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PSA: For folks in marginalized groups, having to field unprompted questions from people "wanting to learn" can be a very tedious and draining task. Please don't badger people you don't know with a battery of questions on their issues unless they've said they're ok with it. 1/
If you want to learn, Google tends to be a good place to go. If you REALLY don't know where to start, ask for sources! It shows you're at least willing to do your part.
The issue is that some people say "I want to learn" to bait ppl into exhausting back-and-forths.. 2/
The issue is that some people say "I want to learn" to bait ppl into exhausting back-and-forths.. 2/
...with the goal of wasting a person's time, or baiting an angry/dismissive response. These responses are then typically used by bad-faith actors as "proof" that the community is unreasonable and unwilling to teach... 3/
Which is pretty much untrue when tons of threads are made daily on here by people who want to educate others on their issues! Resources for learning do exist, but it's not up to random ppl in the community to be unprompted spokespeople for an entire group's issues. 4/
Another aspect is that folks in marginalized communities already spend a lot of time having to justify their existence in the face of hate and bigotry. So when ppl come to them, typically in DMs, asking to explain their existence, it can feel like more of the same. 5/
On another note, if you're an ally and someone asks you about an issue that marginalized folks face and you're not sure how to respond, point them towards resources instead of people. And if you're going to send them to someone, at least get their approval first... 6/
Oh, and another important note: Even if someone stated they're okay with taking questions, realize that they're still people, not search engines. If they're not willing to answer because they're not in the right headspace to educate, don't hold it against them. 7/7
