A discussion on trigger warnings and the idea of "content warning" | Querything →

In this article Kwerey discusses the history of the term “trigger warning” and the extent to which a lot of present-day usage of it can be appropriative. She suggests the term “content warning” for content which may be uncomfortable for the reader or which might non-consensually drive the reader to take an excursion into territory which they’re well aware of but make explicit choices, orientated around self-care, to avoid on a day-to-day basis.

I agree with her; consciousness-raising can be done non-consensually in a way that’s tactically useful, e.g. raising someone’s awareness of their own privilege, but I don’t think “content warnings” are going to cause any of that to happen less, whereas they enable (for example) women more control over the ways in which we consciously engage with patriarchal oppression.

More control for women + more ability for women to have boundaries + more respect for the choices of women + more subtlety in language + less appropriation: I’m sold. This and my main blog will now try to use “Content Warning” where appropriate and will continue to use “Trigger Warning” for triggering material.

4 months ago  /  8 notes