Everyone and their brother sister sibling has been posting/commenting about Survey!fail, it seems. linkspam has gone a bit mad with all the post roundups - I really love that community.

I don't have much to add to all the discourse, at least in part because I feel kinda of detached from it all. I spent the three years of my degree arguing with determined morons like the "researchers" who sparked off Survey!fail, and I'm just tired of it. They won't change their minds because they have too much incentive not to - behaving like a decent human being with a reasonable set of morals just doesn't weigh against the incentives of privilege, money, and the desire not to take an honest look at their own behaviour.

However, the response from people in fandom has reminded me of just how intelligent, articulate and insightful so many of the people who participate in fandom, however you define "fandom", truly are. Ignoring everything else, a good part of fandom once again shines with the intellects and passions of the people within it.

Unfortunately, that shine has been somewhat tarnished by those who believe the correct response to the behaviour of Ogi and Sai is some quite frankly abusive RPF and photo manips. Please, just ... don't. Those of you who think it's funny should go talk to people who have images of them being sexual abused circulating on the internet. Saying "it's just a story" or "it's just a photoshop" is missing the point, because the effects are the same: a feeling of violation, exposure and degradation. Yes, I know those are feelings Ogi and Sai have caused in many people. Why does that make it okay to do it back?

It's funny how often I'm both proud of and ashamed by fandom in the same breath...

Edit made approx. 2 mins after posting: By "fandom", I mean the collective body of people who read, write, draw, comment, lurk, and so on and so forth in any community setting (in this case internet-based) regarding something that they are a fan of. Argh, bad grammar, but you get the point - I'm trying to be as inclusive as possible. And yeah, that covers a hell of a lot of ground, so it's not really surprising that I should be both proud of and ashamed by fandom as I have defined it. Doesn't change the fact that I would prefer to be one and not the other. Wishful thinking? Probably. Worth thinking? Definitely.

This post contains mentions of child abuse. If you feel this might be triggering, please do not read.

A few days ago jadey linked to a blog on Wordpress called A Search for Survivors, which (funnily enough) searches for survivors of an abusive form of child "therapy" known as holding/attachment therapy.

One of the techniques used in this therapy is to roll a child up in a blanket or rug and tell them to struggle as fiercely as they can to get out while their parents and the healthcare professionals do their best to prevent them from doing so. Several children have died as a result of this treatment.

This blog has been suspended by Wordpress. The blogger has put up a sort of mirror to the last post she made on the website. copperbadge has a more detailed post on what the blog is about and on the suspension available, too.

In the interests of continuing word of mouth on this topic, please consider doing as the maintainer asks: If you oppose the permanent suspension of A Search for Survivors, I ask that you please write WordPress at tosreports@wordpress.com

Put this in the subject line: [WordPress #352210]: 493@childtorture.wordpress.com

Please phrase any protests, inquiries and arguments with the utmost courtesy. Thank you.

I feel this is especially important because, as someone was abused as a child by a childcare professional, I know all too well of the debilitating fear that can come along with your abuser holding a respected position in society. Who am I to say that the way this person has treated me is wrong, when they have qualifications and are trusted, and I am a nobody child/teenager/young adult? Part of the reason it took me twelve years to finally speak to anybody about the abuse I suffered, in any detail, was because I was bone-deep terrified of someone refusing to believe me. Denying what I said. Denying me my voice. If I didn't say anything, I couldn't be told I was wrong.

The suspension of this blog, although it concerns a form of abuse that I (thankfully) never suffered, hits way too close to home as a result. Please help to give these survivors back their voice and the support that comes with having people acknowledge that what they suffered was abuse. Please help protest the suspension with Wordpress.

Edit: Boo to Wordpress.