I do not know everyone’s pronouns, so I will try to substitute as I’m able.
A few days ago I joined a server made by @rq-7n7. The servers name is rad casino.
I’ve mentioned how I am not fond of @v3n0mqu33r. Hee refuses to translate hiis typing quirk. I have blocked hiim for this.
In rad casino, Chance brought up Vemon. I asked if this ask the same vemon who was ableist by refusing to translate his typing quirk. I’m unsure who, maybe Chance or Mizuki, said that wasn’t ableist. I asked how it wasn’t ableist to not provide a translation when there are people, such as myself, who are visually impaired.
I’m currently on pain medication and recovering from surgery, so I’m just going to go over what I know for certain happened.
I said something along the lines of how Venom needed to provide a translation quirk, but it was inaccessible not to. Chance says something about how we “can’t expect every being to provide a translation for their typing quirk.”
I point that even the attempt at trying to provide some form accessible is better than nothing.
I would also like to add that Chance compares accessibility to contact stances and those are in no way similar. Accessibility is not an option, but something people need to live.
I mention to Chance how this is accomodating those with vision impairments are necessary for allowing them to join the community. Chance asks about beings who struggle to remember or keep up with accomodating those with vision impairments. I say that, at minimum, they could tag that they didn’t add an image id or something similar.
Chance says they don’t have a strong opinion this because, they “don’t have good faith in like a chuck of radqueer tumblr that uses typing quirks” doing that.
We were asked to fighting by someone named LS.RF, who i believe is Chance’s partner. We did, for a moment, until Mizuki goes into the ranting channel and says, in what is clearly a dig at me as mine and chances fight happened not even a minute before: “I feel like it can also be somewhat ableism to insist someone do image descriptions, especially when you never know why someone can’t do that” and to an extent, I agree. I understand not everyone can tag image descriptions or translate their typing quirk, but you can always request someone do it for you, or simply tag that you’re unable to add these things.
However, my issue lies when Chance replies to Mizuki and says; “this. And assuming that everyone is inherently ableist without thinking of, oh I don’t know, nuance.”
My main problem with this reply is that I said many times before that you didn’t need to put an image description or translate their typing quirk if they were unable, but that they should tag if they don’t have those things labeled.
In this image, a user has a non English name. I am friends with this system and will refer to them Danica.
Perviously, Chance, Mizuki and a few others had been censoring tone tags. Someone who has a smiley face as their name, comes online and asks them to stop doing this because it breaks screen readers.
Danica replies that they’re sorry, the rest of the server doesn’t really care about accessibility. Mutt replies to Danica saying that was mean, I reply to Mutt saying it was true, who argues it’s not.
LS.RF asks us to stop fighting once more. I ask why they’re allowed to talk bad about me in the ranting channel, but I cannot defend myself. LS.RF replies that he is trying to calm down all parties, but that I’m making things worse and making everyone uncomfortable.
Chance replies to me, who had brought up the message in rambling, by saying they thought I didn’t want tome tags, so they didn’t clarify the tone of their message, which I called mean. I clarified, saying I only meant we shouldn’t spoil tone tags.
Back fo LS.RF, I reply to him, saying that I’m sorry, but it’s fair that he’s letting this happen when the servers lack of accessibility is harmful to the community.
Chance replies to my comment about tone tags but saying that they are autistic and take things at face value.
I reply that I’m autistic as well. Chance replies: so you would understand, wouldn’t you? I reply back that if Chance can understand things being inaccessible for their autism, why do they don’t care about accessibility for my sight?
LS.RF says something, I honestly don’t remember what, and I reply that says a lot about him. So I can only guess that his reply was roughly related to his neglect to make the server accessible.
Mizuki says I’m making everyone uncomfortable, Mytho agrees. I ask how me wanting accessibly is making someone uncomfortable. They reply that it’s my tone, which I can understand, but I still think my message matters more than my delivery.
Shortly after this, I was timed out. I left the server and I have since cut contact with Chance, who is the only person I know the tumblr account of.
Now, I’ll acknowledge a few things. I should have stopped when asked. I have a short temper and I’m very headstrong, there was no reason for me to drag things on as long as I did.
I could’ve communicated better. I wouldn’t say I was mean, but I understand that, at minimum, I was not the kindest. I was upset and rude and that was not deserved.
My memory and texts might be inconsistent, as said earlier, I’m recovering from major abdominal surgery and also recovering from a manic episode. I am not at the best place in the moment, and while that probably helps explain my actions, it is no excuse.
I do not wish to cause any harm, simply to spread awareness on a growing issue: ableism in the Radqueer community and people excusing it.
Chance was, at the minimum, unaccommodating towards as someone with a visual impairment. Their defensive approach to what could’ve easily been solved be an apology and promise to do better is what I have an issue with, nothing else.
I understand being accommodating can be hard, especially when you have your own disabilities, but people should be able to feel like they can exist in your space.
The Radqueer community is supposed to be about supporting everyone, so why are we leaving our cis disabled beings?
