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Writer's pictureLillyPad Owner
Aug 23, 202011 min read

Microaggressions.. What are they? And why they're bad


No matter what space you occupy, or what group you're apart of, be it BIPOC (Black indigenous, person of color) or if you're religious, or if you're part of the LGBTQ+ community, chances are you've had the unfortnate opportunity to come across microaggressions.


So.. what are they? Well the definition is up above for you.. cause I realize that not everyone takes the time or cares to take the time to google such things (let's be honest) And recently I've had the unfortunate opportunity to witness an entire crap ton of this on my social medias.. in which, in a game some "vloggers" were reviewing a product, created by someone who happened to be a black creator. And they immediately looked at her product and referred to it as "safari hoodrat". I know what you may be thinking "oh coincidence.." right? No not really. Here's the video in question:

Now the full video of these "Vloggers" has since been privated or taken down from their youtube channel. If you need more clarification on what racial Microaggressions are, they can literally be things like: asking someone "where they're from" even when they told you there were born in a specific country that you live in.. and you respond like "No.. I mean..but where are you FROM FROM" which is indicating: 1. you don't believe them when they say that they are from the country they told you they were from.. and you, 2. are implying that because they don't look like how someone from your country should look like.. they must OBVIOUSLY be from a different country..


Other examples of this is suggesting like in the above video: That just because someone's product isn't your style, or looks like its more fitting for a certain "demographic" it's automatically deemed "Safari hoodrat" attire, and that it therefore lessens its appeal or value in your eyes, and for the eyes of those who watched the video.


Which of course is insulting to the person who created the product, irregardless if that person is a black creator or not. It just so happens that sadly microaggressions are more commonly used against people of color more so than it is towards, people who AREN'T people of color.


Let me be perfectly clear as the creators of said video tried to pass these comments as just that.. "Opininated comments":


Exhibit 1:

Keep in mind Timm's original post of this (which he made yesterday has been deleted) but luckily there are "smart people" who take screenshots and do the work for you. GG Norma *sarcasm*


Exhibit 2:

The exhibit 1 post has been replaced with this apology video.. and features Norma, and Thumb (I don't know their names *sarcasm*)


The thing is.. their "apology" comes off as half assed, and they keep implying that "we're sorry you felt offended", when it literally just takes NOTHING.. to just say "We're sorry for our words and language, and we will do better in educating ourselves.. and will take this time to learn, and grow and reflect" Cause at the end of the day, words carry weight. It doesn't matter if that person was a black creator or not.. if you wouldn't say it in public why would you feel comfortable to say it online..


I made this the other day: "Honestly this legit pissed me off. Google is free.. Idc what country they come from, if you wouldn’t use these terms in public to describe a person of a different ethnicity than you..why would you use it ONLINE.. and it just so happens that you guys panned to an ad that featured black Avis on it, and thought that was an acceptable term to use towards it. There’s no need to be defensive. Doesn’t matter who said it.. everyone laughed like it was a damn joke to y’all.. and then proceeded to post it for EVERYONE even people who don’t play SL TO SEE. BIPOC, (Black indigenous, people of color, since I’m not sure if you know how to properly use google, judging by all of your responses, Abnorma, Licker, and Tomm don’t know your names 🙃) constantly deal with this stuff in real life, ALL the damn time..we don’t catch breaks with this shit. And it’s expected from people who aren’t us to just say “c’mon take a joke” or “don’t be so sensitive” because we’re always the butt, of people who DON’T look like us, jokes. I don’t expect you to understand, cause you haven’t walked a mile in our shoes.. and I GUARANTEE any hardships you’ve had.. either in SL or RL won’t EVER compare to being a BIPOC or being a member of the LGBTQ+ community IN A COUNTRY, that actively wants to BEAT, KILL, THROW THINGS AT US, AND MOCK US, for just being ourselves. You can give criticism, no one is telling you not to, but criticism is “I’m not a fan of the colors, maybe if they used brighter tones or darker tones or patterns to make it more appealing to me or other consumers” THAT’S CRITICISM, that creators can choose either to take or not to take to help them grow. What you guys laughed at and what Licker said was a Micro Aggression. I’ve posted an image of the definition of it, you should probably memorize it. People would’ve given you guys the benefit of the doubt and maybe would’ve said “hey maybe they didn’t know” BUT because of your responses.. or lack there of, and basically not willing to listen, or hear things out, or even issue any sort of apology, or even talk with the original person you offended, to talk to her privately, which would show a bit of growth and maturity on you guy’s end. You guys ended up making it worse, and cementing the idea in people’s heads that might have been on the fence that you guys are racist (Abnorma, Licker, and Tomm) damage has been done, and the only ones taking your side, are people who literally have the same mindset, or already thought less about Black creators. Some of us love this game, and like to play and create and share the products we love with other residents. Some of us who because of quarantine, and the individual crap we have to deal with in our day to day real lives, use this game as a fun escape from that, racist, homophobic, transphobic, micro aggressive crap we have to deal with all the time, every day, of every year in our RL’s. We know, it’s still gonna be there when we log off SL, but for a brief moment, we can shut it out and have some peace and enjoy doing or tinkering on things we love. We don’t want to leave one world and encounter that same crap within SL. Hence why people are going hard on you, other than the obvious, that these things are stupid, and aren’t tolerated.. it’s not funny to us when we have to deal with crap like this on a constant basis. Irregardless on how you feel.. you guys to an extent, are influencers in a virtual space.. and by your reckless actions.. people who simp for you, will see this as an “ok and appropriate “ thing to do..and mimic that shit.. mimicry ain’t just reserved for kids.. grown ass adult children do that too. And that shit inevitably leads to a toxic environment, with thrones of your simps and others who share that same “ it was a joke, you’re all snowflakes” mindset or maybe they’re just flat out racist and open about that shit.. continue this trend, and make SL more worse than it already is for some creators or residents. Think before you post, or say things, cause once it’s out there for the world to see Abnorma, Licker, and Tomm.. it’s out there on the Internet forever.. and it’ll never go away.. and people whom you may want to get cozy with to help you get further along in your future SL endeavors.. might see this shit.. and block you indefinitely. People never think of the ramifications of their actions and think they can get away with anything cause “no one really knows them” or they think “no one can really find them” let me just say, ANYONE who posts anything online is not hidden, and ANYONE can be found. And the stuff you do online can end up having REAL LIFE repercussions, and effect your livelihoods, any jobs and anyone close to you’s situation as well. If you don’t believe me...you can literally google anyone who’s gone viral who’s done some racist dumb shit, and see what the result of their actions are now. Hope that puts things in perspective. The Internet never forgets.. and people, doesn’t matter what space people choose to occupy their time with, be it SL or RL, they never forget RACISTS. Just saiyan. ✊🏾❤️🌈"


Now, I don't condone anyone sending death threats or doxing or swatting anyone, there's no need to take it too far (however if they legit physically lay hands on you.. that's an entire different story, and you should defend yourself). But saying you're a victim of "cancel culture" and saying it's just "1 comment" is abhorently fictictious. Here are your comments:




And honestly there is SO many more comments steming from the original post:

Not to mention many comments and remarks from other creators, designers and event owners simply not standing up for the behavior. And the result, is literally they got banned from the event: Victim, Norma and Thumb got banned.


They make comments in their "apology video" that 'if anyone comes into the stream and says something like "blm" we dead that shit.. cause we don't wanna talk about that.' Which is worrying to me.. cause if you like people.. then you should have no issues saying "yes. black people are people, too, and their lives matter" especially if Norma says "there is no race issue" your statements are conflicting, and contradicting.. They blame blueberry for saying what she said, and making a public post:



*Note: this post^ has sense been deleted, and has noone tagged in it. The post below is the one that from the date of this blog post being live (8/23/2020 8/17pm SLT (PDT) ) is still up and public.

This post which the owner of blueberry, again, didn't tag ANYONE in the post, she was making a broad generalized statement that could've been for literally anyone, if someone didn't know the situation and just happened upon this post randomly.


Back to the "apology video":

And Norma goes on to say the common tropes that most people who are unfortunately racist say "I have black friends.." or "I know black people in europe, they get treated nicely" or Timm saying "I found out that my great great grandfather was BLACK!" <-- this is deflection.. cause we hear it ALL the time in the U.S.... Just because you may have had black people in your family DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN'T BE RACIST... just because you have BLACK FRIENDS or know BLACK PEOPLE, DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN'T BE RACIST..


And you heard from Norma's own mouth, "They can ban me from every event" so.. I mean.. do with that info whatever you will.. I can't tell anyone how to live their life, or to run their businesses...


About the apology video in general, like I said since I'm apparently by Norma's wording I'm a "cunt" for even speaking about this issue..this apology video just like the many others I've seen on youtube, is half assed, and they will probably never get it.. cause they don't want to.. they want to have the freedom to say whatever they want about people's things.. which again freedom of speech, doesn't omit you from freedom of consequences.. Again, not gonna deny or agree that there weren't people taking things a bit too far and saying Victim, Norma, and Thumb should "off themselves" cause I personally didn't see any of that.. I only heard their accounts about it from their apology video. Which again, I don't condone that shit WHATSOEVER (unless someone is legit physically putting hands on you, or your family then defend yourself) .. but I will say, from the many posts I've seen, I've seen nothing short of Americans and people who live outside the U.S. make comments trying to educate them, and trying to get them to see that their comments were racists, and why people are mad and upset. However when these efforts are met with a "lackadasical attitude" or a "it's just an opinion, don't be so butthurt" that does strike a chord with people. And that at the end of the day, is why people took issues with their comments afterwards, they had their friends jump in to defend them, who also shared a similar or if not the exact same racist mindset, and it ultimately showed us, who have dealt with these racially charged microaggressions in our personal lives, that people like this who do these things.. will never learn from their mistakes..


In closing, like I said previously, these things aren't mutually exclusive to just real life.. racism exists in many MANY different forms, and in many different facets of life. In your jobs, businesses, in different forms of entertainment, in goverment and in many forms of media..especially in games. It's not so easy to pick up and leave one world and not expect to encounter the same stuff you try to get away from in another world.. cause it's everywhere.. not talking about things doesn't make it go away. Ignoring the issue, doesn't make it cease to exist either. It's still going to be there, whether you want it to be or not. If you don't want the issue to take over your everyday life.. then do your part and stomp it out. Make sure it doesn't have the room to grow or thrive like a virus ANYWHERE.. You do this, by staying informed, educating yourself and others, to make sure the spaces you occupy be it in a workplace in the real world, or in the virtual world, or even within your own communities are SAFE for ALL people. No one's saying we all got to like each other, there are people I don't like..however I will treat them like human beings, and with respect, until they show me different. The take away is be mindful of what you say to others on both ends.. especially out here on the internet..cause people seem to think what they do or say will never get them backlash and that they're impervious to said backlash.. but at least the vast majority of people don't care for racists, and people who constantly have a habit of saying racially charged things don't always fair well online.. they never do, especially if they just don't care. Lack of accountablilty is very prevelant these days, and in a world where often times the natural laws or TOS that is supposed to be there to help us, aren't really there depending on how popular or big a person is.. this strikes a chord with us.. rightfully so, because like I said, ignoring the issue often makes it worse, or gives people like this.. the incentive to "GO BIGGER" and do something much worse.. so it's imperative to nip it in the bud before it gets worse...


If you take anything away from this.. learn from their mistakes.. what you do and say on the internet, even if people can't see your face.. but they follow you, in these days, can be a direct reflection of who you actually are. Even if in real life you may not be like that.. that's why its important to not do or say stupid things that might even come across as racist. I don't know why people don't apply what happens to influencers or youtube creators or content creators who do the same things and take that as a lesson of "Huh.. I shouldn't do that" but they don't.. and so the cycle repeats.. I'm just here to point this shit out and say "Exhibit..A-Z" Don't be stupid.. take the L, sincerely apologize when you do something stupid, rectify the situation not just by saying "I won't do it again" but also by your actions.. cause the sad truth is.. once you piss off alot of people.. you're under a microscope.. and people will be watching every single thing you do.. from here on out...


Just saiyan. ✊🏾💖🌈


Roleplayer and Owner of the Marketplace SL store ~The Lilly Pad~ Link here: marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/218093


Blogsite: badanimegrl.wixsite.com/lillycross


SL Inworld Name: LillyoftheVeil

Discord ID: Lilly Cross-The LillyPad#8963

Personal blogging Discord: discord.gg/MkuDuat

Pride Festival SL Discord: discord.gg/7rG9gHj

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