Problem Chylde: Live from Pressure Cooker, USA

Comment Policy

Posted by Sylvia/M on January 13th, 2008

Just call me Torrance. And besides the default rule of not laughing if a cheering accident renders me naked, I have other guidelines for running this blog.

This is not a democracy. It’s a cheerocracy. Meaning that if you come in here spewing any manner of racist/sexist/homophobic/transphobic/classist/ablist/ageist bullshit and then try to cry free speech, it doesn’t carry. My house, my rules: you’ll get banned.

I try to keep spam comments to a minimum, but if I miss something, please let me know. My e-mail’s on the sidebar.

First time commenters get moderated initially, and if they’re not being offensive, I let them through. Offense is an objective and subjective determination. If you think I’ve deleted your comment in error, e-mail me (e-mail’s on the sidebar).

My goal is to create a safe space for women and men of color, LGBTQI, people with disabilities, people of all ages (though I do curse a lot), and people working class and lower. If you have any suggestions for improving this space for any of these groups that AREN’T IGNORANT TROLLING DON’T TEST ME I’LL CHEER YOU TO DEATH, e-mail me and we can discuss it.

The Anti-Essentialist Conundrum Comment Policy of Olde. 

In this post, I discussed the direction in which I want to take my blog, and I ruminated over guidelines that would keep the blog focused in that direction.  In the thread, I listed this as my blog’s purpose:

…I want my blog to be a safe space for oppressed groups. With that said, people should be mindful of whatever privileges they may have.

Also, I want this blog to be a meeting of people trying to find their voices and speak their minds.

I did not mention how much this blog also serves as a safe space for me, and a window for me to communicate with others I appreciate deeply.  For the most part, I will try to keep personal experiences off my blog, except if they inform my perspective on an issue.  That rule is not a gag order for everyone else who wants to speak on their experiences; I think I’m just growing out of the idea I should share everything online.  lol

So, onto some policy measures.  I’ll add rules as I need them, but for now, note these:

  • The one thing I always do is get rid of advertising spam if it leaks onto the blog.  Very basic function.  And if you see any I missed, please tell me by e-mailing “sylviasrevenge [at] mad [dot] scientist [dot] com.”
  • If someone blatantly disrupts conversation, or habitually steps over the line and disrupts conversation (a “habitual line stepper,” a “troll”), that person will first be warned and then be banned.  Fool me once; fool me twice and all that.  Two strikes.  I’m worse than California.
  • When speaking on this blog, the tone alternates between joking around and serious discussion on a lot of different topics.  Be observant of the tone.  Convey your words as clearly as possible, using whatever textual tools you have.  The internet has a habit of creating misunderstandings where there should be none.  So our job as communicators is to make things easier on the people who read us.  (Fickle as they are, I have smileys enabled, so they help a little when joking or expressing sarcasm.)
  • Help me help you.  If you see someone engaging in behaviors that raise red flags, let me know so I can try to straighten things out as much as I can.  We’re here to be allies, friends, supporters — not feuders, ranters, and haters.  Mainstream media have that game locked down; we need to focus on what we’re good at.  ;)

January 28, 2007 — effective.

8 Responses to 'Comment Policy'

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  1. I made a comment policy. « Problem Chylde: Learning in Transition said, on January 13th, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    [...] Comment Policy [...]

  2. nosnowhere said, on January 14th, 2008 at 12:30 am

    you should know that i watched ‘bring it on’ at least three times a week my entire senior year of high school. i love the fact that this is a cheerocracy.

  3. Joan Kelly said, on January 14th, 2008 at 8:42 pm

    Seconding what noshowhere wrote, minus how many times I’ve seen Bring It On. (Many, but not three times a week for a year, alas.)

    Also - Torrance and the “new girl” who ends up being her BFF totally had more romantic/sexual chemistry than Torrance and that girl’s brother, who Torrance ended up with. Who’s with me? I still feel ripped off about it…

  4. Sylvia said, on January 14th, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    TOTALLY. I was hoping for something to happen on that front.

  5. jonolan said, on January 14th, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    Define working class, please. I may not qualify if your stringent in definition. As for color, does pale beige count? LOL!

  6. masteradept said, on January 14th, 2008 at 9:50 pm

    “Bring It On” …Do you know how much I love that movie!

  7. jonolan said, on January 14th, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    Eliza Dushku and cheerleaders, need this admittedly unreconstructed male say more?

  8. isolator86 said, on January 15th, 2008 at 5:56 pm

    I have to say, I probably like Bring It On more than I used to - I’m biased against cheerleaders, but it is a funny movie.

    And yeah, I certainly don’t mind seeing Eliza Dushku either.

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