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kolala
11 months ago
Late to your original question, but how about using labels to be as a safe space? For instance, I have my pronouns in my site even though it doesn't make a difference to me. I'm a cis woman, so the default she/her works. And even if someone misgenders me, I wouldn't care because I have never suffered from it.
kolala
11 months ago
So in that case, rather than being a defensive thing, it's just to tell others that I'll respect their pronouns if they ever interacted with me. To try to make it safer for those who might be dealing with discrimination in other places. I rarely interact with others, but if there's a chance to make things a bit less hostile then it's worth it.
Agreed with Koala. Before I came out as trans, I didn't self-identify very much as anything online, in fact I preferred to hide it. But even coming against prejudice about being trans from even my own family and facing random abuse in public and online, self-identifying works as both indicating to others that I'm "in the know (e.g. about pronouns, etc)"/ am safe, and also practically works as a filter.
Also, I've poked around on the old web on archives of geocities and others, there was quite a lot of self-identification especially in the LGBTQ community, much as there still is today. I haven't looked at other communities but I suspect your observation on race, nationality, etc, are the same. When there's so much information online, choosing who to follow or spend time with is important, labels help with that
ghostscape
11 months ago
i think my thoughts are not comment-sized but: this topic is super interesting, your thoughts reflect a lot of my own feelings, and also the current comments are spot-on too. how I've felt about online labels over the years has maaassively changed and part of that is to do with the kind of privileges I have changing
emilynhoward
11 months ago
@kolala Thanks for the perspective. Yeah, I think that different sites with different purposes use labels differently. For myself, I've had experiences where I thought I was a good ally and ended up causing harm, so I don't see myself as an expert on whether or not I'm a "safe" person. If someone is wondering if I am safe to approach, I would recommend that they read around my site a bit and decide for themselves.
emilynhoward
11 months ago
@pixelglade Several years ago, I got harrassed on the bus by someone claiming that they "couldn't tell" "what" I am. Shortly afterwards, I got some pride pins to put on my bag so nobody could claim to be confused about it and to take up space as a queer person. So I get that as a reason to self-label online. But to me there's a thin line between creating a community and creating an echo chamber in online spaces...
emilynhoward
11 months ago
...and that's the part that I'm still trying to figure out. I was not connected to the LGBTQ+ community in my early internet days, so I did not see the self-labeling happening there. My guess is that the practice started in small communities connecting around their identities and get got more mainstreamed over the years.
The first post with the typewriter: https://jamesg.blog/2025/10/19/beginnings-type-written
emilynhoward
11 months ago
Ooh, thanks for this! You can kind of see the starry-eyed wonder that typewriters invoke. I have so far decided not to post images of my typewriting because it would require both high-res images and lots of alt text. But maybe I will one day with short bits of text.
It might be possible to simplify the process of converting full-length pages of typewriter text to alt text using OCR like tesseract or something else, but even in that case, smaller segments will probably be easier. Personally I'd like to see an example of the text your typewriter produces, out of curiosity for how the letterforms look
emilynhoward
11 months ago
My experiments so far with OCR have not worked out well. You'd think it would be easy for a computer to render typewriting into text, but the program I was using actually couldn't parse several of the letters. I will consider uploading some examples of text, though. Thanks for the suggesion!
nohappynonsense
11 months ago
i was thinking lately i should update my about section, but when i just checked it i realized it is as bare bones as i'd like it to be while still existing and providing some navigation. i think labels are good for new visitors, to sort of orient themselves in a general direction of the author, but ultimately the writing/content of the site is where we truly learn about who's behind the html
barndoors
11 months ago
I'd judge way less while browsing. age range is the only stat I look for. no one does media queries here but you can't hate on a 14 yo's first chatgpt-less build
crunchweb
11 months ago
self categorization is really important for me and I do self labeling as a way to get to know myself. sometimes you self label and then find out you're wrong. it's a harder question to answer for other people. for websites, I'm more into the style of expression than the actual person. although there are some people I followed only because they're only
ghostscape
11 months ago
I don't usually go looking for those tbh: it's useful to know gender if I'm going to refer to someone (even if just to myself) but I don't think I know the rest about most of you unless it comes up organically
ghostscape
11 months ago
but then I am very into small-web anonymity. I've had enough of labels and minutely detailed self-branding as the cost of entry to a lot of social media and online spaces
emilynhoward
11 months ago
Thanks for your responses @nohappynonsense @barndoors @maxcrunch @ghoatscape! I started typing my reply and realized that it was going to be way longer than a Neocities comment will allow, so I will try to put up a page on my site and link it here today or tomorrow. I appreciate all your perspectives.
emilynhoward
11 months ago
I added some extracts from my journals. I don't know how you'll feel about it, but this is my favorite page that I've uploaded in a long time.
nohappynonsense
11 months ago
this is like a cheat code to skip out on my own notebook practice and just get all the good stuff from yours
art music videogames programming anime games personal food writing cats blog movies books gaming fashion photography comics animation design horror arte game drawing musica manga coding reading portfolio ocs furry poetry cute kpop history technology animals film literature philosophy fun education roblox nature sports programacion science videogame tech politics html programing travel minecraft videojuegos life gamedev love retro web 2000s school blogging pokemon diary pink fantasy computers youtube cartoons illustration idk video dogs gardening random oc arg y2k comic ai videos crafts cooking internet linux memes nostalgia queer kawaii fandom journal worldbuilding tv aesthetic films emo media webcomic cars vocaloid learning space test fanfiction business cutecore news health arts stuff math fiction culture journaling silly etc stories baking website scifi painting crochet cinema cat series punk diy 90s graphics 3d shows football archive homestuck goth psychology commissions pixelart artist dance comida makeup marketing me program software digitalart creativity dnd indie lgbt sanrio css sport lifestyle graphicdesign editing metal trans characters lgbtq aboutme friends religion plants rpg fanart funny guitar streaming cool clothes sonic rock roleplay story sewing deltarune zines code community development everything entertainment scene languages ttrpg electronics engineering aesthetics webcomics comedy study reviews weird beauty photos javascript blogs vintage originalcharacters cyberpunk hobbies webcore gay spirituality fnaf hacking social thoughts storytelling vtuber basketball it webdesign fandoms coffee biology soccer pets flowers architecture educacion lore oldweb computer project weirdcore undertale cosplay discord moda movie creative magic japan mlp shop language shopping book alternative clothing informatica ttrpgs personalwebsite information crafting singing radio nintendo chat astronomy fitness physics gatos vaporwave experimental blinkies juegos digital websites testing birds about nothing bugs anything wip site money info cybersecurity research witchcraft tvshows yaoi band japanese animes projects theatre frutigeraero crypto furries occult interests sleep sleeping tecnologia gamedevelopment finance dolls html5 autism profile all libros other television poems work romance knitting photo vampires fish visualnovels collecting puzzle events genshin essays dreams tarot transgender marvel linguistics vr system jogos futbol mentalhealth wiki gothic gym astrology resume dancing fanfic toys lain apps aliens peliculas skateboarding yuri animations stamps hiking birthday english gyaru drawings whimsy app intro meme rap cartoon creepypasta medicine mystery free developer splatoon coquette windows journalism bio chess puzzles modding family python popculture interactive webdevelopment gamedesign dog touhou resources robots teaching mathematics osc introduction gallery pixels dragons zine humor a musicals dreamcore mythology fnf links pizza piano ocean online hobby novels jfashion characterdesign adventure blender studying fortnite rp ghchs myself amor spanish carrd cine no deportes audio bl traveling roleplaying security alt vkei style craft pjsk stars recipes meow objectshows dark gifs danganronpa bfdi bunnies fansite data indiegames paranormal law pixel hiphop lol christianity shrine foods home plushies fotografia utau songs noise breakcore communism running swag privacy boardgames wrestling feminism pinterest production brasil volleyball scenecore ffxiv twitch geography zonelets filmmaking activism collage podcast pictures tf2 robotics rpgs jewelry blue graphic socialmedia filmes tools death none grunge literatura progamming designing car dinosaurs vlog outdoors cozy lesbian travelling bts 3dmodeling student manhwa things hellokitty educational transformers omori dev historia vent maths livros stickers ecommerce sharks args electronic awesome f1 anarchism theater jpop chemistry god acting novel yumeship tea android scratch 80s misc lolita webdev jesus cafe store mario clowns pop girly environment girls jazz deporte realestate starwars old draw twine computing trains pc collection college pastel vtubers dj mcr whatever skating images horses videography plurality yoga artes unblocked retrogaming supernatural construction cyber creepy ecology help services doom baseball translation programmer multimedia flash escuela videoediting tumblr persona insects computerscience trading gamer trinkets animales dc warriorcats nerd event miku programar lego southpark 3dprinting kandi weed therian forum surrealism green hardware lgbtqia chatting skincare weather medical drama tiktok hi tattoos swimming techno salud socialism epic analog opensource bitcoin sociology people yes cultura sound mangas ropa truecrime monsters modeling tabletop ideas visualnovel economics java sketching kdrama maps edm world purple tcc author bsd animanga freedom artwork podcasts angels bands hockey vhs colors fishing healthcare writting restaurant programas halloween chill hardcore vida otherkin thrifting cricket cleaning js wedding homepage academia plural medieval racing egl learn sculpture shoes conspiracy terror bible kirby tourism friendship analysis eating search knowledge brazil service programacao christian webseries scary otaku anthropology kidcore videogaming hair creation yapping text wellness ambient magazine sciencefiction programa scrapbooking digitalmarketing library nails hetalia tennis retrogames graffiti enstars rats women surreal turismo poesia rants sites liminal aviation general sustainability frogs alterhuman estudiante theology ceramics harrypotter depression homework mods garden gacha did creating analoghorror university water crocheting petz networking curso shitposting schoolproject tattoo jjba building musicas cv kdramas cryptids voiceacting concerts drugs cycling genshinimpact academic ghosts erotica writer talking glitch folklore quotes furniture 3dart closedspecies foss shrines fanfics archives mobile tutorials cards society vlogs selfship musicproduction onepiece seals french mylittlepony notes mtg anarchy esoteric character illustrations moe play spiderman server rpgmaker performance dandysworld theory live soft truth superheroes batman content conlang estudio ux escritura review dibujo vampire kids articles handmade programs guns yumeshipping startrek os shoegaze glitter sanat neocities crk camping quiz forsaken creativewriting programmation company practice doodles daily whimsical geek blockchain underground lostmedia ia oldinternet shitpost bot filosofia youtuber bikes ultrakill animal musics decor species calculator originalcharacter shoujo vibes satire communication commission vinyl chaos cs songwriting rhythmgames meditation apple informacion disney noticias industrial instagram scp sweets church todo training military animating solarpunk musique class vrchat marxism crime blood future synthesizers adhd viajes stem sims revival new zelda black house mha party paganism idols unblockedgames cryptocurrency evangelion disability vtubing randomstuff more spooky desing multifandom fotos collections facts russian beach tadc google espanol instruments bass exploration overwatch joke embroidery gossip advertising vegan repair visualkei rambling dating exercise something geometrydash diario programm islam beginner interactivefiction magick twitter creatures dungeonsanddragons tamagotchi animalcrossing rainbow cheese jeux designer kink red shifting faith zombies musik ciencia finalfantasy cult studies miriadax spiritual motorcycles warhammer argentina silliness neopets miscellaneous ddlc css3 naturaleza webring productivity tips videgames entretenimiento developing 1 frontend tcg numetal jobs happy club politica au opinions musician edits miniatures socials jokes cities peace secret halflife paint sea cybercore self archiving angel drinks woodworking tokusatsu
by other versions I mean slightly tweaking the colors and calling it a day bc im lazy