Well, it seems that some people are having trouble hitting the About Pepper and Paprika page, so, it’s apparently time to make it clearer.
So.
To reiterate, this is not a 101 space. We will not engage in debate about whether sexism, racism, homphobia, transphobia, patriarchy, or rape culture exist. We will not engage in debate about whether sexism against men or racism against white people exists or is a problem. If you would like to know the official position of this blog, it is as follows:
Sexism in order to be sexism and not mere prejudice must be culturally ingrained and institutionalized. While there are women both trans and cis who are prejudiced against cis-men, this is not sexism, because such women have niether the cultural or institutional power to oppress men on a broad or even small scale.
Racism against white people also does not exist because we live in a culture of white supremacy, no President Obama does not negate this culture, and again while some POC may (have good reasons) to hate and fear white people, they do not have the social or institutional power to oppress white people.
These facts are not open to debate or discussion within this space. If that is a conversation you want to have, you are not welcome to have it here, with us.
We will also not engage in debate about abortion, we are staunchly pro-choice, full stop, no explanations proffered, no requests for explication answered.
For answer to some common questions you may have about Feminism 101, please visit this handy guide.
If you do not understand the terms we use, google them, do not demand that we educate you.
Complaints about our tone will get you giffbagged or stuck in moderation queue hell. We are not here to educate or otherwise serve some nebulous wider community, this is our space, our castle of internet bitchery, and we run it as such. The way we run our blog is in keeping with norms in the feminist blogosphere including the policies of such giants as Shakesville and Feministe. We’re just funnier about it, because rude and amusing gifs are rude and amusing.
To repeat what is already on the about page:
Racism, sexism, classism, transphobia, homophobia and xenophobia will not be tolerated. No Rape jokes, no Domestic Violence jokes, no Fat-phobic language, no triggering language, no body-snarking, no religious intolerance, no exceptions. This will get your comment blocked the first time, and any subsequent trolling earns you a ban.
Also, since it apparently needs to be said again
Do not victim blame. Rapist are fault in cases of rape. Abusers are at fault in cases of abuse. We will revoke your commenting privileges if you question the behavior, intellect, strength, or humanity of a victim of rape or abuse.
Do not mansplain. If you are of the cis-dude persuasion, do not try to tell us what it’s like to be a cis-woman or trans-woman. Do not offer a patriarchal perspective. We already know. We live here too.
Do not engage in “WHAT ABOUT THE MEEEEEEEEENNNZZZZZ!!?1?!?!!?111?!?!1?!” comments. When we want to talk about men, we will do so. Until then, they are not the center of the universe in which this blog exists.
Do not derail, we ask that you stay on topic.
For example, if we are talking about car crashes, please do not swoop in and demand that we address accidents that happen to people riding ostriches (i.e. in a general post about rape, don’t demand that we address men who are raped by women as the most important central issue in rape culture evar. Just don’t)
When a guest post is published, these policies go up to eleven. Guests are guests here, and this is a safe space.
Now, here are some things we love to see, and hope for gleefully every time we post:
Feel free to disagree with us about the topic at hand, as long as you are addressing the topic itself, and not derailing, and as long as you are arguing from within a feminist, anti-racist social justice framework. Unless it’s a post about food or knitting or art etc.
Feel free to link to interesting blogs or articles about the topic being discussed.
Please, feel free to bring the snark. We are not fluffy bunny feminists. We enjoy a well placed fuck (and a side dish of multiple entendres ), we like righteous burning anger, this is not a garden party with those awful cucumber and walnut sandwiches.
If you feel that we have erased or misrepresented a marginalized or oppressed group of whom we are not members (men and white people don’t count here, so don’t even try it), please let us know. You can rage at us, we deserve it. We will do our best to correct it.
Pepper & Paprika 