate with you if you support this." And even that much makes people rage. It's not even that people don't want to be told what to do - it's that people want to do whatever they want without facing any social consequences or negative perceptions from people.

You want no consequences for the choices you make. And you know what? Tough shit. You don't like that you're losing friends over "PoLiTiCs?" Well, I don't like that every day of my trans brothers' and sisters' lives has to be a constant battle because of shitty people who claim they "have nothing against LGBT people" and "some of their best friends are trans," but won't give up a goddamn chicken sandwich for them. But you don't like it when people think badly about you when you won't do even the simplest thing to show those "some of your best friends" that you value your friendship with them? Cry harder. I don't like it when it rains on my birthday, but clouds form and precipitation happens.

Show threadLeoBurrFeb 7, 2023
@AliothFox How do you feel about folks who remain on Twitter when Elon is actively hostile to LGBTQIA+ folks/supports right wing fanatics?
Show threadAlioth Fox (but you can call me Daddy~)Feb 7, 2023

@LeoBurr That’s a bit apples-to-oranges in my mind. Twitter is a broad, far-reaching communication platform, and even with it in decline, I think it’s important for queer people to be part of the conversation there instead of just rolling over and letting Elon bully them off the platform, especially given how many of them built their personal support networks there. There are obviously alternatives to Twitter, but leaving a network altogether where you’ve built important connections is not at all on the same level as refraining from a single purchase of something literally no one needs.

TLDR: "just leave Twitter" is far and away not as simple as "just don’t play this one game."

Show threadCroc (formerly @microdile)Feb 7, 2023

@AliothFox @LeoBurr

My best friend is trans & I have several trans friends whom I support entirely.

I also love Chik-Fil-A's food, but haven't eaten there in ages, because there are a lot of great food places to pick from that don't contribute to anti-LGBTQ.

I also love Harry Potter but loathe JK Rowling's idiocy. I can't replace the entire Harry Potter universe with something else because there isn't really anything like that, and it's a shame Rowling had to fuck it all up.

(con't)

Show threadCroc (formerly @microdile)Feb 7, 2023

@AliothFox @LeoBurr

Twitter is run by a raving egomaniac who pretty clearly is supporting many bad things and bad people.

Leaving Twitter certainly can be argued to be a lot harder than not eating a sandwich or playing a video game or watching a movie, this is true.

But I don't think it's disingenuous to say that it's all levels at which we choose how much we accept inconvenience to "do the right thing" when it's complicated.

How many shop at Amazon or patronize other "bad" companies?

Show threadCroc (formerly @microdile)Feb 7, 2023

@AliothFox @LeoBurr

I totally get why people don't like to see people do things that support those with bad ideas who have influence, money and power.

I just think we need to be aware that it's not quite as simple as sometimes it's presented to be, like "you can't do these things, but those things are okay I guess".

If I had a friend who ate Chik-Fil-A but was otherwise kind, I'd be disappointed, but probably not furious at them. Who you are is a sum total more than one thing, IMHO.

Show threadAlioth Fox (but you can call me Daddy~)

@croc We are making this into something it's not. The point of this post is not to make some deep point about "ethical consumption under capitalism" (there is none) or say "you must never even indirectly support a bad person" (since that's not possible). This is literally me saying - and marking with a "rant" CW (for the express purpose of NOT engaging with debatebros; I'm entertaining your point for the moment but my patience is thin) - "If you cannot give up even these two small things, I cannot countenance your claims that you are an ally, because I don't trust your priorities."

You are not ENTITLED to positive optics just because you have "gay/trans friends" (hi, that's tokenism). You don't get to say "no, you're not allowed to think less of someone who eats at Chick-fil-A but be fine with someone who stays on Twitter." You don't get to choose how I perceive your actions.

This post mentioned two specific things: Chick-fil-A and TERF Shitwizard Game. Just that. And I even said IN THE POST "if you can't sacrifice those things, literally all you have to do is not talk about it" - but people simply cannot help themselves (as the replies to this post are indicating). If you can't give up those two things (forget all larger points, forget Twitter, forget Amazon, forget capitalism altogether), I do not consider you a safe person, and you do not get to control my perception of you.

Feb 7, 2023 at 9:49pmWeb