Farewell, GCdebatesQT

submitted by DogeWalker from self.GenderCritical

I actually spent most of my time on reddit in r/GCdebatesQT instead of r/GenderCritical. You won't recognize my name because I picked a different handle for this site... but I have seen several comments here by names I recognize, so hi everybody!

When the main GC sub got deleted, the debate sub of course went private. I didn't request to join because I decided to nuke my account and walk away from reddit. (Do you think they still show those cute little banners like, "come for the cats stay for the empathy," on the violent porn subs? anyway...)

I checked back today and found that r/GCdebatesQT has actually been deleted.

This community has been banned.

This community was banned for violating Reddit’s rule against promoting hate.

Banned 1 day ago.

heavy sigh Well..... it was good while it lasted. Thanks to Flap and the gang for maintaining one of the few spaces on the entire internet where the issues with gender ideology could be openly discussed.

To everyone, on any "side," who participated in GCdebatesQt... thanks for the interesting discussions!

To the GCdebatesQT whiners who always complained about the oppressive silencing of getting downvoted... I hope you all are feeling extremely Valid at this moment :)

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[–]Terfenclaw 20 insightful - 1 fun20 insightful - 0 fun21 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

https://saidit.net/s/GCdebatesQT/

It's here too.

[–]DogeWalker[S] 16 insightful - 1 fun16 insightful - 0 fun17 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

Personally, my hope is that the reddit exodus has a Dandelion effect, spreading the seeds for even more spaces, because I really don't want to spend time on reactionary sites/platforms like this one. Same problem with Spinster/Gab. But that's just my opinion.

[–]worried19 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Please join us on the new sub. It's so quiet at the moment. I don't want our conversations to die out. We were still very active on Reddit, even after we were forced to go private. I feel sure we can regroup here and build a strong community.

[–]DogeWalker[S] 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Hi worried19! I think it's unfortunate but also hilarious that the QT/pro-trans are unlikely to leave their newly reinforced echo chamber on reddit... so I guess this site is the next best bet for a debate forum. (tho I don't understand why every post on s/gcdebatesqt is tagged nsfw...?) I think the debate space is very important, so I'm willing to give it a chance anywhere it can be hosted.

[–]worried19 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

At least three of our regular QT posters declined to follow us here, that I know of, but more because they don't like the association of this site.

As for the NSFW thing, I'm going to ask Elly (formerly eiellie) about that. There's no reason for us to be labeled adult content.

[–]OrneryStruggle 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

what happened with spinster?

[–]DogeWalker[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I personally don't like or understand Spinster's original decision to use the Gab platform for their site. Gab gained notoriety first as a reactionary alternative to twitter, popular with the alt-right, and the platform became notorious again when it was found that the 2018 Pittsburgh Synagogue shooter was an active Gab user. There are fediverse alternatives like Mastodon and Pleroma that seem equally viable platforms, but without that baggage. So, the decision to use Gab never sat right with me. I also think it's hypocritical that a man runs the site.

[–]OrneryStruggle 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Oh, I didn't know about any of that. A man runs spinster?

[–]DogeWalker[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Yes, he is the one administering the site. I think the female founder also claimed to have a tech background, so it’s unclear to me why a man should be in charge...

[–]OrneryStruggle 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Darn, that's disappointing.

[–]DistantGlimmer 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

I'm another refugee. It was a unique and very interesting space Actually ended up convincing me more of GC beliefs to learn how empty and illogical the opposing ideology actually is. I really do feel like someone living in a religiously conservative country who doesn't accept the state religion but questioning it is not allowed. We had a great group of super-intelligent people in the debate sub. I enjoyed talking to them about things that weren't even part of the main topic.

Hope our alternative here gets more of the old crowd to trickle over. It's pretty quiet right now.

[–]worried19 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

It's very quiet. I was excited when everyone at least came over to say they were there, but it's been crickets since then.

[–]DistantGlimmer 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

One issue I think is that while I still feel sympathy for dysphoric people who are just trying to cope with that I will have a hard time looking past that these TRAs have been gleefuly celebrating us losing our spaces and want us to feel isolated and scared like this. It's something that goes beyond mere disagreement and it'll be hard if TRAs come back in there to go along with the pretense that they don't just hate GC for existing and they actually want to debate

You're more moderate so I'm curious how you feel about this. Is a real debate even possible when TRA's don't even recognize GC's right to exist? (yes I'm deliberately turning their own language back on them). .

[–]worried19 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

We never really had that many hardcore TRA types to begin with. A few here and there, but most didn't stay for long. I'd say the majority of our regular trans posters were at least transmedicalists, and thus more willing to have discussions. They know what it's like to be cancelled within their own community, so I feel like they were always more open. I can't imagine any of them celebrating the fact that we got banned.

As far as new people are concerned, I'm happy to have the dialogue, but we've got to find QT people who are willing to debate. Or who at least think the issues are worthy of thoughtful consideration. I feel like a lot of the younger ones are just about shouting slogans and are not interested in critical thought. But there must be moderates out there. Their voices just aren't as loud.

[–]DistantGlimmer 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

The thing is though after main GC was banned I peeked into the truscum group to get their reaction hoping they'd at least be a bit sympathetic for the reason you said but they were mostly all celebrating "TERFs getting owned" just like the other ones. I agree with you there are a lot of issues we could have a genuine debate and discussion about and promote deeper understanding of both sides but both sides have to genuinely want that.I don't know, I am just so angry and disgusted with the trans community right now I guess some are just genuinely affraid to speak up but a lot seem genuinely happy that we are silenced.

[–]worried19 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm sure you're right. If things keep going the way they are, I guess they'll figure out soon enough that no amount of moderation is considered acceptable. It probably won't hit them until their own sub gets banned.

I do believe there are people who are willing to debate and that it's possible to convince them that our side has legitimate concerns. The main issue is finding them.

[–]PassionateIntensity 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

You guys were awesome. Smart, funny, and took no bullshit. I'm going to miss reading you.

[–]DogeWalker[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Can't miss us if you don't stop reading! :) And participating, too... no matter where the debate takes place, we could always use more voices chiming in with Passionate Intensity!

[–]worried19 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm still mourning the loss of the debate sub. It felt like a true community to me. I was a member for over 3 years. I know the purpose was debate and not therapy, but whenever I'd feel like disavowing my femaleness due to misogyny on other parts of Reddit, it was a safe place I could come and be reminded that many women are adamant about standing up to that bullshit. When I felt like giving up on society, they helped talk me down. I never had any GNC role models in real life, so it was good to connect with other GNC women there. It was a reminder that I am a real and valid woman no matter what society thinks.

[–]Delia 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Is this all Reddit can offer, little bans and homilies about promoting hate. Good luck to them is all I can say..they do not deserve subscribers.

[–]ImPiqued1111111 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Hi!

I actually liked that sub a lot. I didn't spend too much time on it, but when I thought to drop by it was sort of satisfying in a way to actually confront (in a polite way) the TQ directly in a way that's normally not possible.