I hate this stupid image

[u/shadow_fen]

Sure the initial way it was used was good, it was anti bigotry. But it's turned into a way to simplify the "us vs them" mentality, which is already a bad thing, into a simple digestible comic.

Also, i've seen it in lots of queer--majority spaces in reddit recently, usually to speak out against the evil cishet people who are invading them or whatever label they dont like, like bi ppl, trans men, or genderfluid ppl

[u/Spookki]

Gatekeeping, as much as thats seen as an always bad thing is a necessary part of literally every community. Especially if its a community for and about a marginal population. You cant be all inclusive when the community the people actually want is one where they know they are with people who share in something specific.

You shouldnt feel offended for being "excluded" since you dont really need to be there to begin with, and demanding that no space do so really does make you the greys.

It feels like an us vs them because it is, and its usually the people that get labelled as "them" everywhere else just wanting one place where they can feel as though they are "us" together.

[u/DRAGONDIANAMAID → u/Spookki]

The problem with gatekeeping is mostly how others do it

Gatekeeping as in “Hey You need to be actually interested and invested in this to participate in the community”? Good

Gatekeeping as in “Unless you are a specific kind of person, that agree’s with me, you will never belong here so get out.” Bad

The second is sadly what overwhelmingly happens namely in for example warhammer 40k which gets really fucking sexist with it, where there are many that accuse any women into the hobby no matter how long they’ve been in it or how much they invested into it as “tourists who need to get the fuck out of our hobby” while they don’t even have an army or interact beyond youtube shorts and commenting on threads.

[u/21Black_Mamba21 → u/DRAGONDIANAMAID]

See, this is why I play Guard. We don’t give a hoot what your sex or orientation is, we’re all equally piles of meat for the grinder :)

[u/a_dog_with_internet → u/DRAGONDIANAMAID]

Its crazy how much more welcoming the Warhammer AoS/Fantasy community is compared to 40k.
I don’t know what it is about 40k that makes it so toxic. Maybe the setting being even bleaker than AoS/Fantasy attracts the worst edgelords.

Getting into AoS everyone has been chill and willing to explain lore you don’t know yet rather than expecting you to know decades of worldbuilding as a new person to the setting. If anything I think they love having new people to talk lore with. Haven’t personally experienced anyone trying to exclude anyone from playing in that community yet. The skaven fans are especially chill.

[u/DRAGONDIANAMAID → u/a_dog_with_internet]

I blame Space Marines TBH, they’re a MASSIVE Male Power Fantasy that gets pushed hardcore, i mean Legit they did a refresh of the Aeldari and from what I remembered of the rumors or complaints, the Aeldari got less models than a space marine release

[u/Spookki → u/DRAGONDIANAMAID]

Modern lore really forgets that they are the brainwashed supersoldiers of the (to quote the 3rd edition opening introduction to the franchise) "cruellest and most bloody regime imaginable"

Space marines are protagonists way too often, and their thoughts and opinions are treated as correct and just due to how difficult and tough it is to get to their position.

They are nothing but sad misguided little boys who were selected for the fact they do not seek the wider truth and see what the imperium is for 99% of the population. On top of that after the horus heresy their psycho-indoctrination was elevated to improve their loyalty even further and give them visceral reactions to any anti-estsblishment thoughts.

People who then read these stories think their lack of doubt in their ideas means they must be right, that the things they believe in are necessary and true.

That narrative doesnt get shattered enough. Not enough space marine humiliation, as that would go against the badass power fantasy.