another thought on this episode of racefail

[maevele]

It's a very effective way to silence people. Regardless of what effect it has directly on coffeeandink, others who see this drama are seeing that if they piss the wrong people off, or call the wrong people out, they are fair game for outing. This can affect people's livelyhoods and safety. Therefore, people who can't afford to have their usernames connected to their legal names, maybe because they post about queer issues and can't be out to family/work, or because they post things that could make them a target for internet crazies, like feminists and 4chan, or just that they post about social issues in a way that could hurt them with a conservative employer, all those people, will be scared silent. It's better than censorship, because you can still claim you never said they couldn't say anything, ut if they do, they know you may out them if you disagree with them.

Therefore, you are silencing the marginalized, while allowing those with certain comfortable privileges to post without a second thought, because it will not affect their life if you out them.

Comments

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[lalouve.livejournal.com]

This thought occurred to me too - I thought long and hard about what I was willing to put on the web in connection with this. Even though I'm privileged, I do not want my legal name linked to my LJ.

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

You're far from the only one.

[lalouve.livejournal.com]

I wish this surprised me.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Yes, this. I wrote a post about this recently, and this is why. They are practicing silencing tactics, which should not and cannot be allowed to work.

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree with all of this.

[vass]

Very well said and thought.