Posted on 06/23/2019 4:10:20 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The "online knitting and fiber arts community," Ravelry, declared Sunday that it is banning all vocal supporters of President Donald Trump from its website, and declared support for the current President akin to "white supremacy."
Yes, a knitting website.
Ravely describes itself as, "[a] place for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, weavers and dyers to keep track of their yarn, tools, project and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration. The content here is all user- driven; we as a community make the site what it is. Ravelry is a great place for you to keep notes about your projects, see what other people are making, find the perfect pattern and connect with people who love to play with yarn from all over the world in our forums."
Ravelry announced the ban on Twitter, taking aim directly at anyone who used the site to speak nicely about the President or upload projects that support Trump, and (ironically) stressing that the ban is in the spirit of encouraging inclusiveness on their platform.
"We are banning support of Donald Trump and his administration on Ravelry. We cannot provide a space that is inclusive of all and also allow support for open white supremacy," the site Tweeted.
The sites administrators expanded on the policy in a post on site's official blog.
We are banning support of Donald Trump and his administration on Ravelry.
This includes support in the form of forum posts, projects, patterns, profiles, and all other content. Note that your project data will never be deleted. We will never delete your Ravelry project data for any reason and if a project needs to be removed from the site, we will make sure that you have access to your data. If you are permanently banned from Ravelry, you will still be able to access any patterns that you purchased. Also, we will make sure that you receive a copy of your data.
The site's administration made clear that Trump supporters are still technically allowed on the site, largely because they can't police the thoughts of those who don't openly express their political opinions in an online form for knitters and crocheters, and that the site isn't trying to show preference for Democrats over Republicans.
"We are definitely not banning conservative politics. Hate groups and intolerance are different from other types of political positions," the group says.
In pursuit of their "inclusive" community, the group does say that they will not tolerate people who report profiles for past support of Donald Trump, nor will they tolerate bullying of people who are known to hold conservative policy positions, but Ravely doesn't make clear how it will enforce those rules. More than likely, the unwelcoming nature of a once diverse online knitting community will be enough to send certain participants running for the doors.
It also appears the admonition not to report profiles for Trump support fell on deaf ears. A handful of Trump-supporting Ravelry community members noted on social media that they'd already received notice that their profiles were being suspended (no suspensions have been indepdenently confirmed, however).
Ravelry is, of course, an independently owned online community and free to set their own set of standards for users -- and that includes their right to ban those they feel are encouraging "hatred" on their platform. It just seems that their definition of "hatred" is a bit limited, and their definition of "inclusiveness" is off the mark.
A handful of Twitter respondents suggested the website also make an effort to ban supporters of former Vice President Joe Biden, who has a history of working with segregationists in Congress.
This isn't the first time, of course, that the knitting community has been embroiled in a political dispute. Certainly the pink "pussy hats" that have adorned the noggins of plenty of Women's March attendees were a controversial "knitting activism" project, and knitting, cross-stitching and fiber arts communities are surprising hotbeds of progressive activism. There are websites, Instagram profiles, and bestselling books dedicated to instructing people how to use their stitching talents to challenge the Trump Administration.
They even, occasionally, attack themselves. Back in February, a prominent and respected member of the online knitting community was publicly excommunicated after revealing that she'd always wanted to travel to India, and that she'd finally planned a trip for late in 2019. She was subsequently accused of racism, cultural appropriation, cultural insensitivity, and white privilege, and forced apologize to the full online knitting community for her sins.
Maybe we can start branches of our own ‘Ladies Spinning Circle and Terrorist Society?’ :)
I love this idea! It is exactly what we need to do in order to bring some sort of freedom to the world of fiber arts people everywhere. So if you want to brainstorm, message me. :) And I’m only half kidding.
A site basically geared for a bunch of liberal and Never-Trumper knit twits? How apropos.
Navymom, please keep me posted if you find a good place. I’d appreciate it.
Yeah. A lot of millennial hipster-chic chicks.
Well, despite the ‘revival’ of the home arts among many feminists who are trying to ironically ‘reclaim’ them, the vast majority of women involved in these things are still more conservative.
A simple boycott by disgruntled account holders may not seriously dent the profits of a site like this, but a nasty reputation goes much further.
At least, I’m hoping they’ve dug themselves a ditch, and keep on digging. After this, I’d rather see an open-minded alternative sprout up, than to see Ravelry renege.
The Joy of Knitting on FB has some alternative sites listed. I haven’t checked them out yet.
Thank you. I have liked and followed. Perhaps the knitters there can out together a site that’s either non political OR that allows their members to mention their personal politics. I am ok with either.
But I’m not supporting a site that calls half of American voters “white supremacists” when some of those voters aren’t even white!!
It’s a bridge too far.
Thanks, Alice. I’ll check that out! :)
That’s exactly what I use Ravelry for, as well. I’m going to stay on there, for the time being, but I will never purchase a pattern on their site. If I can’t purchase through another method ... oh well ... I’ll find something similar, or perhaps find it on Etsy. I’ll also not buy a pattern from my local yarn stores if they are downloading it from Ravelry. I don’t want to hurt the designers who do put a lot of work into good patterns, but I’m not going to give a cut of the sale to Ravelry if I can help it.
I all in for helping establish a Ravelry competitor. Keep me n the loop, guys.
Thanks for that link.
If all those designers take a hit maybe they’ll go to other sites where half the users aren’t labeled white supremacists!
New group - Deplorable Knitters & Crocheters
https://www.facebook.com/groups/330329771228995/?hc_location=ufi
Thanks for those links, Alice!
I deleted my Ravelry account yesterday.
It’s going to be interesting to hear the chatter at the yarn shops I frequent.
The Deplorable group on FB was formed yesterday and has 300 members so far.
If you use their resources, they will still likely be able to make money off you.
Maybe I will leave . . .
Here are some more sites popping up:
Boycott Ravelry
https://m.facebook.com/groups/2233697323610132?ref=bookmarks¬if_t=group_comment
MAGA Crochet and Knit
https://www.facebook.com/groups/686005241812657/?hc_location=ufi
Walk Away From Ravelry
https://www.facebook.com/groups/walkawayfromravelry/?hc_location=ufi
Hat tip to The Joy of Knitting
https://www.facebook.com/The-Joy-of-Knitting-126383230715722/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARCwZwXR9gU3vRNPPMq-dPQX9Ee2iZq6rNvHcEr6BxyYpOaY0_hSUkjHl7I4ZMWIIkI2E5-UsJOMDo-i&hc_ref=ARSYttKgb3g4TzXGDo6Um_TIDQsbQn9Lzrk0vzEawG9_85vx10CtcB1Qs5mn9mIW3eU&fref=nf
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