Oh, so, I meant that, about good bye.

[lettered]

Thought about it a lot, and I'm leaving Livejournal.

That's all dramatic and stuff, but I probably won't be gone until the end of the year. If most people decide to leave, and there's a mass exodus before then, I may be gone earlier. But this journal, my fic journal, and my private backup journal will be gone for certain by January 1, 2008.

I have a lot of stuff to say about the whole LJ/6A debacle, but for some reason every time I start a post on it I just have to get up and walk away from it, give it some time, read lots and lots of Harry/Draco, spend time with my family, or eat ice cream. Can't decide whether I'm too angry about it, depressed perhaps, lazy maybe, or possibly I'm an ostrich? Anyway, during the strikeout in May I felt very energized, but maybe that was because I thought that it was possible that LJ had made a mistake, and after hearing customer complaints, would fix it. In other words, I knew I was going to give Livejournal another chance. Well, I did, but I am still displeased as a customer. So, I take my business elsewhere.

I don't know where. One of the reasons I'm staying on LJ for another few months is that I want to see how many other people leave and where they go. Even if a lot of you leave (which I sekritly hope you will), it will not be all at once, and LJ will still be the place to be in the thick of fandom things for a while. If there is a mass movement, decision making, support/rallying/reasearch/etc to be done, I want to be involved. And if people are going to continue to discuss the issues connected to why I'm leaving, I want to be a part of those discussions. Because I do have a lot to say, and I want to say it to my flist, people who I'm interested in having around wherever I end up.

I'm going to back up the journals I have here and copy them to Insane Journal for now. I'm going to be cross-posting to Insane Journal (where I am tkp) and possibly Journal Fen over the next several months. I hope to gradually phase out: to just post links to fic here, instead of actual fics here, etc. Then I will be gone. I know I can make myself do that, but I know I can't make myself never visit LJ again. If you do decide to stay and not post elsewhere, I may still visit from time to time, but I will not have an account here ever again. I don't want to lose touch with any of you. I mean, well, except you; you're always talking about your grandmother's corns.

So, um, this isn't quite yet goodbye, and won't be for a while. Mostly I'm just posting this because once I say I'll do something, I'll do it. And now I've said it.

Okay, now that announcements are over: what're your thoughts? Leavin' on a jet plane? Why? Staying, why? Cat macros? Why not? Where are you going, if you go, where're you lookin' at, what are your hopes and dreams for fandom future? What did you think of the last ep of Mad Men? Is Jason Isaacs the man, or what? How 'bout that burr86, Barak, and Brad? Does the news comm make you laugh, cry, headdesk, or wha...? Did anyone even like the first two Bourne movies? What's your favorite pizza delivery service? Do you think Livejournal would disallow canon!Buffy/Angel fanart? How come I can't spell misogyny? What's the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist? And the number one question all of us are asking: how come Buffy never wore the go-go boots again?

Comments

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

I think I'm with you on the "phasing out" thing, seeing where it (fandom itself) leads.

I didn't see the last ep of MM yet, as I was at the spa. It's Tivo'd and waiting for me and Maze tomorrow. This LJ debacle is hard to follow from the end backwards. Links of pertinent info? I like the actor who plays Bourne, and the fact that each movie he has less lines and more biceps. I have no good pizza, this is North Cal. LJ will allow B/A fanart if Buffy has body hair. I can't spell misogyny either. It never looks right. A Psychiatrist is an MD and as such can prescribe meds, a Psychologist is a PhD and can't. Buffy lent the boots to Spike, while he was going through his gender searching period. He never returned them. Even right now, they're under Angel's bed at the Hyperion. He doesn't wear them anymore though, because he thinks they make his ankles look fat.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Pertinent info:

Short version: This article has a nice tidy summary.

Long version: ponderosa121 and elaboration get deleted for two separate pieces of HP fanart. See ponderosa's post about it here, and the art she got banned for here. pornish_pixies gets this notice from the LJ team.

Apparently, LJ is under pressure again. For an explanation of what the pressures are I rec this post. It's by synecochic, who you might remember became a little infamous during the May strikeout (she's an LJ employee who posted reassurances to fandom that the whole thing was just a rumor and nothing would happen), but the post is still interesting. It produces a little debate about what US laws on porn actually are. LJ later clarifies with this statement.

That's pretty much the last we've heard from LJ on the subject, except for two individual employees. One is burr86, who, while LJ was busy not answering anyone's questions, took the time to mock fandom (article here), and the other is Brad, the Founder of Livejournal. This article is about the rumor he's quitting LJ/SA and why; he later confirmed he is indeed quitting, though there's no "official" word on why.

Fandom, obviously, has been all astir. But much quieter than last time, and much more divided, both of which I find disturbing. There's a great list of inner-fandom conflicts summarized here.

The main two issues I see are:
1) Yeah, but that was kiddie porn, not us. I'm guessing you talked to Fod about that. If not, I can link you to her post and also the thread which resulted in me wanting to build her a shrine.
2) LJ's just doin' business. Along the lines of synecdochic's post, but used to argue people shouldn't be mad at LJ. This post struck me as particularly along those lines. While I have always respected the poster I feel like she missed the point entirely, and was too tired to comment. Besides, then liz_marcs and rahirah posted exactly what I would have responded, stating that yes indeed LJ is a business and is treating customers badly.

***

-so if Buffy shaves, all bets are off?
-thanks for the clarification on psychiatry. I saw a psychologist the other day. She said I need a psychiatrist, because I need drugs. Right away, apparently.
-SPIKE'S GENDER SEARCHING PERIOD. Omg. I love Spike for that. LOVE him, Kita.

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

If Buffy shaves it's because Joss is misogynist. OOH! I spelled it right!

Yea, I've spent the past xxx hours reviewing this whole wank. It makes me feel icky for a lot of very personal reasons, but the bottom line? No actual children were harmed. No actual children were even, you know. THERE. Would I let Ponderosa babysit my kid? No. Do I want her art banned? No.

LJ has the right to delete her stuff. I have the right to leave LJ for a place with more consistent business practices, and practices more consistent with what I use blogging for, which is, and I am NOT ashamed to say it out loud- Porn.

I also just read an excellent post on the silencing of women's sexuality as it relates to this latest go round. So far LJ has deleted: breast feeding art, fandom art- all women's work. No art or fiction involving violence or mutilation has ever been deleted. No community built around hate speech (pro-Nazi, etc) has ever been deleted. No communities harmful to girls (pro-anorexia, etc.) has ever been deleted. That made me say hmm.

And the thing that makes me sad is the names of some of the folks on the "other side" of this debate. I'm fixing to lose freinds, same as I did over the race debate.

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

PS- Spike still wears those panties he stole off Buffy in S4. Freak.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Oh. Spike. No.

Cross dressing still turns me off unless it's Draco Malfoy.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I do understand the icky. And I personally don't like 1. chan in any form, 2. most visual porn. But my personal preferences don't have much to do with this.

Would I let Ponderosa babysit my kid? No. Do I want her art banned? No.

You said something like this once before, and I thought it made a lot of sense. You can judge that art however you like. It can make you suspicious, uncomfortable, angry, disgusted. But you can't go inflicting your judgment on that person, based on what they drew.

I have the right to leave LJ for a place with more consistent business practices, and practices more consistent with what I use blogging for,

My take on the matter as well.

the names of some of the folks on the "other side" of this debate.

I've been saddened by this too.

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

"But you can't go inflicting your judgment on that person, based on what they drew."

Is that what I said? It wasn't what I meant- well, not exactly. Uhm. Lemme try to be more clear. Because I *do* make judgements around her based on her art- IE, if *all* I knew of her was her art, I wouldn't let her babysit my child. I think that's a reasonable judgement to make, as a parent. But what I *wouldn't* do is try to run her out of town with a pitchfork. That's taking too big of a leap based on not enough information.

I also stand by my assertion that it's hella different when women participate in creating/sharing this kind of art/fiction than when men do. Which is another debate that gets me into sad waters.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

You said the bit about not letting that person baby-sit, but still allowing their art, before.

I knew what you meant, but I worded it badly. I meant, you can judge that person however you want based on her art. You just can't inflict your judgment on her based on her art. Who's fit to babysit your kids is your business, and you can judge that based on anything you like. Who's fit to live in your town is, OTOH, not yours to judge. If you have sufficient evidence that she's a pedophile you can go to the police and try to get her arrested, but you probably still won't get to use that pitchfork.

I also stand by my assertion that it's hella different when women participate in creating/sharing this kind of art/fiction than when men do.

To me it is all about context. Printing out Ponderosa's work and posting it at a daycare? WRONG. In a smut comm in online fandom? Okay.

That is, art doesn't exist in a vacuum. There are no absolutes about it; it is amoral. Thus, it *does* matter who is creating it, why they are sharing it, who they're sharing it with. And gender, as far as this particular case is concerned, is a very important actor, because women have so few venues for exploring their sexuality in this way.

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

Oh, okay I did make sense. Hoorah. I am so mellow (still! even wading into this wank!!) that I can't be sure. Thank you for clarifying my uhm. Clarification.

And YES YES YES. Your last paragraph is just. Yes. I want to french kiss it. And touch it inappropriately. Under the desk at work.

So we had this very cute driver/valet guy at the hotel and he made Maze blush. This made my weekend COMPLETE.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Yes, much sense, unlike me.

I am glad you are so mellow! Even through the wank. I was so upset about it, but now that I know I'm leaving, I feel better.

My last paragraph is what I keep wanting to do a Big Damn Post about but can never seem to get the words out.

Ha! About the driver/valet guy. That is awesome.

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

Dude, *I've* only made him blush ONCE. And I've known him half our lives. It was insanely cute.

I'd love to see your Big Damn Post. Seriously.

[lynnenne]

I also stand by my assertion that it's hella different when women participate in creating/sharing this kind of art/fiction than when men do.

Wordy McWord Word Word. How many sex crimes are committed by women? Less than 5 percent. That's not zero, but it's a hell of a lot better than 95 percent. All this fanaticism about banning "child porn" should target the places where men hang out, instead of spaces created for women by women. They'd increase their chances of rooting out actual pedophiles by 2,000%.

[diachrony.livejournal.com]

I also just read an excellent post on the silencing of women's sexuality as it relates to this latest go round. So far LJ has deleted: breast feeding art, fandom art- all women's work. No art or fiction involving violence or mutilation has ever been deleted. No community built around hate speech (pro-Nazi, etc) has ever been deleted. No communities harmful to girls (pro-anorexia, etc.) has ever been deleted. That made me say hmm.

I would love to read this post. Could you link to it, if it's public?

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

http://erestor.livejournal.com/402760.html?format=light - Pretty sure it's this one. If not lemme know.