bladeosaurus
[USPol] On The Safety Pin
MOVED
I've heard some bigots have co-opted the safety pin thing as well :/ so it's not as safe as planned
sAlty
that's a really good article though
bladeosaurus
christ america, why
bladeosaurus
but yeah it's a well-informed read
𝖉𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖌*⛥*ﾟ・。*
because 'Murica, sadly :/
✨ Skele-taur ✨
this is a good roundup of controversies but tbh i feel like we have actual work to do so like, wear it or not!
✨ Skele-taur ✨
i've heard a lot of testimony of people who feel comforted by seeing it, so i think there's value in forging ahead whether or not bigots want to coopt it. i'm not sure what they'd accomplish by it
bladeosaurus
If marginalized people feel better in public spaces when they see someone wearing a safety pin nearby then I think it's worth it. Like "oh there's someone over there who'll step in if I need help."
bladeosaurus
i will do my best to f*ck up any bigot who f*cks with you 1"... I LIKE THIS THO
trashyfaeprince
omg yes
whomst 🌸
how is this real. "oh they feel safe with this! let's wear it and terrorize them for lulz"
whomst 🌸
just waiting for it.
PHONY
bladeosaurus
: assuming the person wearing it is an actual ally
PHONY
i have! a lot!! of problems!!!! with the safety pin
bladeosaurus
YAH I'M READING. I just??? how are people such assholes
PHONY
not to say comfort isn't important but i keep feeling that it's more potentially harmful than anything else
PHONY
and it's yet another "cute" trend people might adopt just because
PHONY
(or just to be assholes)
bladeosaurus
i liked the essay because it's very clear on it being a commitment. like ok u put this on but it's not just to feel good about yourself, you need to be willing to engage
PHONY
yeah it good
→ yard sard
on the reacting side to seeing a pin: if I even see a pin around, I would feel comforted. and if I was in a position where I might need to approach someone, or do something more than just observe a pin--
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
i wouldn't feel comforted unless i saw someone with a pin do something to protect me while wearing it
→ yard sard
I would be approaching someone I would feel safe with anyway... which likely wouldn't be a white bro
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
just seeing a safety pin would actually make me assume they won't lift a hand to help me at all and approaching them would make me even more vulnerable
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
because i'll have just exposed that i am being threatened, in front of ppl trying to get that reaction out of me/ensure i am their target, in hopes that someone will see it and help me, only
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
well, hey! safety pin! ask me how i'm an ally! and then they do nothing, because that would involve getting harmed themselves.
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
that's the best case scenario i see for myself if i see someone with one of these and they aren't wearing it in the process of already intervening to help me.
PHONY
lacerata: thank you for always being so articulate
→ yard sard
oh dang a bunch of these replies didn't show up while I was posting
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
on its own it's even more meaningless than a change.org petition.
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
i have no issue with anyone wearing it while they take action or wearing it as a reminder to themselves that they promised to do just that also but honestly ...
→ yard sard
I'm thinking more of when I'm feeling unsafe or threatened in a way that isn't obvious to others around me
→ yard sard
if someone's wearing a pin and not getting involved when shit is visibly going down? fuck those guys.
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
i think honestly if the pin serves any purpose at all, it shouldn't really be as some sort of external welcome-mat - altright tumblr's already planning to trick people by wearing it, for one thing -
塔露拉·雅特利亞斯
it should be a gesture someone does to remind themselves not to forget that they have a responsibility to be part of their communities in all the forms they take.
trashyfaeprince
that's really well put
bladeosaurus
Yeah, I agree.
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
i feel almost like there are two different conversations to be had here - like, if a situation is happening in front of your face, yes, you should get your ass in there and do what you can. wearing a safety pin
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
isn't going to change the feelings of a person in the middle of being somehow assaulted for their identity.
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
but what do we do for the people who aren't visibly being attacked? how do people communicate that they are safe to the poc or transperson who wants a safety buddy to walk from the mall to their car?
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
or someone who wants to sit next to a safe person on the train just in case?
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
like yes, i am a queer person and i fit some lesbian stereotypes, but as a white cis woman in TX i'm aware that i do not necessarily look safe, even if i will stab some bigot dudebro with my keys for you.
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
i'm not trying to be about me, but having some way to communicate to people who have so many fewer reasons to feel safe but aren't at that moment being assaulted seems very important.
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
clearly the safety pin has already been co-opted and isn't trusted.
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
and i, like probably a lot of people, can't wear an overtly political message into work like that excellent badge linked above.
→ yard sard
^these are all of my thoughts basically
→ yard sard
both the situations I'm thinking about, and the frustration over it being co-opted
baby gremlin
THAT PIN IS AMAZING
baby gremlin
But yeah...
baby gremlin
I guess the most people can do is give off the vibe they're friendly and be vigilant when they see anything happening sadly.
baby gremlin
Annnd nth everything Tara says always
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
unfortunately i'm not sure there's a 'vibe' for 'i will help you get safely to your car' or 'i'll be your bathroom buddy' or 'if you sit with me on the train i will give the business to anyone harassing you.'
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
and you can't really presume someone doesn't feel safe, or that they do, since most people who are going to be victimized this way have received woman training to never look scared or intimidated.
☽ᴡɪsᴇ ᴡᴏʟғ☾
basically the whole thing sucks
baby gremlin
...ah. Yes.
baby gremlin
._.