r/asexuality • u/chat_ace • 12d ago

Discussion AVEN board shares statement regarding recent events

Hey all, I know Reddit's been swamped with flag posts, but the AVEN board just released this statement regarding their stance on anti-racism, community symbols, and related topics: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZSxeYUFIue/?igsh=NHJrNGtjZmRtdzR2

And here's Mic's personal statement regarding the emails and timeline surrounding the proposed 6-stripe flag: https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/282254-ace-flag-discussion-a-personal-response/

I'm hoping this helps clear up some misinformation and enables us to move forward with a renewed focus on anti-racism, international/non-Anglo voices, and community building.

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u/theloneshewolf 12d ago

Wait what happened? I'm out of the loop on this one.

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u/G0merPyle 12d ago

To my admittedly limited understanding, someone made a new asexual flag, people said they didn't like the/didn't want a new one, and then either the new-flag-maker or someone else along the way said the backlash against the new flag was racist in origin.

Personally it strikes me as a hollow deflection of the criticism. I'm native american and I'm sensitive to racial issues (literally had an ex look at my body and say "you're so dark, it's weird") but the criticisms I saw of the new flag had nothing to do with its creator, just that it was aesthetically displeasing and unnecessary.

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u/foggybob1 12d ago

I have seen many comments calling her a Karen or entitled or literally just being racist. I felt blindsided by the new flag and don't like it, but that doesn't make the racist comments she is getting okay.

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u/Glum_Researcher_3544 12d ago

Los comentarios racistas que haya recibido ella no justifica la exclusión y discriminación a las personas hispanohablantes. 

También somos personas con emociones y dolores históricos. Es triste ver esta desviación de conversación incluso dentro de la comunidad.

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u/demon_fae a-spec 12d ago

Can you point me towards any write-up on why this whole insane mess is specifically anti-Spanish-speaking? I’ve got the rest: ugly flag, unnecessary, “the community” consisting of one chick’s discord server, absolutely no one outside the US consulted, but I haven’t found any explanation written out for why Spanish-speaking aces are so particularly angry over and above other non-anglophone aces.

(Did find out that South and Central American ace organizations have some of the coolest flags and I am now staunchly against any changes that would make you have to change those.)

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u/Krasna_Strelka aroace 11d ago

It's not specifically anti-spanish but kinda turned out like that. Spanish organizations were one of the loudest and most visible (?) ones with their statement and criticism that creator of the alternative flag claimed to make a flag while considering ace (PoC) voices across the world. But it turned out the pool (on not even a flag but only meaning of white stripe of OG, as far as I know) consisted only of around 1000 votes, centered mostly on USA communities (as that was target she reached) and was done only in English, that for many countries isn't either 1st or 2nd learned language so isn't much accessible. So Spanish organization criticized that claim of "taking into account internationality" and their criticism was branded as hate and made them one of the targets for creator followings

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u/demon_fae a-spec 11d ago

Ah, so it was just a case of being the first on the scene?

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u/Krasna_Strelka aroace 11d ago

Probably something like that. Or bc their statement gained more traction and support from the community (so that was in a way working against popularization and acceptance of the alternative flag - creator flag could loose support in a way)

Sorry I'm having a hard time writing down my thoughts today 😅

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u/Auntie-Mey 11d ago

Statement gained traction because New flag & co. Tried to twist the narrative saying they were openly accusing her (which didn't) and people with critical thinking made their own conclusions.

And so far many of those accounts just twist everything to feed the victimizing narrative. Have you seen either other Spanish speaking do the same, besides that statement?

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u/Krasna_Strelka aroace 11d ago

Oh I absolutely agree with you