Monday, April 4, 2011

Safe Space

I have read a lot on the web over the past mumble years. (No kidding, since before it was all connected, e-mail address could be lines long and have things like BANG in them, and pretty much consisted of us writing on clay tablets, smashing them into a fine powder, and sifting them into phone lines for transmit. Maybe I am teasing about the tablet thing.) In the past couple of years, I have gotten involved in educating myself on a subject I had always held dear, but mostly felt I would be alone in: social justice.

One of the things I have learned is the importance of a safe space policy. This allows the disenfranchised to give air to their voice without reprisal from the usual subjects. You will not be told your tone about feminism is too strident here. You will not be told to apologize to the jack hole that stepped on your toes here.

When I first told my friends about Patient C, one very smart one asked me about my commenting policy and why I had it. I responded that the conversations are better on the sites I read that have such a policy. I have seen the tales of threats of rape, death threats, and various evils out there, and I will not allow them here.

Now, on the other hand, some folks view the entire web as their very own First Amendment playground and like no fetters placed upon it. If this is you, you will not be happy here. So take my fond farewells with no bitterness, and may you find what you seek elsewhere. Right up at the top of this page, on the toolbar, you can start your own blog for free and set whatever commenting policy you like. You do not have to put up with mine.

This? This is my little corner of the Internet, and inside the bounds set by my host, what I say, goes. If you post bullshit, I may not publish it at all. I may publish it to correct, ridicule, or maybe even correct and belittle you depending on my mood.

I intend to amplify certain voices over others. I intend to speak to my own experiences, point you towards the experiences of others that may be edifying, and share information in a way that, if not equal, then lifts up the voices that are rarely heard.

On this, and a many other things, am sure I have screwed up regarding the privilege I do have. This will undoubtedly continue, as I try my best to my efforts as mistake-free as possible. It is okay to point it out when I do. I cannot learn and grow if I do not know when I fuck up. I do not expect those with disadvantages different than my own to instruct me, but I would appreciate the occasional helping hand. So if you have the spoons and the inclination, I will do all I can to accept that criticism with grace, learning, and as much of a lack of ego as I can muster.

(Edited - that last paragraph had a ton of grammatical errors!)


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