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View Full Version : Offensive emoticon question?



Chaotic Cam
12-27-2017, 09:28 AM
So I plan on staying here awhile, and I know this might seem very trivial, but to me (and I'm sure others who have it) this is... really, really offensive. D:

I was browsing your full list of emoijis and it looks like there's an emoji labeled 'bipolar' with the image depicting someone screaming like they're crazy. This depects a serious mental affliction that hundreds of people have, including myself, and sends the message that bipolar = crazy.

I don't know how the emojis on this site works, or if it's possible to have it removed or please at least have the wording changed, but I'd hope the staff on this site would agree that demonizing mental illness is not okay?

I know I'm rather new, but I just left a site I'd been a part of for almost eight years because once I got involved in modding, I saw a whole new side to the site that made me want to throw up in regards to how they handled bullying, sexual harassment, and so much more.

I know this is a very small issue in the grand scheme of things, and I don't want to go into a whole educational rant (heh) but I hope this will be taken seriously. I'm bipolar, yes. But I'm not crazy, thank you very much. And by having this emoji -bipolar- you're associating any person with bipolar as being 'crazy' and that's not okay.

.Karma.
12-27-2017, 06:50 PM
Hey Chaotic Cam! I really appreciate you expressing your feelings here and letting us know what's going on. I just wanted to pop in and let you know that I definitely understand what you're saying. I would love to discuss and work this out with you via PM and definitely appreciate you bringing this to our attention. If you ever feel this way about anything, I truly don't mind you posting it here, but also know that my PM box is always open, you can ask anyone. I'm probably more scared of you than you are of me ;) I like to listen and try to be understanding and open, so I also want you to feel like you can come to me if you need to as well.

Omac
12-27-2017, 11:42 PM
I'm not supposed to be here, but I'm still checking in.

I used to think this way too. Some of the emoticons could be seen as offensive. There is one called crazy. :crazy: and even :hump: which could both be taken the wrong way. I don't think that way anymore. It used to kind of bother me, but... it's everywhere. It's how the general media views things. Two of my favorite shows being "Psych" and "Smallville" both use the word "Schizo" and "Schizophrenic" as a joke. It hurts. It really does so I know where you're coming from, but like... I'm just trying to say that it's not all RPA's fault here.

I've been here for five years and RPA is most certainly not a place that is against mental illness. I have hundreds of blogs with many, many replies that prove that. RPA has always been there for me. There have been fanfictions! I'm writing one now. It's a good place regardless of a few things such as this. A lot of which happen because bipolar is seen as more of an emotion/joke then the serious mental illness it is. I understand your frustration, but I really hope you don't leave because of this.

.Karma.
12-27-2017, 11:49 PM
The name of the emoji has been changed. Thank you for letting us know, and appreciate you coming forward about it.

Chaotic Cam
12-28-2017, 06:24 AM
Apologies for my late response - holiday time, been busy with family. Thank you for your cordial reply, and it really means a lot that you'd care enough to take action and have the name changed - truly, it means a lot. ^^

And Omac, no worries at all! I'm not leaving and I in no way blame the site for something like this, I was just hoping to shed light on something that felt rather personal, and hoping to at least be listened to. ^^ And I get where you're coming from, I do - but each person reacts to issues like this differently, and yeah, don't even get me started on the media, lol. ;)

But I would like to thank the Staff for treating this situation seriously and actually taking action, instead of just brushing this off due to it being a 'silly emoji' in the grand scheme of things. I always say actions speak louder than words, and I can't even begin to express how happy I am at the positive response I've seen here in such little time.

I left a role-playing site I'd dedicated nearly eight years of my life to recently, because as I climbed up the moderating political ladder I realized just how disgusting staff handled serious issues.

I'm so happy to have found this site, and I hope to be more active when the holidays have passed! Thank you. <3

Crazywolf
12-28-2017, 03:11 PM
I expect a lot of the emojis were originally imported as sets so it's possible that the person who imported them just didn't notice it.

Craze
12-30-2017, 02:04 AM
https://i0.wp.com/gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Justin-Timberlake-Blank-Stare.gif?ssl=1

Chaotic Cam
12-30-2017, 02:17 AM
https://i0.wp.com/gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Justin-Timberlake-Blank-Stare.gif?ssl=1

And what does that mean?

Craze
12-30-2017, 02:20 AM
;)

Chaotic Cam
12-30-2017, 02:29 AM
Apologies, I really have no idea what you mean (though I do have an inkling) due to the fact that I also have autism and am not always good at enterpriting facial expressions. Mind explaining your out of the blue post? ^^

G
01-07-2018, 01:17 AM
But I would like to thank the Staff for treating this situation seriously and actually taking action, instead of just brushing this off due to it being a 'silly emoji' in the grand scheme of things. I always say actions speak louder than words, and I can't even begin to express how happy I am at the positive response I've seen here in such little time.

No problem at all Chaotic, we're here to help and always happy to take on board feedback from our members <3 The site wouldn't exist without all you beautiful people, after all!