Valentine's Week at The Bell Tree

[-Mars-]

But I'm not a lesbian, I just chose that because of the color orange, my favorite color.

No offense to any lesbians out there.

That's... not what pride flags are for, they are intended to represent a specific LGBTQA+ identity like country flags represent countries. You shouldn't use flags that represent identities you aren't part of, if you use the Lesbian flag when you aren't a Lesbian that's extremely misleading.

 

[Doo]

That's... not what pride flags are for, they are intended to represent a specific LGBTQA+ identity like country flags represent countries. You shouldn't use flags that represent identities you aren't part of, if you use the Lesbian flag when you aren't a Lesbian that's extremely misleading.

I thought just using the flag shows support / being an ally, even if that’s not your identity

 

[Paperboy012305]

That's... not what pride flags are for, they are intended to represent a specific LGBTQA+ identity like country flags represent countries. You shouldn't use flags that represent identities you aren't part of, if you use the Lesbian flag when you aren't a Lesbian that's extremely misleading.

So what you're saying is, if I'm not a lesbian, I can use that colored flag to support them?

 

[seliph]

I thought just using the flag shows support / being an ally, even if that’s not your identity

It definitely can be! I'm no lesbian so I'm not speaking on the lesbian flag specifically but if allies wanna put on a rainbow or trans flag to show allyship I'm all for it, however that's the thing: you better be an ally.

 

[-Mars-]

I thought just using the flag shows support / being an ally, even if that’s not your identity

If you want to use a pride flag to represent you are an ally to the LGBTQA+ community you can use the general pride flags or ally flags

Spoiler: Trans Ally Flag

Spoiler: Straight Ally

Spoiler: General Pride Flags

I'm saying he shouldn't be using the Lesbian flag just because it's his favorite colors when he is a straight Cismale and therefore he isn't a Lesbian

 

[Jeremy]

If you want to use a pride flag to represent you are an ally to the LGBTQA+ community you can use the general pride flags or ally flags

Spoiler: Trans Ally Flag

View attachment 609955

Spoiler: Straight Ally

View attachment 609956

Spoiler: General Pride Flags

View attachment 609957View attachment 609958View attachment 609959

I'm saying he shouldn't be using the Lesbian flag just because it's his favorite colors when he is a straight Cismale and therefore he isn't a Lesbian

People can use any of them if they want, as long as they're respectful. Policing who gets to use what would be impossible, nor should users attempt to do so, otherwise we wouldn't make them available at all.

 

[-Mars-]

It wasn't my intention to police what people can or can't do. I only meant it is confusing to see non-Lesbians using the Lesbian flag...
I'm sorry if I sounded rude for trying to explain to people, I just thought maybe he was confused on the purpose of pride flags...

 

[Paperboy012305]

I just thought maybe he was confused on the purpose of pride flags...

That's true actually. I lived my whole life not knowing LGBTQ+, and thought that being in those things were going against any religion.
Apparently they aren't, but I didn't know. So I had to learn the very hard way and now I respect them.

Still, I have much to learn.

 

[seliph]

If you want to use a pride flag to represent you are an ally to the LGBTQA+ community you can use the general pride flags or ally flags

Spoiler: Trans Ally Flag

View attachment 609955

Spoiler: Straight Ally

View attachment 609956

Spoiler: General Pride Flags

View attachment 609957View attachment 609958View attachment 609959

I'm saying he shouldn't be using the Lesbian flag just because it's his favorite colors when he is a straight Cismale and therefore he isn't a Lesbian

Honestly IMO I've always seen the "ally" flags as kind of... cop-out ish? Like even though it's probably not the intent it's always odd to me when i see one, and gives off the impression of needing to specify "I'm not one of them though!" for a safety net against xphobia that the rest of us don't get to have. My partner is cis but he sports a trans flag to support us and to show he's not afraid to do so with his whole chest, and seeing that rules way harder than an ally flag.

Just use the regular pride flags, so long as it's with genuine support it's not weird!

 

[LambdaDelta]

honestly, the backdrop variants are clearly pride-based, but I personally don't consider them to be coded enough to demand one be a part of that group to use either. imo, it'd be like saying you can't have sylveon as a favorite pokemon unless you're trans. or that all non-gays must turn over their rainbow collectibles

not to mention the exclusionary aspect of policing it feels hella hypocritical, imo. if someone wants to use one of the variants because they idenitify with what those colors represent, or because they like those colors, or even if it just simply vibes with their aesthetic, I'd say let them

ofc, I'm also in the camp of 'would rather they at least be an ally' too, but frankly, if they aren't I'd want them gone from this site much more than simply not using a backdrop. I ain't got any authority to police who does or doesn't get to come here though, so I just gotta deal

 

[Jeremy]

Oh are the new envelopes not tradable? I didn't even realize... I'd also hope they become tradable, at least once the event ends! I can imagine there's some people who want multiple and it'd be so cute to have a row or two of them. The sentiment of also gifting a love letter collectible to another member is also just a really cute idea.

They're tradable. The Snake Figurine however is not tradeable and it's also unique. This is temporary to limit it to one per user during the event.

 

[Xara]

This is temporary to limit it to one per user during the event.

can I ask the reasoning behind this? I've always been confused why some event shop collectibles are limited to one per person during events. I could understand if restocks were still a thing, but I don't understand limiting unlimited stock collectibles. it just feels weird to have to get multiple of a collectible from others later if you have the event currency to just get them yourself.

 

[Mistreil]

Question, if you're going to be making both a trans and intersex backdrop for the people who really wanted them would you maybe consider making an Aroace backdrop so I can have both my sexuality and romantic orientation represented at the same time and not have to pick between the Asexual or Aromantic backdrop? I understand if you aren't able to, considering the fact you made these last minute even though you're really busy. Your personal life is more important than drawing me some image after all.

I'll probably add that in for June, unless I have more time on Monday than I expect (although I sort of anticipate the opposite with everything I know right now. I think things are going to be much more chaotic than I hoped.)

I'm also aroace, hence both being included as a result. im biased oops. I typically see the individual flags, especially since I know people that are ace but have a romantic orientation, so I felt this was a bit more.... freedom/flexibility. But I do get that having to choose is difficult!

On a related note, though - I typically see the sunset aroace flag rather than the one with both purple and green; so I'm curious which one you were talking about! (As biased as I am, I'll probably have to pick to include one or the other. But I'd rather leave that to people who have stronger preferences on the flags!)

... Although, uh, with that said: I'll probably try to formally organize my thoughts more and gather feedback from everyone prior to (but much closer to) June in terms of which versions to make, and any other identities. This isn't quite the thread for all of this (and I think we'd be missing a lot of input from people because all of this is mixed in with event stuff at the moment), but I definitely do want to gather people's thoughts eventually, when I have the capacity and time for it. So think of this as a heads up for that?
(I hope to do this in May or very late April since I'm super busy until then I don't have a solid plan for how I want to go about this, since even just thinking lightly... I'm very torn about it even being public vs. private for a variety of reasons on both sides. So I'm just... going to not think about it for a little while.)

 

[-Mars-]

Honestly IMO I've always seen the "ally" flags as kind of... cop-out ish? Like even though it's probably not the intent it's always odd to me when i see one, and gives off the impression of needing to specify "I'm not one of them though!" for a safety net against xphobia that the rest of us don't get to have. My partner is cis but he sports a trans flag to support us and to show he's not afraid to do so with his whole chest, and seeing that rules way harder than an ally flag.

Just use the regular pride flags, so long as it's with genuine support it's not weird!

That's an interesting perspective of the trans-ally and straight-ally flag, I haven't heard that before so thank you for sharing your opinion.

I just meant for instance... if I saw someone who was hanging a country flag of a country that they have absolutely zero correlation with(Not born in that country, zero family members/ancestors of that nationality/ethnicity, not a legal resident of that country, not a immigrant of that country etc.) for example an American hanging the Japanese flag and I asked them "Oh cool, so you're Japanese? I think it's cool to learn more about other cultures, I'd like to learn more about yours if that's alright" and they answered "Nah I'm not Japanese, I just like the Japanese flag is all" I would feel... confused not offended is all. If I see someone with a flag it makes me think they actually are part of that identity and not just someone who likes it and that's why I feel confused.

I'm sorry for being such a preacher to Paperboy.

Rant: In no way am I trying to justify the rudeness of my actions but perhaps the reason why I felt like this or acted this way is because I've experienced hostility from certain specific Lesbians, Feminists and other women (yes I'm aware not all Lesbians, feminists and women act like this) because I am a masculine/androgynous-presenting AFAB person who experiences a disconnection from my womanhood but I still feel like I should be a "woman" instead of a "man", I feel disconnected from my female anatomy(chest and interior organs) and I want them removed because they cause me dysphoria and I feel like having those parts is not what makes me feel like a "woman" and I can still be a woman without my chest and inside parts and I've experienced pushback from other women telling me I'm not a "real woman" for wanting some not all of my female anatomy removed(even though I don't want hormones or bottom surgery) and I'm basically a "man" invading women's, feminists, and Lesbian spaces and some people have said they no longer see me as a woman anymore because I'm too masculine and they think I'm trying to transition to be a man when I'm not. Because I've experienced bullying for using the Lesbian flag in the past because I don't fit into some certain specific Lesbian's narrow definition of what it means to be a "woman" and a "Lesbian" it makes me feel insecure about the Lesbian flag being used so freely and that's a me problem and I'm sorry about that.

Once again I am extremely sorry if I sounded like the police officer of who can and can't use the Lesbian flag, I'm sorry.

 

[LambdaDelta]

if I saw someone who was hanging a country flag of a country that they have absolutely zero correlation with(Not born in that country, zero family members/ancestors of that nationality/ethnicity, not a legal resident of that country, not a immigrant of that country etc.)

I mean we've also had people use flags to express support for the regions (ex: showing solidarity to ukraine and palestine against russia and israel's genocide campaigns), so uh

frankly, I'd never use a country flag as a barameter to determine ethiniticy. plus, even if they were of that region, there's no guarantee they'd have knowledge of their heritage either, pending how they were raised and all. so I'd not want to put them on the spot like that either

 

[himekirako]

The Snake Figurine however is not tradeable and it's also unique.

waaa i knew i should have gotten the dragon figurine, won't make that mistake this time

ten more years until it's the year of the rabbit again ദ്ദി(╥ᆺ╥；)

 

[Justin]

can I ask the reasoning behind this? I've always been confused why some event shop collectibles are limited to one per person during events. I could understand if restocks were still a thing, but I don't understand limiting unlimited stock collectibles. it just feels weird to have to get multiple of a collectible from others later if you have the event currency to just get them yourself.

Generally speaking, the intention is usually to act as a compromise between having limited restocks versus being readily available with no restrictions. It effectively limits how many will be in circulation by a significant factor, while still allowing for everyone to get one and not be frustrated by restocks to even get that one. This became more common as a method after we stopped doing restocks for most items, so that some items could still maintain a greater sense of rarity. There are some other approaches that could work but they're not currently as easily technically feasible.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

ten more years until it's the year of the rabbit again ദ്ദി(╥ᆺ╥；)

I know, my zodiac is the rabbit. someday we will have the bun