F*ck No to Bully Disclaimers
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One of the first things you see when you open Bad Glee Fic is a link with the words 'OFFENDED? READ THIS' in big letters. I have to admit that I didn't realize there was a disclaimer for being a self-proclaimed bully, but apparently there is. Well, here are my thoughts on that disclaimer. Hopefully many of you feel as saddened as I do by this and will let the authors of Bad Glee Fic know how you feel.
Quotations taken from Bad Glee Fic: A General Release of Sorts
Hey, offended person! Are you new to fandom? Chances are, like over half of Glee’s fans, you are. Well let me let you in on a secret: snarking fic is a long-standing tradition in fandom.
Well, I suppose that fandoms were around more than thirteen years ago when I first got into Buffy, but I think they probably consisted mostly of Trekkies sculpting the perfect Spock ears. So no, I am not new to fandom, but I still don't think this is okay. And yes, making fun of people is a long-standing tradition just about everywhere, from playgrounds to cocktail parties to Facebook to sleepovers in your own bedroom. That doesn't make it right and that doesn't make it any less hurtful. I have to say that your point is invalid.
And guess what? It’s not that big a deal.
Actually, it is. Maybe it's not a big deal to the person doing the snarking, but it has made many people cry, including me and people I have been very close to. It has made people give up writing, believe bad things about themselves, fall into depression, and even think about suicide. If you have made even ONE person feel these things tell me, is it worth it?
I have written badfic. I’ve seen them mocked and hey, I’ve joined in.
Maybe you have. Maybe you truly have really, really thick skin and it's all fun for you even when you are the victim. But in that case I am here to let you know that the majority of us are not so tough. So please, respect that and stop ripping apart things that people work hard on.
I’ve also enjoyed tearing apart published works; like most fiction lovers, I have a copy of Twilight where every other line highlighted with a pithy comment added— and what’s that, you say?
But do you post these things for all of Stephanie Meyer's friends and foes to see, knowing that it will humiliate and hurt her? Did Stephanie Meyer spend hours of her own time writing Twilight to post free on the internet for everyone to enjoy, for no other reason than for her own pleasure and her hope that it will bring pleasure to others? Is the feedback of fellow fandomers that she considers friends, not foes, simply because they are in fandom together the only feedback Stephanie Meyer will get on her hard work? I'm sorry, but this is not the same thing.
I love fiction? Yes, I do. Not to get purple about it, but the ability to craft things out of words is one of the most unique gifts we have as a species.
Agreed. Which is why I would never publicly ridicule someone's hard work. Your writing gets better with practice and this sort of humiliation could turn someone off writing forever. It could make them truly believe that they are terrible and that they have no chance of getting better. It could make them give up.
You don’t need to turn fanfic writing into a chore. You don’t have to make it dazzling. You can write what you want — I’m not stopping you. I’ll encourage it even, because writing is awesome. However, as I would advise any person who enjoys the craft — get the fuck over it. Seriously. If you spend your time obsessing over the details, over what I’m saying, you’re wasting time that could better be spent writing.
It is not so easy to just "get the fuck over it." Everyone knows this, deep down, because at one time or another in our lives we have all been on both sides. The ridiculer and the ridiculed. Bashing people can make us feel popular and strong and can help make up for times when we were the ones being bashed. But it is not true strength, the popularity from it is fleeting and, in the end, it is just wrong. Hateful words can easily break people, truly making them believe that they have no talent. It can make people terrified to write. Some people might see sites such as yours and never even dare to give it a try just in case they are your next target.
If you truly love writing, if it really gives you joy, nothing will stop you. You can take the criticism and incorporate it into bettering your skillset, or you can just keep on truckin’. Either way, you don’t stop believing, you hold onto that feeling, street lights, ect ect.
This is just flat out not true. People have emotions and it doesn't matter how much you love writing--if all you get is public ridicule every time you write something, you're not going to keep writing. These words are just excuses, excuses to bully people for your own entertainment. Saying "Oh, well, they just need to have thicker skin--people who TRULY love writing will never give up, even if I laugh at everything they write." is just a means to your own end, a way to win people to your side so that they won't call you out for your bullying. And it is not an acceptable excuse.
So, offended person. If you’re an author whose work has been torn into here you should re-evaluate your priorities if you think complaining is more important than writing more.
Maybe people are just tired of trying not to cry as they watch their hard work torn apart. It's a little hard to write when you don't even want to get out of bed. If anyone needs to re-evaluate their priorities then it is absolutely you. Because apparently your main priority is making fun of people as self-proclaimed bullies. If you think making fun of people is more important than lifting people up, you are definitely the ones who need a wake up call.
If you’re just a bystander who has decided to take the mantle of hero upon their shoulders and save the poor little writers: quit it. They don’t need you. They need a thicker hide and a way to write.
If I'm a hero, we're in trouble, because I am never going to save the rainforest or stop a terrorist attack. I will never save children from an evil minotaur or find a holy grail or even refuse to sit at the back of the bus. But I'm also not going to be silent. You are wrong when you say writers don't need us. I'm not a hero, but I'm not going to be silent while you bully people. Glee has taken a strong stance against bullying, making a point again and again about how messed up it is when people are unwilling to help those being bullied right in front of their faces. So make fun of me, say I'm trying to be a hero or that I want attention or that I need to get a life. It will hurt, but I will get over it. Because I may not be able to stop you, but I am not going to stand by silently while you bully people just trying to enjoy fandom and have fun.
Congrats on getting me to write this much. I enjoyed it.
Congrats to you as well, though I have to say I did not enjoy it.
