Tag: Discussion

pixelkitties:

Sexual exploitation is no joke, I get that.  Having volunteered at a rape crisis center, I’ve heard heartbreaking stories and seen lives devastated by rape and sexual assault.

I applaud ANYONE concerned about these issues and willing to help with time and money.  BUT trying to take down a tumblr about dirty jokes and ponies doesn’t amount to fuck-all.  And sending someone money for a tee-shirt “supporting” taking down a tumblr about dirty jokes and ponies means even less than fuck-all.  

If you want to lend assistance to something that matters, visit the websites of these 4-star rated charity organizations dealing with matters of rape, sexual exploitation, and women’s  justice.  Make a donation, volunteer your time, do something that MATTERS.  Don’t be a tumblr warrior, be an actual hero and make a difference.

The International Justice Mission

Securing justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and violent oppression

RAINN Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network

The nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

Helping prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation

The Center for Justice and Accountability

Bringing Human Rights Abusers to Justice

To find certified and verified charities in your area, please visit the Charity Navigator.

duedlyinfatuation:

ps freedom of speech has nothing to do with independent people or privately owned forums it literally only refers to the government not being able to restrict your speech within reason

unless the government itself is silencing you, your right to free speech is not being restricted. 

the first amendment doesn’t protect you from people telling you to shut the fuck up

True, but it does protect that person from actually having to shut up.

from-pashoo:

Yo, guys, I think we all ought to calm down.

In all honesty, I think there are people on both sides overreaching, overreacting, and in general, not being cool about the whole thing. From what I understand, there are people trying to speak out for rape and sexual abuse victims, and some of them want the Molestia blog taken down in fear that it belittles those victims. There are also people coming to the defense of the blog, some because they feel that taking down the blog when it hasn’t committed any technical violations encroaches on the artist’s freedom of expression, others because they enjoy the blog, and some because of both reasons.

I think both sides have valid reasons for wanting the things they want, but just want to say this is not the way to do it. We do not harass each other, we do not spread personal information, we do not passive-aggressively pass hurtful notes across blogs, and we certainly do not break our friendships over it. First and foremost, the drama going on now isn’t worth breaking those ties, or if it is, then either those ties weren’t very strong to begin with, or you’re just a petty person. If this is how it’s going to be, then, it doesn’t matter which side is right because we’re all just being stupid.

If I could just put my own personal input, I think that of course, rape culture is a terrible thing and the victims deserve to be treated with respect, but I thought we’d all be mature enough to realize the differences between reality and fiction. What a silly, harmless blog does on the internet has no bearing on your life unless you take the time and effort to read it. Just like when we pick up a book or game, we know that what’s going on in there has no impact on the world at large. 

And I know the biggest concerns are that Molestia empowers rape culture and silences the victims, and other things to that effect, but if that’s the case, then taking down the blog still isn’t the way to remedy that. Ignorance untouched is still ignorance. I know for a fact that there are people our there who legitimately think that rape isn’t a big deal, but taking down the Molestia askblog isn’t going to remedy that. All it’ll do is eliminate one way to while away the afternoon, but they’ll ultimately walk away with their opinions unchanged. They need to be informed. I like to think I’m a decent human being, and reading the blog hasn’t changed that. I still know that rape is a pretty big fucking deal.

In regards to the freedom of expression aspect of the debate, I also have to agree with them. To want something taken down because of the fact that you don’t agree with it is understandable, but in this case, acting on that feeling is inappropriate. Just like you and I and most everyone else on the internet has the right to express ourselves, we also have the right to ignore others’ selves and their expressions. In all seriousness, if you’d never read Molestia, were never considering, and were never planning on it, then how would having it taken down affect anyone but the ones who do take stock in it?

Seriously, both sides are approaching this issue the wrong way, and I know it’s not everyone, but it’s obviously doing nothing but causing unneeded hostility and anger and I don’t like it. JJ, the artist for the blog, is a cool guy and he’s just now getting insulted and berated over this blog which has existed since the fandom started.

Normally, I like to keep things bright and positive, but no, this time, both sides are wrong in their own way. And I’d be just as disappointed if the blog gets taken down as I am now with all the misguided, petty indignation.

jaunty-cavalcades:

heartlinda:

Here’s how I think DM should ideally treat supporters of “Ask Princess Molestia”:

“You should stop supporting APM because it normalizes rape.”

Instead, what I see is this:

“If you support APM, you support rape culture.”

The difference between the two is that the first allows people who support APM to reconsider, without accusing them of supporting something that they probably don’t. Some people might like APM but not realize that it might support rape culture.

If this is supposed to be about awareness, the first one does a much better job without inciting accusations.

What’s with the tone police? Why are you telling DWM supporters how they have to behave. Most of us are being calm(ish), patient with the same arguments from hundreds of people and having to answer rudimentary questions again and again, and so on. While Molestia supporters are spouting hate, making death threats, and being general pain in the patooties. Why are you telling us how to show our support to someone who is fighting the patriarchy?

This reminds me of white people telling oppressed POC that they should be nice to white people when they get death threats from them. Like, what? Why?

I apologize for not making this clearer, but I meant initially. I just think DM might not have gotten so much flak if people worded these charges differently; I’m not “policing.”

I’ve found some posts under #Down with Molestia that cite statistics that show that rape jokes are correlated with rape culture (blaming the victim, trivializing, etc.). I’m not doubting that. But does this really justify action against “Ask Princess Molestia”?

Think about this question: When someone gets raped, who’s to blame? The rapist, of course!

This blog and other rape jokes are not to blame for rape, and I think John Joseco is trying to draw the comparison to campaigns to limit fast food in #354. That is, just as fast food is not to blame for obesity, APM is not to blame for rape.

Of course, that does not mean nothing should be done about rape culture (or “fast-food culture,” for that matter). I would encourage people to speak out against rape culture, just as I would encourage healthy-eating campaigns. But shutting down a blog or a fast-food place isn’t the solution.

irlponies:

Okay. I didn’t really address the hypocrisy you might be able to pull from me saying to stay of my blog, when I call out icky behaviour, and when we talk about the problems with the Molestia character. I am saying to stay off my blog if you don’t want me to critically analyze something through a feminist lens. DWM is saying that the Molestia character, especially the APM blog are harmful to society as a whole because it normalizes a problematic way of thinking. We aren’t trying to take down the blog. We are trying to show people that it is harmful and maybe make the creators address said problems.

If this is what DM is really about, then that’s good. But with a name like “Down with Molestia” that doesn’t really get this across.

sheeparts:

HeartLinda: Discussion: Down with Molestia (Accusations)

heartlinda:

Here’s how I think DM should ideally treat supporters of “Ask Princess Molestia”:

“You should stop supporting APM because it normalizes rape.”

Instead, what I see is this:

“If you support APM, you support rape culture.”

The difference between the two is that the first allows people who…

If you support APM, you support rape culture because it normalizes rape. These aren’t unrelated.

It also encourages rapists by trivializing rape.

http://rajsivaraman.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/a-scientific-case-against-rape-jokes/

(I will never not take the chance to link this)

This is the sort of attitude I think DM should try to avoid. You’re not giving people an opportunity to consider why “Ask Princess Molestia” supports rape culture, because people might not realize it at first.

Here’s how I think DM should ideally treat supporters of “Ask Princess Molestia”:

“You should stop supporting APM because it normalizes rape.”

Instead, what I see is this:

“If you support APM, you support rape culture.”

The difference between the two is that the first allows people who support APM to reconsider, without accusing them of supporting something that they probably don’t. Some people might like APM but not realize that it might support rape culture.

If this is supposed to be about awareness, the first one does a much better job without inciting accusations.

marlinsandthetrout:

(For my non-brony followers, there’s a movement in the fandom called “Down with Molestia” that is speaking out against a fan-meme that is Princess Celestia turned into a rapist named Princess Molestia, and a certain askprincessmolestia.tumblr.com blog that is riddled with rape jokes and rape culture). 

Down with Molestia is not about getting some blog taken down. It’s about speaking out about rape culture. The very fact that some people are saying “it’s not a big deal!” is an indicator that rape culture has been so deeply ingrained in you cretins that you don’t see what’s obviously wrong with it. 

The Molestia blog pokes fun at molestation and rapes and makes the victims the butt of the joke. Oh. the Princess just shoved her horn up that unsuspecting pony’s vagina. ISN’T THAT JUST SO FUNNY? ISN’T THE PRINCESS SUCH A FUNNY, LIKABLE SCAMP? HAHAHA. 

No. 

“Why are you getting so angry about a blog? Why don’t you go after someone else or go after bigger problems like starving children in Africa?" 

Again. This movement isn’t even directly about the blog for most people. The blog is a piece of rape culture, and the DWM movement is addressing rape culture as a whole. And why are YOU getting all mad at us for speaking up and not going and helping starving kids in Africa?

Also, the blog is drawn by a man who not only constantly makes rape jokes and molestation jokes but makes an offensive parody of the movement that began over his own blog. When he receives criticism, he laughs in our faces. That should be enough to tell you what a vile person he is.

I get this.

starsketcher:

Let’s all just take a moment & realize that if PinkiePony was a male victim of rape who started up the “Down With Molestia” campaign, nobody would’ve done anything to stop her & probably have triple the support.

…but since she’s a female she instead gets multiple death threats, people harshly impersonating her, has numerous false rumors spread around, & a shocking amount of people mocking her just for sticking up for something she believed that needed to be said…

Think about it before you try to tell me that I’m wrong.

Something to think about. I personally have not given PinkiePony any of this hate, though.