This whole pointless debate about semantics and my personal choice to use, for the very first time, a term that has been used to demean and degrade myself and anyone non hetero-sexual for at least as long as it's been possible for me to comprehend, in reference to myself as a tangible, physical symbol that I am no longer planning to hide parts of the person I always will be, sacrificing my own happiness because that happiness apparently offends some members of society could have been avoided, and was avoided by everyone else, if only people would remember that:
A) The context forms the intention and provides the background whether referring to sexuality with one's tongue firmly in their cheek or having a chat about the world economy and impact of terrorism.
B) My use of terms in reference to myself and my being Moderator are two completely separate things.
C) Simply because I Moderate this forum does not make my personal view the view of the staff, the forum, myself or anyone else any more correct.
D) Ascribing extra weight to my posts, or that of any Moderator, is not what the position means, and is a massive mistake.
E) The very term "Moderator" is remarkably close to "Moderate", and quite far away from "Dedicated Personal Offense Nazi", and to me that little bit of common sense helps form how I approach the task. Moderately. No extremes, and that refers to all possible views, be they one's I agree with, my own, one's I disagree with, those of posters I care for as people or those of posters I may not personally like. This debacle simply proves why the task is approached in this way.
F) This forum is not simply for those of us who spend half our lives here, but for anyone at all, provided they act like a grown adult, to read the 6.6 million contributions people have made over the years on an almost infinite range of topics and learn from, and possibly contribute themselves.
G) "This is why the forum's gone to shit" is not the same as "Our views on the matter are opposing", and the staff are told a good half dozen or so different reasons daily, quite often it's the go to comment that is tacked onto a matter of personal disagreement. I welcome anyone to post in the dedicated Sticky that is specifically there for you guys to add constructive criticism, as this forum is bigger than any of us, and the comments in there are what we as a staff team have to rely on some times.
H) I'm a career drug addict once I log off this forum, and many of my posts on the forum are about my issues with substance use, so my conduct tends to be slightly erratic at times.
I) No one is above the rules, and I actually messaged another Mod, via personal social media, who wasn't even online on BL to read over the first few relevant posts before I replied. My view is subject to my emotional filter and I needed to ensure I wasn't simply being an irrational dickwad. I requested an infraction if I was incorrect.
J) The actual reason we've seen a reduction in posters over the last few years is that we seem to have forgotten the intention behind this forum's existence - to provide facts and advice to those who need it more than any other on topics that are complete taboo anywhere else. Instead we have devolved into a bunch of familiar faces using this site as a soapbox for any sad, contrived bullshit we can somehow tie into a more valid point with zero consequence to our physical selves, but potentially at great cost to people we don't even know are reading. My plan for today was to write up a Sticky on Naloxone Administration and dispel some of the myths that surround it. Instead I've spent it watching people I care greatly for argue over things they actually understand, trying to calmly type replies that are clear to both members and lurkers, all the while feeling responsible for every life lost because of time wasted acting like a parent to grown adults can't agree to disagree, put their self aside for the good of the forum, or just fucking log out when they get the urge to throw their toys out of the pram.
I wouldn't even have to be a Moderator if this forum didn't become a parallel of a prison riot whenever there is a disagreement.
Every single one of us could die tomorrow, I'd prefer it not to be because we wasted a golden opportunity to help others.
) to a gleaming shine*
:D
