How holidaylights stole Christmas, pt. 2: TL;DR-mas
(First of all, thanks to everyone on my friends list who took the time to comment on my first draft of this, and apologies that you're seeing it twice, especially if you're not a part of the whole icon business to begin with! Please feel extremely free to ignore, hah.)
Hi all! So, I've been thinking a lot lately about some discussion I've seen in anon_icon, and figured that I'd rather write this in my journal than anonymously. I think the topic started with a comment to a challenge using red and green as "holiday colors," but I want to stress that this isn't about the challenge itself, which I didn't personally find particularly problematic. Instead, it's mostly in response to some of the reactions. I'm really not looking to start any type of drama or make anyone feel bad, but since it's being weighing on my mind, I figured I'd take the first night of Chanukah as a chance to add my perspective on the issue. (And I apologize in advance for how long this is!) I should note that I'm speaking entirely from my own experience here, and not for everyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas.
I should also note that I like Christmas. I have a wonderful time helping friends who do celebrate pick their trees and hang ornaments. If you hadn't guessed, I quite like the lights. But it's foreign to me.
Christmas isn't a secular holiday, not matter how commercialized, and while many people do choose to celebrate just the secular aspects, there are many of us who simply don't celebrate it at all. Although being an atheist or agnostic during Christmas may be difficult, I don't know that it's comparable to being of a different religious tradition. To list off a few common American traditions: I've never had a tree in my home, believed in Santa, or woken up to find presents. I have my own traditions, which are equally meaningful to me.
If you do celebrate Christmas, even in the most cursory, non-religious way possible, trust me when I say that during this time of year, it's pervasive. A 2010 poll found that 90 percent of people in the United States celebrate Christmas. And because Christmas is such a source of joy, I think, there's a tendency for some people to get weirdly defensive about the fact that not everyone is joining in - as though, by not celebrating, we're trying to put a damper on their merriment and happiness just by living our own lives. When we try to be inclusive, we're sometimes accused, in all seriousness, of declaring a War on Christmas. That poll found that 49 percent of Americans would oppose to using generic holiday greetings "out of respect for people of different faiths."
To be clear: The fact that I don't celebrate Christmas isn't a political decision; it's my faith. If I wish you Happy Holidays, it's not an effort to be PC; it's a sincere wish that, no matter what you celebrate, it brings you happiness. And as silly as the effort to include everyone may seem if you're usually included by default, I can say that for me, it means a ton.
So does seeing many icon communities devote the month to Christmas themes and Secret Santas, and red and green matter all that much? No, but maybe you can understand where I'm coming from when I say it makes me feel like slightly like an outsider. And when people react with hostility or submissiveness to any efforts at inclusion, I really start to wonder if I'm unwelcome.
And yes, it's a small minority of people who don't celebrate Christmas, and an even smaller fraction who feel uncomfortable this time of year. If you can't bring yourself to care about my plight, no sarcasm here, I completely understand. I'm generally privileged, at most this is a slight annoyance to me. First world problems, etc. But how about this person?
Here's the thing - it's a pretty easy fix, too. Separating out every December holiday would be pretty unwieldy, but there's nothing wrong with allowing users to choose what suits them best. Using slightly broader themes - "holiday colors," "celebration," and allowing everyone to interpret them as they see fit works (the nostalgia prompt for inspired20in20 is an awesome example).
Even if you don't want to build that much ambiguity into your challenges, that's fine. You can't anticipate everyone's reactions. But if someone approaches you to ask whether you can expand your definition of a prompt, just try to be open. It doesn't cost you anything; it likely means a lot to them. Or at least when other people do make the effort, consider applauding rather than mocking them.
Of course, no one is at all obligated to take any of these suggestions. You can do whatever you want! But it'd be pretty easy, in the spirit of the season, to extend some goodwill. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!
Hi all! So, I've been thinking a lot lately about some discussion I've seen in anon_icon, and figured that I'd rather write this in my journal than anonymously. I think the topic started with a comment to a challenge using red and green as "holiday colors," but I want to stress that this isn't about the challenge itself, which I didn't personally find particularly problematic. Instead, it's mostly in response to some of the reactions. I'm really not looking to start any type of drama or make anyone feel bad, but since it's being weighing on my mind, I figured I'd take the first night of Chanukah as a chance to add my perspective on the issue. (And I apologize in advance for how long this is!) I should note that I'm speaking entirely from my own experience here, and not for everyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas.
I should also note that I like Christmas. I have a wonderful time helping friends who do celebrate pick their trees and hang ornaments. If you hadn't guessed, I quite like the lights. But it's foreign to me.
Christmas isn't a secular holiday, not matter how commercialized, and while many people do choose to celebrate just the secular aspects, there are many of us who simply don't celebrate it at all. Although being an atheist or agnostic during Christmas may be difficult, I don't know that it's comparable to being of a different religious tradition. To list off a few common American traditions: I've never had a tree in my home, believed in Santa, or woken up to find presents. I have my own traditions, which are equally meaningful to me.
If you do celebrate Christmas, even in the most cursory, non-religious way possible, trust me when I say that during this time of year, it's pervasive. A 2010 poll found that 90 percent of people in the United States celebrate Christmas. And because Christmas is such a source of joy, I think, there's a tendency for some people to get weirdly defensive about the fact that not everyone is joining in - as though, by not celebrating, we're trying to put a damper on their merriment and happiness just by living our own lives. When we try to be inclusive, we're sometimes accused, in all seriousness, of declaring a War on Christmas. That poll found that 49 percent of Americans would oppose to using generic holiday greetings "out of respect for people of different faiths."
To be clear: The fact that I don't celebrate Christmas isn't a political decision; it's my faith. If I wish you Happy Holidays, it's not an effort to be PC; it's a sincere wish that, no matter what you celebrate, it brings you happiness. And as silly as the effort to include everyone may seem if you're usually included by default, I can say that for me, it means a ton.
So does seeing many icon communities devote the month to Christmas themes and Secret Santas, and red and green matter all that much? No, but maybe you can understand where I'm coming from when I say it makes me feel like slightly like an outsider. And when people react with hostility or submissiveness to any efforts at inclusion, I really start to wonder if I'm unwelcome.
And yes, it's a small minority of people who don't celebrate Christmas, and an even smaller fraction who feel uncomfortable this time of year. If you can't bring yourself to care about my plight, no sarcasm here, I completely understand. I'm generally privileged, at most this is a slight annoyance to me. First world problems, etc. But how about this person?
Here's the thing - it's a pretty easy fix, too. Separating out every December holiday would be pretty unwieldy, but there's nothing wrong with allowing users to choose what suits them best. Using slightly broader themes - "holiday colors," "celebration," and allowing everyone to interpret them as they see fit works (the nostalgia prompt for inspired20in20 is an awesome example).
Even if you don't want to build that much ambiguity into your challenges, that's fine. You can't anticipate everyone's reactions. But if someone approaches you to ask whether you can expand your definition of a prompt, just try to be open. It doesn't cost you anything; it likely means a lot to them. Or at least when other people do make the effort, consider applauding rather than mocking them.
Of course, no one is at all obligated to take any of these suggestions. You can do whatever you want! But it'd be pretty easy, in the spirit of the season, to extend some goodwill. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!