And really, what sort of activism is scribbling things all over goggles? Good job. You really made your stand on a java plugin only a few people have that won’t actually stop anyone from “glorifying” anything. You’ve done the very utmost in armchair slacktivism. Now you feel good and can give yourself a pat on the back for doing absolutely nothing to actually help solve the problems inherent in rape culture. And, in fact, hurting and triggering victims in the process! 

If you’re going to try and do something helpful for social justice purposes, at least know what you’re talking about first. Do some research and basic reading. Things are hells more complicated than a simple education by reading the cherubplay tag on tumblr will teach you. Some “kinks” are indulged in by rape, incest, and abuse survivors because it gives them a way to work out their feelings while having control over the situation and being able to duck out if it gets too bad for them. The separate terms “noncon” and “dubcon” are helpful to many survivors because it helps them narrow down a situation that they feel safe (and cathartic!) roleplaying or reading about, where the other situation could trigger them, and labeling it as one or the other doesn’t mean rape is being skimmed over or glorified. 

And anyway, I find it tremendously easy to tell which prompts are being posted just to be skeevy? There’s a certain tone to them that’s easy to pick up on if you know what you’re looking for.

Of course there’s creeps posting these prompts, but labeling everyone who does as a creep is harmful and ignorant to actual survivors.

It’s all well and good to understand that rape culture is real, and rape shouldn’t be glorified, but don’t fucking throw actual survivors under the bus in order to feel like you’re a more correct, more progressive person. You’re speaking over survivors and ignoring their voice on the issues by dismissing all of them as creeps and pedophiles who would get off on this behavior irl. 

Do some basic reading. Listen to what survivors have to say about the issue. Kinks should be examined and discussed, yes, without a doubt, but all this posturing in the tag and scribbling “CHILD RAPISTS” on goggles – what does that actually do to aid survivors? To stop rape? To fight rape culture? 

Don’t force survivors to out themselves. Don’t have a “you must be this oppressed to kink” bar – or, god forbid, a “you can’t work out your issues because what about my soapbox?” bar. Don’t trigger and ignore survivors in your crusade. Don’t get out a rubber stamp and use it to label victims working out issues as pedophiles and apologists. Discuss things. Examine them. Criticize them.

But don’t fucking fling actual survivors under your soapbox and use them as your pedestal while ignoring what they actually have to say.