Disturbed by reports of Black Mastodon users—Black women in particular—having negative experiences on this app, including being randomly banned for discussions of racism. Some of these users will not come back. All will share their experiences. The answer is not to condescendingly lecture them on “how the fediverse works,” as if their experiences are inevitable, nor to swear to do better next time. (There may not be one.) It’s to do better now lest the reputation of this app be cemented.
@albinanigans @mergerson basically the same arguments used on twitter/insta/tiktok. For a place that's supposed to be so different, it's feeling pretty familiar.
@camerondotca
> it is feeling pretty familiar
Probably because people are involved? All sorts of people out there, platform doesn't make a difference.
I am actually with the "make your own instance" idea. Unlike the real world, all places here are equal. And being on a specific server doesn't reveal any more about you than a cursory look at your messages wouldn't.
And why throw racism in every white's face? Post unlisted posts rather than public - no need to CW.
@camerondotca
You aren't addressing the point. Having a separate server ensures you can throw inimical elements out, block inimical accounts and inatances. At no cost. Why wouldn't you want that control?
What do you get by throwing racism in the face of inimical accounts (which is what posting public posts means)? Unlisted posts do get to accounts that follow you, hopefully it doesn't include people who need CW for such posts.
@tetrislife @albinanigans @mergerson Yeah, I'm sorry, this is going to go nowhere and it will end with me losing my shit at you. So, here's what we're going to do, we're going to remind you that not everyone has money to run an instance, we're going to remind you that humans should be treated equally and unequal, race/gender/gender identity etc moderation is crap/hurts us all and then, I'm going to block you. Because no.
Appreciate you dealing with that mess. Take care of yourself!
@albinanigans @mergerson meh, I got given this big mouth, built in rage, and thick (white) skin. It would appear I was purpose built for dealing with doofuses like that (but yeah, the reason I'm glad I'm not on twitter anymore is that those kinds of people changed my personality).
And how well did "separate but equal" work out, huh?
Either the infrastructure was suboptimal (to put it nicely) or shit got BURNED TO THE GROUND whenever Whitely got threatened.
Get THE FUCK outta here with your bullshit, @tetrislife
@albinanigans
Such high standards for discourse. I gasp ... and am no longer interested in such a situation if you are in it.
Assuming for a minute that this is not an outrage account, why does an issue being emotive for you mean that I have to abandon logic?
@tetrislife @albinanigans @mergerson Because you have abandoned logic already?
Really, do go read up on structural racism. More information is just a quick Google search away.
@juergen_hubert
Finally, somebody who isn't emotive but also speaks to the issue.
I don't think the Mastodon network started as a "white" space. More a techie place, fairly positive the time I have been on it. Has had the advantage of privilege, sure.
It isn't surprising that topics related to lack of privilege might have upset some ... lets say, insensitive ... moderators. It is best to get away from their instance! Are there no genuine alternative imstances? At all?
@tetrislife @mergerson Being a "techie" space does not counteract Mastodon being a predominantly "white" space. In fact, it probably makes it worse, because techies usually have a sad lack of understanding of sociology and the humanities.
Because there's nothing as "techie" as the delusion: "I am the very model of a rational human being, and can apply my logic to solve social problems outside my area of expertise. Nothing could possibly go wrong here!"
@tetrislife @camerondotca @albinanigans @mergerson
> I am actually with the "make your own instance" idea.
The required skills are advanced. Rather than deal with the actual problem (racism), you're telling the victims of racism to move along.
> And why throw racism in every white's face?
Because it's a reality for BIPOC that racism is in their face most of the time and we white people are collectively responsible for the problem as well as the solution.
@AuntieAlias well, I am not white and I don't live in the West. But I do see historically disadvantaged demographics, and I keep hoping they don't tilt the much-more-level online playing field against themselves by making it a mirror, when it can be a lever. But it becomes and remains an outrage-fest, sadly.
People do claim Pleroma can run on "$2½ Vultr instances".
@tetrislife @camerondotca @albinanigans @mergerson Because every place here is _not_ equal?
Mastodon started out as an overwhelmingly white space, and this is still an apt description. Structural racism _will_ flourish in such a space, even with good intentions - and "good intentions" shouldn't be assumed.
@tetrislife @albinanigans @mergerson "why throw racism in every white's face"?...Really? So the answer is a) segregation b) hide discussions of racism from whitey so we don't get upset by them? That' erm.. yeah, how are you running Mastodon from the 1950s?