There are three main types of people who rush to defend creators rightfully condemned for bad behavior:
1) "Don't take away my stuff!"
2) "What if I mess up?"
3) "But I do that, so it can't be bad!"
It's useful to identify which category people fall into so we can move forward.
1) "Don't take away my stuff!"
2) "What if I mess up?"
3) "But I do that, so it can't be bad!"
It's useful to identify which category people fall into so we can move forward.
(There's a fourth category who like to argue/talk "both sides"/suck up energy who are exhausting and unhelpful and should be ignored.) Moving on.
1) "Don't take away my stuff!" You have a connection to what the creator has made. Now this connection is lost or tainted, and that hurts.
There are many things we discover to be problematic as we move through life. We can distance ourselves quickly or slowly, or choose to keep engaging with them. These choices have consequences. Many people will let you deal with this transition at your own pace.
Others with more skin in the game may rightfully call you out, which also hurts, but is essential to building a world where all people are respected. Remember, you are the one with the power to choose your outcome. There are plenty of other creators you can support.
2) "What if I mess up?" You see the called-out behavior as an isolated incident. Because it doesn't affect you personally, it seems like a "little thing." If they can be "ruined" for "one little thing," what's to protect you from the same fate next time you make a mistake?
Let's unpack this. First, it's never a one time thing. Any powerful creator who has been publicly called out has a long history of problematic comments and behaviors, specifically because it's so dangerous to call out a powerful person without people and receipts to back you up.
Trust me, for every person called out, there are dozens more comfortably continuing in their problematic behaviors, no matter what industry your talking about.
Second, it's not a "mistake." If I step on your toe or spill wine on you I instantly feel awful, apologize profusely, rush to remedy the mistake, and think deeply about what I can do to avoid the situation in the future. That's what it looks like to make a mistake.
We've all suffered from a mistake. We identify others feeling that pain. But it's important to realize that just because this is the first you're seeing it doesn't mean it's the first time it's happened, and there's a difference between a mistake and a conscious behavior pattern.
3) "But I do that, so it can't be bad!" Consider yourself extremely lucky that you're not the one being called out. Now is your opportunity to change. We're done putting up with this kind of behavior, and we refuse to stay silent any longer.
Speaking of mistakes, I've already found two in this thread and I feel awful 

