My resignation as moderator

Sarikitty · 3年前

my replacement is an even more radical transfeminist than me. My good friend RobotAnna will be taking over for me, and if you manage somehow to drive her away she will be replaced with someone even more radical.

Is it just me, or is this somewhat chumming the waters? This just sets us up to expect more of the same and may lead some people to judge RobotAnna before she even begins moderating. It feels as though you've given her a soapbox and propped her on it.

Epistaxis · 3年前

However I would like to make clear that the people against my style of moderation have won absolutely no victory here as my replacement is an even more radical transfeminist than me.

There's an odd statement. I don't think the degree of someone's transfeminism leads to their style as a moderator. If anything, whether someone will come down hard on the side of deleting posts and comments of all sorts is a personality issue.

Time will tell, but I think it's very possible that people who didn't care for your style of moderation will be happy with RobotAnna.

mrwatkins83 · 3年前

I mean, nothing personal against you, but you weren't a good moderator for this subreddit. I'm sorry that someone threatened to burn your house down, though. The internet shouldn't be that serious.

sourlovepuppy · 3年前

your tone is always awful every time i see a post by you. it makes it hard for me to want to be here really, you are just so aggressive and negative. but im sorry someone threatened you for moderating, that's just shitty. you dont deserve that. no one does.

OdinW · 3年前

and if you manage somehow to drive her away she will be replaced with someone even more radical.

ಠ_ಠ

piratepixie · 3年前

I love the fact that despite Laurelai stepping down, a shit ton of posts have been deleted.

rivermandan · 3年前

"... as ive already exceeded the average life expectancy for a transgender woman. I consider myself on borrowed time anyways and I really don't have anything to lose."

if you aren't seeing a therapist, you should definitely see a therapist. I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but you sound all kinds of fucked up.

LadyBobbington · 3年前

I agree that it's horrible, shameful and sickening that people would threaten you with death and violence, not only over the internet but also in person. No one should have to deal with that, however disliked they are.

But,

if you manage somehow to drive her away she will be replaced with someone even more radical

I don't really understand why you would choose moderators based on how extreme they are, it should really just be based on how well they fit in this community and their attitude towards helping it.

sapincher · 3年前

[deleted]

[deleted] · 3年前

Hi.

I, like many folks here, didn't agree with your moderation style. I also don't approve of death threats, and if those really happened, that's terrible and I'm sorry that you had to go through that. It would be very challenging.

I do want to say that protecting the T in LGBT is an important endeavor, but that lumping trans-ignorant people in with trans-phobic people is a bad idea in the long run. The idea of safe spaces isn't just that it's going to be an affirming atmosphere for everyone (though, that is part of it), but that occasionally, you can say your stupid shit and get called out on it in a relatively non-judgmental way. If we could be encouraging people to question their ignorance and their biases, we actually build a community instead of throwing out the folks who don't know better.

There are certainly transphobes in the LGBT community. I don't dispute it. Some don't recognize the marginalization of T folks to be analogous to marginalization of the LGB folk. It's unfortunate, and I disagree with it. However, if those individuals are banned from discussion when they say something that is indeed negative, but perhaps not ill-intended, all they will know is that they've been treated as unwelcome and probably reaffirm their common stereotypes that transfolk are embittered and angry.

Do I think /r/lgbt should tolerate the truly intolerant and malignant folks? No. But I think discussion is a way for people to become more educated, and being banned from discussion so easily means that you block that opportunity to educate.

3年前

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ineedateam1 · 3年前

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Olpainless · 3年前

Finally.

DeathSpank · 3年前

Oh Jesus tap dancing christ... can we just move the fuck on?

3年前

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[deleted] · 3年前

Have you considered reporting this to the police? In the UK it would be considered harassment.

Ampersamd · 3年前

So... apparently I've missed a metric shit ton on r/lgbt. Wut.

Also, curious, what's the life expectancy of trans?

I've already exceeded the average life expectancy for a transgender woman

Also, would someone care to elaborate on some of these methods most people seem to disagree with Laurelai about?

Void_it_hard · 3年前

Good Riddance.

3年前

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agen_kolar · 3年前

I often disagree with your views and even more so how you go about moderating, but regardless these threats are ridiculous. Best of luck in whatever you do in the future.

mikatagahara · 3年前

"You are hate filled little children"

I see that mindless ageism remains the go-to form of insult.

Edit: where did all the responses to my post go? I wanted to respond to the guy wondering about youth rights.

BigDicta · 3年前

well that was melodramatic.

Shinji_Yo · 3年前

This is my first time posting in this subreddit and I may be completely out of line for asking this, but is "tranny" to transgender people, what the F word is to homosexuals? Just wondering so I know in the future.

iamundernodisguise · 3年前

Enough melodrama everyone.

roodypoo_candyass · 3年前

Good

ProfessionallyGay · 3年前

While I completely deplore the threats to your life, your could have set a tone of maturity, but you choose to stoop down to the extreme level of those that threatened you - "radical" moderation (though not equal to death threats) contains a characteristic that sets a combative tone for the entire subreddit. Would it not have been better to set a tone of reconciliation? Peace? Fairness? Maturity? Values of free speech?

I worry about this subreddit because the moderators no longer accept the hard and simple truth that bigotry and prejudice can't be eradicated (it never will) - we must learn to make the best of it in the interest of the advancement of knowledge and compassionate understanding. Silencing each other will hurt us more than the words themselves. Instead of focusing on censorship, we need to focus on strengthening our moral character and self-esteem (to withstand bigoted attacks) but a community in turmoil will never be able to do this.

I used to run an educational LGBT speakers program for 4 years - we went into schools, churches, organizations, businesses and we welcomed bigotry and prejudice from the audience because we were interested in changing hearts and minds but to do so, we have to engage on 'their level' - ignorance's worst enemy is free speech. Our model works and has withstood the test of time - 20 years strong!

There is a concept I learned from an activist who had been in the game for decades - social isomorphism, where a group (in this case, this subreddit), unknowingly incorporates the values of its oppressors which leads to the group's demise. LGBT's are silenced most of their lives and we fight for the right to speak freely, and yet we have reached an impasse where we no longer find it necessary to defend this freedom because we encounter "bigotry" - a judgement whose value, instead of being discussed and rationally/compassionately proven wrong (as a community), it is censored by an all knowing moderator. Who's forcing people into closets now?

We should welcome the bigots into our discussions and use the wonderful perspective we have as LGBTs to show them their faults and shortcomings – silencing them only makes them angry and combative.

A utopia is within reach but it resides inside each of us. If this subreddit is "radical" in its moderation, it tells me that it no longer is interested in the free-flow of ideas.

Anti-intellectualism and anti-compassionism has taken root here.

Après “freedom of speech”, le deluge.

Goodbye /r/lgbt.

ixeres · 3年前

I don't often comment in this subreddit, as it tends to be... For lack of a better word... Caustic.

But this? This needs to not be a thing. Making this post is just fuelling the fire. I remember the argument that sparked all of this, and I was hoping it would be resolved with some level of maturity. This? This is not mature.

vyhd · 3年前

People take the internet way too seriously.

FVAnon · 3年前

Are you sure that it wasn't one of your oh so edgy 'hacktivist' 'Anon' friends? Reads a lot like their flavor of scumbaggery.

3年前

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CatHydrologist · 3年前

I'm glad you're resigning. You don't deserve death threats, but you were the worst censor on reddit.

laurelaisnicertwin2 · 3年前

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mixxster · 3年前

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throwaway_away_away · 3年前

I may disagree some concerning of how this subreddit was handled in the past...but WTF people?!?! Those threatening to burn your house down are redditors?!

Wow. If that's true I don't even know how to vocalize my disappointment and frustration. It is unspeakably disheartening for it to have come to this. Stay safe lauralei.

ZeraskGuilda · 3年前

People don't like you because you're a hypocrite. You're as bad as SRS. You have a shitty attitude and a superiority complex. Everything I have ever seen you post has been dripping with snide remarks and condescension.

r/lgbt will be better off without you.

habitsofwaste · 3年前

Hi I'm new. The thought you were threatened like that is disgusting but the tone of what I'm reading and all of the censorship is disgusting as well. I don't know what's been going on but it seems like its gotten out of hand on BOTH sides!!!

Deleting posts? Useless! That's what down voting is for. That's democratic and what makes reddit good. Unless someone is coming in and saying shit like, you fucking faggots are going to burn in hell! That sort of thing offers nothing to a dialog. If its something offensive but contributes to a dialog, it should stay. How else are we supposed to learn? No one is born knowing how it feels to be in a certain situation. We learn by dialog. If this is how it's going to be then I think I don't want to be a part of this group. We have enough to deal with outside of our own, why are we drawing lines in the sand against our own?

[deleted] · 3年前

that's incredibly pathetic of whoever made this issue so personal, talk about crossing and destroying lines. that's not cool at all and you don't deserve that kind of crap. i hope it's just internet idiots and they get caught and punished.

however - it's extremely frustrating how the only way you seem capable of seeing that people against your "moderation" style has been about phobia and that you are some mythical crusader out to protect us all. your behaviour implies otherwise, and you diminish all sorts of phobic behaviours by acting like this has *only been about you or that it's not about your moderation "style".

you are an angry person lashing out, using the very weak tactics you decry and alienating MANY of the very people you justify your behaviour to by saying you're protecting us. the wording of your resignation sums it all up - threatening and perpetuating the exact kind of crap so many of us quit /lgbt and /transgender for. this isn't about activism, it's about getting even by threatening us with another mod who, for all we know, is likely to be a great moderator who actually cares about the diversity of our community and not just gaining power by hiding behind the cloak of the oppressed. no where have i seen you ever actually admit that maybe you overreacted and furthered the anger at any point in this ongoing drama, do you feel that flawless and above reproach?

your mod/op scorched earth policy and inability to see criticism of your power over a COMMUNITY that will only be "protected" on your terms has been tearing down the very thing you publically and emphatically claim to defend. quite simply a lot of this hasn't been about YOU as a person - it's been about your notion that your way is the only way. activism comes in all sorts of flavours and your monoculture take on it is as insulting as your petty responses with the banhammer, and what was the point in trashing on cedarwolf who stepped up in a caring, evenhanded way for those without a voice? a vibrant community has room for discourse, and you quashed that as best you could - yet you're surprised people wanted you out? we get that you're pissed - no one deserves to be threatened on a physical level over internet drama and that's so effed up, i'm sorry to hear it. (while the skeptic in me notices how polarizing in sympathy it's been)

i really hope you'll take some responsibility in stoking the online coals of this fire by your tactics of dismissing/deleting/banning all those who make up this community who didn't agree with your interpretation of how to further equality. did you ever actually stop to think maybe all the other LGBTQ people on reddit don't agree with you because you're too extremist or dismissive? somehow i doubt it.

funny too, every time you drop that derailing for dummies link you're the ONLY one who's been doing it. talk about hypocrisy.

i for one welcome our new robotic overlord! sorry you had to start modding under this cloud robotanna!

zombeeeez · 3年前

Have you called the police? It's very much against the law to phone in death threats. Whoever is doing that is working toward more violent and transphobic behavior. This person's next target may very well be someone in her or his hometown, in the form of a bashing. That type of antisocial behavior needs to be stopped immediately.

They can trace phone calls.

pyxlated · 3年前

Well, I'm out. You have successfully convinced me that your replacement will be as much of an ass as you've been. Congratulations on poisoning any chance she may have had to earn a better name for herself. I don't approve of death threats, but you are one seriously shitty mod. I have unsubscribed.

3年前

[deleted]

scoooot · 3年前

People not wanting you to be a mod had little to do with your moderating style, and more to do with the bigotry contained in your posts. It certainly had nothing to do with being a radical transfeminist.

siiru · 3年前

Hit the door hard on your way out~

smischmal · 3年前

I'd appreciate if you didn't equate 'not supporting all of your moderation practices' with 'supporting threatening to harm you'.

While I certainly don't care for your style of moderation, and I'm glad that you're stepping down, where perhaps this RobotAnna will make for a better replacement for the position, I would absolutely never wish violence on you. Whoever did that is all kinds of messed up. Threatening violence is seriously, profoundly not cool.

Geek-lover · 3年前

Wow! Sorry you got death threats. I don't know anything about all the drama people are posting about. I just want to say that we should all be here to be supportive of each other no matter what gender or sexual orientation. If you are not here to be supportive, moderator or not, GTFO. There is no room for hate here when the world is already full of plenty.

Combative_Douche · 3年前

Wow. They weren't kidding, you really do love to play the victim card.

ineedateam1 · 3年前

Good

Fuck this mod drama and bull shit

Un-subed

RecreationalAccount · 3年前

Whether or not the death threats are true, nothing will change. RobotAnna is most likely Laurelai's SRSter alt. Nothing will change.

If the death threats are true: I'm sorry for that happening to you, those seem extreme.

[deleted] · 3年前

A few nights ago my roomates received a phone call from someone reading off our home ip and address claiming intent to burn down our house

he called you? how stupid is he, if he got information infor the police to pay him a visit and ask him about it.

SanityInAnarchy · 3年前

In conclusion /r/lgbt will continue the set policies without me and they will simply be enforced by someone more anonymous than me.

Someone who you've just introduced. Huh.

redDITringofdeath · 3年前

First of all I'd like to say that if someone really did threaten you, I am very sorry and I think that it's horrible and pathetic to threaten your life because they disagree with you. However, I must admit I am happy to see you resign as moderator because I do not think you adequately fulfilled a moderator's duties. You are a very outspoken defender of trans rights, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but the attitude with which you treated this community was simply unacceptable for a moderator.

This brings me to my next point, and hopefully SilentAgony or rmuser will see this and at least consider what I have to say. It is too early for me to ask that RobotAnna be removed from the position of moderator, but I would like to point out that her posting history indicates a similar ineptitude for moderating. I have personally been trolled/stalked (call it what you will) by her in r/ainbow. I was criticizing another poster for something legitimately transphobic, and RobotAnna began attacking both me and r/ainbow as a whole. Her posts were completely unprovoked and I was standing up against discrimination, but she trolled anyway.

These actions are not befitting of a moderator, and the fact that Laurelai assures us that her moderating style will continue worries me. I feel that our community would be a little more... peaceful if one of 2 things happened. Either:

A. Monitor the actions of RobotAnna for the next week or so to ensure she mods appropriately. If she allows her radicalism to stir up trouble, remove her. It is not a moderator's place to inflame a war. B. Keep RobotAnna, BUT add a fourth moderator who is decided through a vote among the members of r/lgbt. This way, we are ensured at least one moderator who represents the majority.

3年前

[deleted]

30percentAlpaca · 3年前

Did you call the police? If you (your household) got threats like that, and you're stepping down for fear of your personal well being, why would you throw RobotAnna under the bus? I don't know anything about her, but by your description, you expect the people who hated you enough to make threats to hate her even more than you. I would expect that she would get worse threats than you, then.

a_spy · 3年前

To the people of this community who have supported me

All three of you...

valeriekeefe · 3年前

I wouldn't care as ive already exceeded the average life expectancy for a transgender woman.

You're seventy-one? Seriously, insurance companies (and these are people who estimate for a living put the life expectancy of trans women at 70 and trans men at 77)

And when the age of transition for 77% of trans women is over 25, I think that 23 years statistic people bandy about for women like you and I is... um... not true.

But yeah, cis people, and the occasional Aiden, you do not have the right to appropriate slurs that trans women are in the process of reclaiming. Just. No. If you want to say the T-word to me, it's going to have to be in the context of mutually agreed objectification... (kinky, subby, single tryke seeks someone to argue about politics and scotch with.)

greenduch · 3年前

the tl;dr = 'wow, that's fucked up'

3年前

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TehGrav · 3年前

I never liked your style of moderation, but I don't think that constitutes a death threat. And anyone who does think that is ridiculous, this is the internet, don't like it? Ignore it or move somewhere else.

pslav · 3年前

I am quite saddened to hear that you have been targeted in this way. While I often disagree with your tone, I appreciate your fearless support and activism for the transgender community.

I feel like all of us in /r/lgbt are hoping for your safety and for these sick individuals to be brought to justice.

[deleted] · 3年前

Did I miss something? I don't come here too often but from what I see in these comments Laurelai is getting a lot of hate. Someone care to give me a summary as to why people dislike this person so much?

Edit: Wow. This place will be a lot better off without a moderator such as this.

Epistaxis · 3年前

Well, shit. Even Laurelai doesn't deserve to be harassed in real life like that.

eaerp · 3年前

This is a nasty situation. And also very scary.

3年前

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gprime312 · 3年前

Did you contact the police?

UnicornTitties · 3年前

I don't understand. No other subreddit has posts like this and so-called, "drama". What gives?

Themataaa · 3年前

Fucking Laurelai, you intolerant bigot! How hateful can you be?!

Spreads your info and threatens to murder you

pikaboy259 · 3年前

I don't follow this subreddit too much, but this is just seriously too much drama. I hope the new moderators are less filled with vitriol than this.

gunty · 3年前

I'm really sorry to hear about the threats. We might disagree on a lot of things, but that crosses the line in a big way. I'm sorry to see you go under these circumstances. Hope you stay active within the community.

Signe · 3年前

It would be hard for me to dislike you any more, however threats, if true, overstep the bounds of internet inanity.

What I don't see is any mention of filing a police report, or notifying the FBI which would be the logical outcome if you perceive this as a "serious" threat.

Nukgci · 3年前

Laurelai why now? Why not 6 months ago?

chenlahav105 · 3年前

Well, it's official now, reddit has turned to 4chan.

3年前

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o8643 · 3年前

Good fucking riddance.

Light-of-Aiur · 3年前

I'd like to say that even though I didn't like your moderation style, and even though I thought you were a bit abrasive, I'm truly sorry that this happened. Threats of violence like this are never justified, and those responsible should be ashamed.

I hope that the only development in this is that those responsible are caught and brought to justice.

I honestly didn't realize that the animosity towards you was this severe. I hope that, whatever you do from here, it turns out well.

3年前

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3年前

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3年前

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Dominion300 · 3年前

cool story.

BallaAssSpoon · 3年前

why the long diatribe? are your internet points really worth it?

3年前

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flyingsephyrage · 3年前

I'm sorry, I'm fairly new to reddit and I've been trying to catch up on all the goings on in a subreddit that seems as though it should be a welcoming place for me, and I'm a bit confused...

After reading Laurelai's resignation letter and many posts by both the former mod and the new mod RobotAnna, it seems like they want people to leave r/lgbt. Why is that?

[deleted] · 3年前

You seem to have spent a while writing that...even though nobody gives a shit?

Thisismytoe · 3年前

Nothing about it on FB or Twitter.

I'm calling shenanigans.

Have a nice day.

paulfromatlanta · 3年前

claiming intent to burn down our house,

That's horrific - its terrible to hear you had to deal with that.

My resignation as moderator

I wish you good luck.

Able_Seacat_Simon · 3年前

I love the cognitive dissonance in these responses. Laurelai is a petty despot with a capricious grip on her little corner of the internet who made up a death threat so she can step down from her seat of power to do what? What's her end game supposed to be here, people?

tarabluh · 3年前

[deleted]

sireris · 3年前

I hope life finds you well in whatever you do.

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