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ANTIS AND LANGUAGE: a thread ♥︎
Every now and again I come across the question on why antis talk to and about pro-shippers the way they do and here’s my take on why. Now, an anti or fanti is a person who engages in harassment, ostracisation, abuse and bullying of individuals who enjoy/create/consume +
content deemed as problematic. (NOTE: it doesn’t make you an anti to not like a ship or dynamic, everyone has likes and dislikes, though it becomes a problem when you endorse and engage in the harassment of others based on this).
A pro-shipper is a person who is against censorship, harassment campaigns, abuse and problematic fictional scenarios becoming real-life events (example: the manhwa Killing Stalking is popular but the actions taking place in it should never happen in real life and be endorsed).
Now, with the definitions out of the way, I mentioned language, in particular, in the title of this thread to break down the way antis refer to and talk about pro-shippers.
A common word thrown around is the word “pedophile” which is already loaded, as well as “child predator” +
A common word thrown around is the word “pedophile” which is already loaded, as well as “child predator” +
which I have seen a few occasions but the ones I want to talk about in particular is the word “freak”. The word has many negative connotations and appropriately so, the word can be considered a loaded descriptor, meaning that it’s intent it to hurt and belittle +
to elicit a response, which is exactly what antis want. Like most bullies, what they seek is a negative reaction, and sometimes giving them no reaction at all or reacting the opposite of what they seek has one of two responses.
1). They don’t get entertainment from +
1). They don’t get entertainment from +
a lack of a response, so they move on to the next person.
2.) they try and up the ante by becoming crueller and more vindictive until they get one.
Past that, let’s look at the history of this particular word. By definition, the word “freak” means:
2.) they try and up the ante by becoming crueller and more vindictive until they get one.
Past that, let’s look at the history of this particular word. By definition, the word “freak” means:
“A freak refers to a person who is physically deformed or transformed due to an extraordinary medical condition or body modification. The term's original neutral connotation became entirely negative during the 20th century.”
Though, the word also has ableist ties.
Though, the word also has ableist ties.
[ TW: transphobic slurs ]
Other uses of the word are directed towards trans people, included in this list: Slurs are a form of transphobia. Slurs such as "tranny", "freak", "science experiment"...
However, how are antis using the word freak, if not in a transphobic +
Other uses of the word are directed towards trans people, included in this list: Slurs are a form of transphobia. Slurs such as "tranny", "freak", "science experiment"...
However, how are antis using the word freak, if not in a transphobic +
or ableist way? Well, words have meaning, and the meaning of this word is inherently negative but often the word “freak” is directed towards anything sexual in nature (which is still loaded in and of itself. Many of the people this word is used towards ARE queer or disabled).
The point of the use of this word (and many others I’m sure this thread could be applied to) is simple. It’s solely to dehumanise.
It’s right there in the definition, the word has historical context to be used towards people society may deem as “less than human” +
It’s right there in the definition, the word has historical context to be used towards people society may deem as “less than human” +
which is how antis tend to see pro-shippers. It’s been shown time and time again that antis don’t see pro-shippers AS living people unless it is in a perfunctory way to make themselves seem or feel less guilty about the abuse they deal (even going as far as to say they don’t +
consider the way they treat pro-shippers as being abusive or being actions that can be considered harassment or slander or whatever the case may be.)
Antis do not see pro-shippers as people with feelings unless they are using that as a weapon. They laugh and mock and hurt those they feel are lesser than themselves, even going as far as to physically harm, hospitalise and attempt to kill them +
(ex: Undertale artist who had sewing needles put into a food gift from antis).
It’s no surprise this also transfers to the language they use as well.
From an academic standpoint, the way antis use language is interesting, if it wasn’t also so dangerous.
It’s no surprise this also transfers to the language they use as well.
From an academic standpoint, the way antis use language is interesting, if it wasn’t also so dangerous.
How is it dangerous? Earlier, I said that antis often throw around the terms “pedophile”, “child predator”, even “rapist” on the occasion and this is how their self-serving use of language becomes dangerous: it actively writes over the pre-existing meaning of these words.
Due to these words often being used to refer to people who are pro-ship or to conflate a fictional scenario to that of a real life one, many people will no longer look at an accusation of pedophilia or child abuse as real on the basis that they may think it’s about +
something that is not real. The watering down of these heavy terms does nothing but put more real children in danger, especially if antis go so far as to report fictional content to services for REAL LIFE events because THAT is an example of wasting resources +
and endangering children more than a niche fan-fiction ever will.
[TW: talk of grooming/CSA]
The argument “but X piece of fiction was used to groom me and therefore it is dangerous” is one that I have seen many times. Firstly, I would like to say that I’m sorry that happened.
[TW: talk of grooming/CSA]
The argument “but X piece of fiction was used to groom me and therefore it is dangerous” is one that I have seen many times. Firstly, I would like to say that I’m sorry that happened.
Secondly, I would like to say that it’s not that piece of fanart or fan-fictions fault. I’m sorry, but it’s not, that blame goes solely on the groomer, that is a decision THEY made, and that sort of fiction may become a trigger, or it may not, whichever way it spins +
the blame cannot be put on that of an inanimate object because it has no thoughts or feelings, but people do, and using pro-shippers as scapegoats and dart boards for anger and hurt does nothing, it saves no one, it helps no one.
I’ve gone a bit off track but I would like to end this thread with the child abuse and sexual assault hotlines, as well as the different sources used to cite definitions, quotes and factoids in the above thread, thank you for reading.
NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-422-4453
SEXUAL ASSAULT: 1-800-656-4673
SOURCES: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Transphobia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak
https://www.aclweb.org/anthology/2020.alw-1.17.pdf
https://medium.com/@trekfaerie/antis-will-have-a-body-count-89390b491716 https://www.article19.org/resources/inhope-members-reporting-artwork-as-child-sexual-abuse/
SEXUAL ASSAULT: 1-800-656-4673
SOURCES: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Transphobia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak
https://www.aclweb.org/anthology/2020.alw-1.17.pdf
https://medium.com/@trekfaerie/antis-will-have-a-body-count-89390b491716 https://www.article19.org/resources/inhope-members-reporting-artwork-as-child-sexual-abuse/
