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Black Lives Matter
5 years ago
Most of my social media presence is on twitter. I often forget that this is a place that exists where I can express my thoughts.
Black Lives Matter.
We cannot avert our eyes from the injustice and suffering of black people in our nation and around the world. Their mistreatment, the unfairness and fear they live in every day must end.
Furries, I see, often say that the fandom is a 'safe escape' from the problems of the world. I understand this impulse, but understand two things.
First, we have many POC in our fandom whose lived experience of racism against them is not something they can turn off, especially our black friends, community members, and chosen family.
If we treat the fandom as a place where their real struggles and suffering are things to hide from, we alienate them. We tell them that this is not a safe community for anyone but white people. I refuse to do that and I encourage anyone who has tried to avoid 'taking sides' to look deeply inward, and look deeply at the people around them, who need support, and consider that their continued silence does, in fact, send a message.
Secondly, the act of averting ones eyes from that which makes us stressed, and afraid, and uncomfortable, is something we've modeled as 'self-care.'
Certainly, it's not my intention to shame people who have chronic mental illness, into not caring for their mental health. However, the awful reality that we live in right now, one where black people are targeted with police violence, whose rights are trampled as a matter of course - that reality is in large part caused by our tendency to avert our eyes from it. Because it's easier to not look at it, to not think about it.
When society averts its eyes, black people are murdered. History has shown this to be true time and time again, and right now it is happening before our very eyes.
And so we cannot look away.
We have to demand justice. Loudly, forcefully, until real change happens.
Not half-hearted concessions.
Not one conviction of one murderer, just to be followed by another thirty years of murders of black people that go cruelly unpunished.
Real change. Fundamental, foundational change.
Black Lives Matter. This is not up for debate.
Thank you if you're reading.
Black Lives Matter.
We cannot avert our eyes from the injustice and suffering of black people in our nation and around the world. Their mistreatment, the unfairness and fear they live in every day must end.
Furries, I see, often say that the fandom is a 'safe escape' from the problems of the world. I understand this impulse, but understand two things.
First, we have many POC in our fandom whose lived experience of racism against them is not something they can turn off, especially our black friends, community members, and chosen family.
If we treat the fandom as a place where their real struggles and suffering are things to hide from, we alienate them. We tell them that this is not a safe community for anyone but white people. I refuse to do that and I encourage anyone who has tried to avoid 'taking sides' to look deeply inward, and look deeply at the people around them, who need support, and consider that their continued silence does, in fact, send a message.
Secondly, the act of averting ones eyes from that which makes us stressed, and afraid, and uncomfortable, is something we've modeled as 'self-care.'
Certainly, it's not my intention to shame people who have chronic mental illness, into not caring for their mental health. However, the awful reality that we live in right now, one where black people are targeted with police violence, whose rights are trampled as a matter of course - that reality is in large part caused by our tendency to avert our eyes from it. Because it's easier to not look at it, to not think about it.
When society averts its eyes, black people are murdered. History has shown this to be true time and time again, and right now it is happening before our very eyes.
And so we cannot look away.
We have to demand justice. Loudly, forcefully, until real change happens.
Not half-hearted concessions.
Not one conviction of one murderer, just to be followed by another thirty years of murders of black people that go cruelly unpunished.
Real change. Fundamental, foundational change.
Black Lives Matter. This is not up for debate.
Thank you if you're reading.
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