The blasted Vision Statement (being part 4)

[zeborah]

Okay, try this one:

1) We will focus on discussing the process of writing speculative fiction (science-fiction, fantasy, and related genres).

2 a) We know that writers write in various genres, at various lengths, on various topics, in various orders, with various technologies, varyingly planned or unplanned, etc, according to their personal style and needs.
  b) We want to share what works for us, and we want other writers to feel free and safe to share what works for them.
  c) Therefore we will avoid implying either that any particular technique is obligatory, or that any particular technique is wrong - though there might be times when a particular technique is wrong for a particular author or for a particular story.

3 a) We know that society in general and speculative-fiction in specific contain many stereotypes and biases that are racist, sexist, homophobic, ablist, and/or intolerant of people in non-nuclear family structures, people of different religions or of no religion, and others.
  b) We don't want to unwittingly perpetuate such stereotypes and biases in our own fiction. We also don't want to unwittingly perpetuate them in real life and/or hurt a fellow human being.
  c) Therefore we want other members to feel free and safe to point out to us if we've said something that accidentally perpetuates stereotypes or biases or is otherwise hurtful; and we will take it as a favour and learn from it if they do.

4) Therefore, on-topic discussions will include but not be limited to:

  a) dragon biology, alien speech patterns, how horses differ from motorcycles, ways to show/confuse chronology in time travel stories, etc;
  b) outlines, punctuation, use of themes, infodumps, RSI, pen porn, etc;
  c) cultural appropriation, sexist language, homophobic tropes, depictions of religion, etc; and
  d) pun cascades, cats and chocolate, etc; because frivolity is the mortar that binds together a community.

5) The group will be moderated by a panel in order to keep it friendly and safe for all members.

If you're still not happy with it, it would be of great help to me if you could note precisely what you disagree with and/or offer alternative wordings.

But please note that I consider it very important to explicitly include:
a) the groups that have been implicitly sidelined by the sf community in general and rasfc in particular; and
b) the topics which were theoretically allowed on rasfc but which in practise more than one of us was afraid to talk about.

Comments

[alias_sqbr]

Hello! I got here via discussion with aquaeri about my own attempt at creating a safer space on dreamwidth after my lj friendslist showed their asses one time too many. You may also remember me from such communities as racism_101 :D

If nothing else, I'd just like to say that I had no real interest in joining the existing mailing list, but might consider joining this new one :) (The only thing putting me off would be that I like the way lj/dreamwidth etc handle threading and comment notification so much I get put off by other places)

Anyway, I don't have any specific advice or anything (though you're welcome to steal ideas off me if they're useful) but you might consider posting to feminist_fandom or whileaway to get people's feedback. (Admitedly, I posted to debunkingwhite about mine and all I really got back was "Nice rules!" but at least that was good for my self esteem)

[zeborah]

Hi, and thank you! I've just been reading your rules that Aqua pointed me to, and then I followed a bunch of links; and just now you've inspired me to read a bunch of stuff and links from feminist_fandom and whileaway; and now my head is full. :-)

I would like to get broader feedback but didn't want to be all, "Hi, you don't know me, but tell me what to do so that if anyone says I'm doing it wrong I can say you told me to." I'd been thinking about posting to racism_101 (since at least there I'm not *just* there to get my homework done) but got mired down in the discussion here (and Real Life(TM) and writing). Also I wasn't sure if it'd be appropriate to. (Would it be appropriate on feminist_fandom or whileaway? Most of the posts there seem to be on quite other matters.) I have an ambition to find the time to join debunkingwhite but in the meantime am just reading.

(Wow, I'm not usually this disjointed.) Anyway, I'll keep a note to let you know once something's set up. Must talk to people about that. (Goodness, brain, what's up with you? I think I'd better watch another installment of my latest Korean drama to get myself linear again.)

[alias_sqbr]

Heh, sorry, hope it was good head-full-ishness, I know the feeling :)

I guess my thought with feminist_fandom (and in retrospect whileway probably isn't the right place) is that you are trying to create a space for feminist (and anti-racist etc) fandom to flourish, and if you framed the question as a "How do you try and create spaces for feminist fandom to flourish, and what do you think of my attempt?" I think it would be on-topic. I can see it feeling weird as a first post though.

I joined debunkingwhite before they instituted the entrance exam so for a second I was like "She hasn't got time to click "Join"?" :)

[aquaeri.livejournal.com]

I just want to say I'm glad you two met each other, it looks useful.