Just found this community, I love memes and I think being able to laugh about shit even if it’s somewhat offensive is important, I definitely would never want to curate a hyperwoke space where everybody splits hairs about every little word and action. I think it’s important to laugh at each other and ourselves, it’s human. Edginess and dark humor can be lots of fun.
That being said, I do question the profile picture of the community. I will not even lie, it’s a goofy picture, and in a vacuum there is nothing wrong with it and it would even be funny and appropriate for a shitposting community IMO. However, Black people + watermelon is a very common old racist trope within the United States used both on our internet spaces and IRL, and with that context I do wonder if some of our Black comrades who are familiar with the trope would feel alienated from wanting to participate in this community, but also wouldn’t want to voice that themselves and be seen as a complainer.
This is not at all an accusation, and I’m sure whoever chose the profile picture didn’t intend that whatsoever and might have not even known about the trope. I would just hate if our Black comrades felt this was a hostile space. Perhaps they should be asked, but I would hate to put someone “on the spot” and again feel pressure to not seem like a complainer.
Whoa I didn’t even realize that. @Ancient_Might_5820@lemmygrad.ml @Kirbywithwhip1987@lemmygrad.ml could one of yall change this com’s icon? thx.
Sorry, I was offline. It seems to have changed now
Good catch! It didn’t even occur to me but your right. I’m sure this will be corrected soon, thanks for pointing it out comrade!
Glad to see now it’s changed!
Okay, but maybe you should’ve asked black comrades on here first if they felt offended about it before being offended about it yourself?
Not that I’m defending the original picture anyway, the new one is somehow funnier.
I questioned the same thing a little, but like I said I could imagine some wouldn’t want to be seen as a “complainer.” At least I know I would in similar situations. I could have asked directly but I guess I wouldn’t want someone to feel like I’m being like “hello, speak for your entire race” or otherwise on the spot. I don’t know, race relations in the US are made by the powers that into something so fucked, It’s hard to know what’s normal/fine/appropriate and what’s being shitty /performative/extra sometimes 🤷♂️ I would have questioned my decision either way, and if I’m being the most honest I would ultimately blame my lack of asking on laziness more than consideration or insecurity.
I feel like you worry too much on how you might come across as, which I don’t think is a good thing to obsess on.
But then again I suppose I don’t see how being critical about an aspect of the Grad in general would be seen as “complaining”, especially when a community like Peoples’ Court and Leftist Infighting exist for matters like these. In fact, I think staying silent on a matter because of how people would see you is more harmful.
I also don’t see how asking “Black Comrades of Lemmygrad, do you consider the profile picture of the Shitposting Community offensive” as “asking to speak for your entire race”, because it’s foolish to try to determine what an entire race of people thinks about a given subject, because it will get very exhausting to ask every member of that race; but what we can do is instead, ask the members of that race we have and shape our community from their opinions on the matter.
Besides, some members of the race will always have an opinion opposite to the majority.
Yes I am debilitatingly worried about how I come across way too often 😂 but yeah fair point, I definitely want to live life more by the motto “it’s not that deep” and just do my first instinct more often. It’s a work in progress. Next time!
