// incest, loli, zoo

Gonna ramble a bit about something cause i wanna hear other thoughts on it

I think my biggest changing opinion this year has been about how fiction affects reality, and realizing how divided the art community is over this, and how serious this actually is

I used to be very of the opinion that oh, you can explore whatever through your art, its your art and it doesnt matter. I keep seeing this opinion in artists who have jobs, and who dont HAVE to care about the mental wellbeing of others if they dont want to (eg white, privileged)

Im a strong believer in supporting artists, and over the last year ive been meeting more and more people who have been negatively affected and traumatized by artists who expose harmful kinks and fetishes to others.

I used to be friends with someone who was into incest shipping and i said uh sure dude thats fucked up but its your shit, i cant change you, i know you need my friendship so ill ignore. But i had to break that friendship, after i stepped back and listened to how hurt people were

Theres a trickle down effect, even if you dont intend for it, of normalizing, of your art being used to groom others, of allowing artists who shut affected people down into the industry, making it unsafe for them to enter. Theres more to it than "oh xyz is overreacting again"

I think all of this is pretty clear to more marginalized groups but its literally taken me this long to realize it. And its such a widespread "it doesnt matter dude calm down" but it does matter! Please listen to your community! Please listen to kids!!!

Loli affects real pedophiles! Incest affects real incest cases! Animalistic furry art affects zoophilia! Theres a trickle down effect! And we really need to stop letting people normalize stuff.

I think that holding each other accountable, encouraging each other to realize that accepting illegal activities is really unhealthy and damaging to the art community, its the best thing we can do

I think bigger artists just need to listen to the smaller people in the community, if someone dms you or calls you out, just listen. Hear them out and really dont take it as an attack. Have a conversation and make sure you take in their side.

Notice where people have problems with things and let those opinions sink in. People go through shit because of art and these communities and i think we all need realize that. Our art is not powerless at all.

Also context is important. BDSM vs r*pe art. Is your art going to be able to make someone say "look its not so bad, this persons doing it". Theres no consent in the scene, like youd have with BDSM and roleplay. Thats important to think about when youre doing art, i think.