Mastodon, the service, is pretty great, actually. It's bigger than any of us, and it has the tools to create whatever experience you want. Everybody says so!
But this idea that Mastodon and Mastodon users were pure and good while every other social media site, but especially That Place, was full of nothing but clout-chasing sociopaths who need to be driven off with a broom before they bring their bad habits here is extremely pretentious.
It's also really white.
We are nearing the end of our #fundraiser and we still have a bit to go. #Donate now and get your hands on some cool digital #goodies! Such as "I donated" badges to display on your social media, designs for digital and printed cards, and the new #Katie and #Konqi Santa mascots.
Just want to make a quick argument to furs for alt text because almost all of the images I've seen on the local timeline lately are from furs without alt text too.
Alt text goes beyond accessibility! Let's say you're at a furry convention and you can get Mastodon to load up but images aren't loading or are loading super slowly. Alt text allows you to also see what's going on with that image!
Fill in the alt text for your images, it's not only accessible, it's more inclusive overall!
first they came for the immigrants, but i didn't care, because those people cause a lot of problems and they're unclean and strange
then they came for the homeless, but i didn't care, because i like my cities clean and they could just get a job, really what's so hard about that
then they came for the pregnant, but i didn't care, because men like me can always get their girlfriend's one if needed
then they came for the trans people, but i didn't care, because frankly they're sort of weird and just a fad and we're just indulging them and their wacko doctors
then they came for the permanently disabled, but i didn't care, because i was in good health and they should just stay at home or eat healthier
then they came for the journalists, and i wrote an op-ed titled “first they came for the journalists”
— liberal journalists
Protip for the new mastodonians: don't obfuscate names or words - only hashtags work for search so you won't get troll bombed if you say Elon Musk.
Filters, however, work on anything, so those who don't want to see Elon Musk won't see this post.
But if you write El*n M*sk they WILL see it, and that might make them mad, so don't do it okay? Let people use their filters.
Recently, Twitch responded to a large petition calling for them to stop supporting the LGB Alliance and Autism Speaks by...just removing the LGB Alliance.
They claimed that A$ doesn't break their off-service policy, despite that policy clearly stating that support for eugenics is not permitted.
Here's the link if you want to let them know what you think about that. Please go and vote! Please boost!
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #Disability
@actuallyautistic
Re: deadnaming
I explained to my mother that deadnaming and misgendering is like farting. If you do it by accident, and apologize, people will forgive you.
If you keep doing it, people will suggest you get that taken care of, maybe recommend you seek treatment, and ultimately avoid you.
If you bend over, stick your ass in their face, and let it rip though, then you shouldn’t be surprised people think you’re a clueless, hostile asshole.
(This is from an old post, but I wanted to keep it.)
The true definition of rainbow washing.
These brands are sponsoring the World Cup in Qatar, despite the blatant disregard for the human rights for LGBTQ+ (or the masses of itinerant workers who've died working in >50 degree heat).
Funnily enough they were all 'Oooh yes we support gay people' until they had the choice to take a stand that might impact them commercially.
twitch, transphobia, ableism
Twitch have added a bunch of new charities to their list, and two of them are the LGB alliance - a transphobic hate group - and Autism Speaks - an ableist hate group.
This can't be allowed to stand. Please use the link below if you have a twitch account to vote for this issue:
https://twitch.uservoice.com/forums/945934-charity/suggestions/46058314-remove-hate-groups
Another little update here - today's the last day this particular package is on sale. There will be more in the future of course, but if you've been considering it, it'll be going up to it's full intended price later :) (it used to say the 8th on the store there, but there was some confusion about the wording, so they changed the description and the date disappeared, but i've no doubt the reality remains)
Dear #Americans of #Mastodon, you have a wonderful opportunity that is rarely granted to you. For the first time, you're in an online public space that is not American, that is not centered around the US, and as I'm typing this, a place where the majority of users are not Americans. You can open yourselves to the world as you've rarely been able to before.
So please, stop expressing yourselves like the US is the default country here and that most users are Americans. We're not. Love.
#UK folks, there's a petition to keep protection of transgender people in the equality act.
It's pretty scary being trans in this country at the moment, and we could use your help to protect our rights.
Feel free to share broadly/openly with others. Steal, boost, whatever. Let's get 100k signatures, please.
We want YOU for Reclamation Project Year Two! Seeking stories of 7,000-10,000 words with a strong emotional connection and/or a unique “furry solarpunk” angle. Contact himself@gneech.com to discuss, and boosts welcome and appreciated! #AmWriting #furry #solarpunk #SubmissionCall #FurryWriting #MFF #MWFF
Today I'm struck by Zuckerberg spending something like a billion dollars on the "metaverse" to create legless sausage VR avatars and meanwhile volunteer furries are beta-testing advanced finger tracking systems so they can use sign language in VR chat with PAWS, and not only does it work, it's like a billion times more enticing on _every level_.
billionaires are a mistake
KDE's End of Year 💰#fundraiser💰 is officially open! Your #donations will help us reach our goals, support our community, fund our events, and show the whole world 🌍 how everybody can benefit from KDE software.
I am always taken aback when someone dismisses fantasy as "escapism". What's wrong with escapism? What's wrong with longing for different worlds than this? Have you seen this world? Its brokenness and sharp thorns?
Did you not grow up desperately looking for your door elsewhere? Did you not immerse in beautiful worlds as sustenance, for moments of joy like wings?
For a time in my life I stretched out. Grimdark, New Weird, etc. But no more. Give me hopepunk and found family. Give me escape.
Flickr CEO Don MacAskill (@d0n) is currently running a poll to decide whether to add #ActivityPub to Flickr to join the #fediverse (Mastodon, Pixelfed, Peertube, etc.)
Make your voice heard:
https://sfba.social/@d0n/109422647995225732
Poll on Twitter too:
https://twitter.com/DonMacAskill/status/1597256480519966720
Remember this has good and bad repercussions whether you use Flickr or not, it would be the first time an old giant joins us but also would bring many many new issues we would have to face together. Please boost for reach!
weirdo free/libre open source software person, member of the KDE community since forever, who loves squeaky, slinky and fuzzy things - they/them