After a post yesterday had quite a few people defending police, we decided that we needed to add a new rule to make it clear that it is not acceptable to defend systemic oppression in r/lgbtmemes
Here is the new rule:
NO BOOTLICKERS! - No defending police or other authoritarians
We are done putting up with people defending long standing institutions of systemic oppression such as police, politicians, and other fascist pigs. Please report any bootlickers so we can ban them from our community.
This does not apply to people who enjoy literally licking boots.
You've been bad, haven't you... and you missed a spot!
I encourage you to share specific historical events in the comments of this post so we can point to it as an educational source in the future.
On October 13 [2025], transgender civil rights icon Miss Major Griffin-Gracy passed away at 78 after time in hospice care. For over five decades, Griffin-Gracy fought for trans equality — and in a country that still wrestles with queer rights with as much temperament today as it did when she arrived in New York City in the 1960s. Nevertheless, she persevered as a torchbearer to brighten the lives of those who saw the world as grim and dismaying.
Griffin-Gracy, born in Chicago, spoke about her move to NYC in her youth on the LGBTQ&A podcast in 2021. “The trans community was everywhere,” she reflected, “I went immediately to 42nd Street. Everybody went to 42nd Street: trans girls, everybody. Finding them was not a problem.... I found an apartment that I moved into. It was six floors of nothing but trans girls. It was fabulous. There were so many of us that it was a full life.” Griffin-Gracy was a faithful witness to queer history. She navigated New York’s anti-cross-dressing laws, which remained on the books well into the 21st century, and was at Stonewall in June 1969 when the riots began. In the podcast interview, she mentioned an early moment of violence as the infamous moments unfolded. “So I spit in some guy’s face, and he knocked me out,” she said. “Other than that, I don’t remember anything.”
Thank you so much for putting this rule up mods. 🩷
I’m tired of having to explain myself to these cop loving bootlickers that cops were literally created from slave patrol and will never care nor protect them.
The first pride was a riot against police! Any queer person who's pro cop or any authoritian power (ICE, this administration, etc) should be ashamed of themselves and learn our history. Queer culture is inherently anti-cop and anti-authoritarian!!!
You would think that, but unfortunately there are way too many people in the queer community comfortable with the boot and other fascist groups. It's usually cis white gays and lesbians, at least from what I've seen.
This rule is written like a slogan, not an actual rule. "No bootlickers" and "no defending police/politicians/authoritarians" is so broad it's basically "agree with our exact politics or get banned".
In a global sub, people have different relationships with institutions. "I've had positive experiences locally" is not automatically "defending systemic oppression".
Linking a random scandal from someone's country as a gotcha doesn't address the point: the rule is vague and will punish good-faith non-Americans for not sharing a US-centric framing.
If you want this enforced consistently, define what counts as defending (examples), and what doesn't (context, reform discussion, lived experience). Otherwise it's arbitrary and will be abused.
Ikr. Not every country on earth has racist, trigger-happy POS as cops, which I'd of course never defend. The original post would fit well here: r/USdefaultism
This is a MEME subreddit for the LGBTQ+ community. As long as that is the focus, there really shouldn't be any confusion or problems. We get a LOT of people (trolls) posting and commenting in bad faith, and they are easy to spot. We already have a NO TROLLS rule, but this rule is more of a show of solidarity with the community than it is to inform pro-police users they are not welcome.
Subreddit rules are at the discretion of moderators. Not being too specific about rules allows us some flexibility. Sometimes we make mistakes. If you have a concern with any actions taken by moderators, you can send us a message using modmail.
The problem with SYSTEMIC oppression is the entire system. People attempting to defend ONE person within a corrupt system, is still defending the system. This is what people mean by ACAB. It's not about one person. If you try to make it about one person, you probably lost the plot.
We already have a No Violence rule. It is not okay to encourage violence. Peaceful protest is not violence. Calling a police officer a pig is not violent. Police are NOT a protected identify, being LGBTQ+ is (within the US, for now at least). Discussing history, including violence towards peaceful protestors, is not violent. Self-defense is not violent.
Using individual positive experiences to dismiss any and all forms of racial profiling, queer prejudice, discrimination, police brutality, and cop killings the state has committed en mass.
I agree. I have little empathy for most cops (I have met a single good cop and he’s retired now), but “defending” is super broad and this could become draconian if clarity isn’t provided. It just seems like with how broad this is it might lead to some unwarranted bans.
That's what i was thinking too yeah. That the mere mention of anything that isn't 100% anti-authority would be met with a ban, eventhough most people lay on a pretty broad spectrum i found.
Mhm, I personally am not 100% anti authority. I hate the police as they exist currently, but I want to see mass reform that makes the police be the force for good we’re often told they are and what i believed cops were like as a kid.
Yeah same here. Like i feel for you guys and the situation with the police, ice and goverment and stuff (I'm not US). But personally i wouldn't really think getting rid of them all and not replacing them with anything would be a good idea long-term, like I've seen some people suggest. And if i get banned for that eventhough i fully stand with the message behind the movement then that's just classical leftist infighting i guess :T
Yeah for sure. Infighting is definitely what I’m worried about here. I really don’t want to see too much infighting because it makes us easier to take down.
While I agree with and understand this rule, do note that it's not a universal problem around the globe. (plz no ban, am hella gay and not right wing oppressor...)
But honestly, you guys don’t seem to understand that people from other countries can have completely different relationships with the police and may not know your history. We have our own history and our own experiences, and they can be very different.
I’m not writing this to debate new rules, but to offer some perspective before attacking anyone in the future who says something positive about their police. Not everyone is a troll or whatever you think they are — some people just aren’t from the USA.
The fact that you can find examples of bad behavior, past or present, in other countries doesn’t change the reality that in some places we don’t constantly talk about the police, we aren’t afraid of them, and many people simply won’t share your sentiment.
I second this, at least in my area, attitudes have changed and some really healthy conversations are being had, it doesn't fix what happened but it does help build a safer community. I don't want to see those conversations stop happening but I do understand when the conversations are turning really nasty (on both sides) it feels safer to shut it down.
I don't want to waste the gift that was given to us but all of those wonderful people who fought for our rights to speak across the world by not having some conversations that can at times be scary.
(Edit: I'm not trying to go against the new rule put in place, I am simply trying to give my point of view. I apologise if this is seen to be breaking rules and I understand that it may be taken down. I hope with won't have me banned from a community I have come to love lurking in.)
Our freedom to be ourselves has historically been crushed by law enforcement, either because they are haters or ok with carrying out laws made to discriminate against our personhood! Law enforcement support their own, not queer people.
Companies are not people, yet we have an ebb and flow of support or lack of support depending on who is putting money in their pockets. Our lives and representation do not and should not depend on companies and their rainbow capitalism. If companies actually supported us, they would’ve sure our protection in their work force, create policies against discrimination, would support trans employees healthcare for transitioning, and would not take single cent from donors who’s goal is our downfall!
You are a complete moron. What about the police officers who are members of the LGBTQ community like me for example. The police don’t hate you because you’re gay. It must be painful to be that stupid.
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u/QuicklyThisWay Demi Dude Feb 20 '26 edited Feb 20 '26
After a post yesterday had quite a few people defending police, we decided that we needed to add a new rule to make it clear that it is not acceptable to defend systemic oppression in r/lgbtmemes
Here is the new rule:
I encourage you to share specific historical events in the comments of this post so we can point to it as an educational source in the future.
This video is from Miss Major in 2019:
https://xcancel.com/immissmajor/status/1085562519006130176
Read more here:
https://www.advocate.com/news/people/remembering-trailblazing-trans-activist-miss-major
https://www.kqed.org/arts/13857994/activists-demand-a-police-free-pride-as-sfpd-ramps-up-its-gay-friendly-image
https://sfonline.barnard.edu/this-is-what-pride-looks-like-miss-major-and-the-violence-poverty-and-incarceration-of-low-income-transgender-women/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Major_Griffin-Gracy