There’s been a massive problem within the fandom which is why I’ve decided to stay quiet so long and made me consider not only staying quiet, but either privating my account.
Recently, someone was brought to tears due to being pulled into a public list of not being showed. Someone deliberately and openly put up a list of “people for you not to interact with”, as though they think it’s their job to police the fandom. As if they’re trying to keep people from interacting with others, and trying to manipulate a fandom filled with both people that can easily be manipulated and those younger that can be made to think a certain way.
This kind of bullying, policing and social stigma in a fandom- a community that we love and only want to foster a good environment- isn’t going to be tolerated.
You do not call people out like this. You can’t make people behave a certain way, and force an ultimatum on them. You can’t bully people into being pushed to the side and make people be afraid to talk to them because of something petty and meaningless. Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should.
If you do this, you are the reason why a fandom turns poisonous and hostile. You’re the reason why a fandom loses numbers and dwindles. You don’t own anything, you have no power in a fandom. You don’t have any right to try to make this fandom your spider web where you weave people in and out of it at your leisure.
I’ve been seeing this happen so often, and it’s infuriating. If you’re one of these people, or you know people like that, it’s important to reflect on it and learn to be a better person. You shouldn’t do this to people, it’s damaging not only to others, but to the entire fandom. You’re the reason why people abandon a fandom, become anxious, and fear conflict. You shouldn’t force people not to interact with others. It’s a free platform. People can do whatever they want, and it’s not your business what they do with interacting with others in a fandom unless if it’s illegal.
You have no right. The fandom doesn’t belong to you. You don’t own a part in it. It belongs to everyone that wants to be part of it and it’s a free reign for everyone.
And another thing: you never, ever, ever tell people to harm themselves or kill them. If you do that, that’s the scummiest, most God awful things that you can possibly do. You have no idea what someone has gone through, and that can easily send them over the edge. Hold your tongue, no matter how you feel. If you’re young? Not an excuse. If you’re gay? Not an excuse. Trans? Not an excuse. Person of color? Not an excuse.
There’s no excuse for this kind of toxin. There’s no excuse for any of this drama or social parasitism.