I am done with twitter; maybe I am done with the gaming community. The twitter gaming community seems to condone the "Dear Men / White Men / White People" messages being put out in the community. I am a middle-aged overweight cis white male, and according to these people that makes me the problem. I have been called out, as part of this larger group by people preaching hate. My actions are not considered. There was immediate backlash when I tried to call this out as unfair. I am truly deeply hurt. I think less of myself. I think less of my contributions to the community. When I needed a positive message or just a helping hand, there were none, not from strangers, not from people I admire.
My daughter came and hugged me when she saw I was leaving twitter. It made me cry. She knows how much I put into this. I don't like to quit, not as an example to her. I just can't be healthy in this environment, this community anymore. I can't be an ally and a voice for diversity and equality in a community that thinks it is okay to focus its hate on me for existing.
Like others who were told they were the problem because of their race and/or gender, I am leaving with my bad experience. There is a point you live long enough sometimes that you become the thing you hate. For me, that is just being a overweight middle-aged cis white man.
The solution for the community is simple. Hold just individuals accountable for their hateful behavior. Anything short of that won't solve the problem.
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