On Language, Limits, and Freedom of Expression
We recently opened our doors to Yahoo Groups who migrated to the site to start their clubs. We have new clubs dedicated to a rainbow array of interests. The language, niche, and fetishes of many of these new clubs stretch far beyond the historic focus of our site.
The onboarding of these clubs opens up a new set of perplexing and serious questions:
- What are the limits of this community?
- For those limits, is there a difference between spoken vs unspoken guidelines?
- How will it change the dynamics and cultural attitudes of the existing community?
- Most importantly, as webmaster, would I prohibit and marginalize certain groups because their idea of sexuality, turn-ons, and language offended me or others? To what extent would the offense need to be? How would I moderate or marginalize these groups in an equitable manner? What's the trade-off for the website as a whole?
To be candid, I haven't been able to fully answer these questions because of the enormity of what is being posed. I've daydreamed at work, stayed awake at night, and woken up in the morning to these questions in the past week and they weigh heavily on my mind. How we navigate through these complex questions is important, not only for the immediate repercussions of potentially turning away a group, but because the answer to these questions will shape the very values, character, and principles of the community moving forward. We're growing, and part of that growth means redefining who we want to be.
This is what I do know though: As a young gay man who has first-hand faced personal, professional, and societal discrimination for my sexuality, it would be categorically wrong for me to judge others for their sexual proclivities. And not only would it be wrong for me to judge others for their sexual interests, it's insufficient for me to be neutral. There's a moral imperative for me to provide a safe and welcoming space for these marginalized groups at AdonisMale. I am passionately committed to supporting these clubs to safely enjoy their interests to the fullest extent and I hope you join me in celebrating these new clubs, even if you don't enjoy or partake in the interests yourself.
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