Knitting seems to turn political more often than you would think, and as the largest fiber arts community on the Internet, Ravelry sees a lot of forum posts and discussions that turn into political debates.
The people behind Ravelry announced Sunday that they would no longer allow messages in support of Donald Trump or his administration on their site.
“This includes support in the form of forum posts, projects, patterns, profiles, and all other content,” the announcement says. “We cannot provide a space that is inclusive of all and also allow support for open white supremacy. Support of the Trump administration is undeniably support for white supremacy.”
The idea, they said, is not to endorse Democrats or ban Republicans, but to limit hate speech and any messages of intolerance. The language used in Ravelry’s policy is based on a similar policy enacted by an online role-playing community.
Ravelry members found to be violating the policy can be flagged by other members going forward, and any patterns or projects found to be unacceptable will be returned to draft or made invisible to other users.
Understandably this decision has sparked a lot of debate around what’s appropriate for a public forum that’s not in any way related to politics but where politics often finds its way. As owners of a space that’s provided free of charge to its users, they are well within their rights to regulate any kind of speech there.
There has been a lot of support for the decision, as noted in this post from BuzzFeed, which shows tweets from a moderator applauding the decision as well as non-yarny people on Twitter wondering why that forum can’t take a similar step.
Coming after discussions earlier this year about racism in the fiber arts, this feels like another positive step that hopefully will reverberate beyond the fiber arts community.
(Please note I am leaving comments open but reserve the right to delete racist/hateful comments and/or to shut down comments if needed. Please be civil.)
I’ve grown weary of opening Ravelry and other “non-political” sites that immediately hit you in the face with support or non-support of this group or that group. I am neither racist nor am I a Trump supporter, but there are venues where one can offer their opinions other than seeing Ravelry’s opinion EVERY time I go to the site. I’m not interested in what they have to say about anything political, but if I were, I’m certain I could go elsewhere on their site to find it.
My thoughts on this are merely a drop in the bucket, but I appreciate being able to express this today.
I think this method is getting very old; put political views where they belong; where others who are interested can read them by choice rather than having them shoved down our throats.
I chose to delete my Ravelry account due to their policy. I would never have considered making any sort of political statement on a knitting forum. I thought it was for the love of yarn and craft, and do not appreciate being “assumed” to be something I am not. While I value their right to an opinion, I feel they do not value the opinions of others. Thank you for an opportunity to voice mine. I don’t know why we can’t just knit along.
I love my Ravelry account. I’m not deleting it. That being said, I do believe that if owners and administrators don’t put stop to certain “Free Speech” the governments of the world MUST and will do regulate for them. Russian interference in the US elections started on forums just like this, with little worms slithering into our very thoughts and giving us false information. I’d applaud louder if all political discussions were dropped.
Wow, how ignorant are they! why even be political!
Deleted my account this morning. I can not, in good conscience, be a member of a fascist, hate filled, divisive, abusive company such as @ravelry.
I think this is what the whole world should do.
Seems like they should have banned “political” comments of any sort, since they don’t belong on the site. But when you choose to ban “Pro-Trump” without banning “anti-Trump” – that’s a form of “hate speech” as well. Can’t we all just try to get along? Who I vote for or against is my business, but I’m so tired of all of it. Can’t we agree to disagree on some topics? (and no, I’m not talking about racism!)
I love this statement from Ravelry! Hate and intolerance has no place in society and by putting their foot down and saying “Not here, not anywhere”, the admin is showing respect for decent human rights and life. For those freaking out and saying they are deleting their Ravelry accounts, grow up, the site isn’t telling you that you can’t be there, they are simply saying that everyone can be there.
Ravelry’s intolerance is now noted
so happy about this, all I want to see is things about yarn work. anything overtly politically divisive (or religious, or anything else divisive, not about making things with yarn, for that matter) do not belong in a yarn forum.
If the goal is inclusivity, why exclude a different opinion? There is no mention of inciting hate actions, only patterns and discussions. Sounds like it really isn’t meant to be inclusive at all.
It seems yet again, another company is showing it’s intolerance by targeting a certain group of people and accusing them of something that isn’t true. I’m not a member of ravelry, but definitely won’t be now. Since this article, written by a craftgossip columnist, Sarah White, it tells me CG is also supporting the censorship of freedom of speech by a company. I will be deleting my subscription here also. When one side dictates to others their version of truth and morality, there is no freedom that isn’t in jeopardy from the tyranny of facism (a centralized autocratic government headed b y a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation and forcible suppression of opposition). Raverlry and Craftgossip are here announcing that they support those who seek to silence truth. While there are always opinions on any matter, these venues are not the place for personal political statements….until the venue takes a public stance. They could have just deleted the offending conversations. But it is more sensational to create a rift between people who until now, enjoyed the platform for creative expression.
I will not support a website where only one side is permitted. That is fascist. And furthermore, this has no business on a knitting site. If they want to be political, then get out of the craft business.
I am not a member of Ravelry but after hearing of their decision to “ban pro-Trump” posts, I would never join. This decision is the purest form of bigotry! Enough said.
I firmly support Ravelry and their decision. That being said, if there is anyone who can’t be mature enough, or Christian enough to understand hate speech and white supremacy is not acceptable and must be stopped, then leave. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out! Ravelry is a private organization. Their house/ Their rules. Get along with it, or leave. Bye, Felicia!
I would be much more impressed if they would make the site non political. To single out one group, whether I agree with them or not, makes the political opinions of Ravelry quite clear. Why do we have to have ANY political opinions in what should be a neutral site?
I applaud Ravelry for their decision. When leaders and administrations are promoting hatred it is the responsibility of good people to step forward and to take a stand. Had more people stood up to hatred in Nazi Germany perhaps the holocaust would not have happened. If a country as a whole would agree that hatred hurts innocent people and has no place in a democratic society, then maybe our country could once again be a nation that IS great. Are we proud of the camps where children have been torn away from their parents and that we have to go to court to see young children have their basic needs. This is what happens when you promote hatred. God save America from this administration and to help people find their good hearts and compassion.
Ravelry used hate speech in their own reasoning by calling the President a white supremacist. I don’t see them stopping sharing of vagina hats patterns which is just as political. Totally wrong in my opinion.
I have never been a proponent of banning free speech, but I applaud the decision you have made concerning comments on Ravelry. We are exposed enough to hate-speak on the news. We don’t need it on knitting forums. I knit partially to escape the stresses of the world. My son is a moderator on a Twitch game player’s site. They don’t allow hate talk or talk that puts down those with mental, physical, or health issue. If people what to spew those kinds of negative hate-ridden thoughts let them do so on a forum that is designed for that which the rest of us can avoid! Thank you.
It’s true that Ravelry provides a service to its users, free of charge. But users provide content to the website free of charge, in the form of helpful and/or entertaining posts, support and advice for other crafters, product reviews, and pictures of projects and products. This freely provided content serves to draw in even more users, thus boosting Ravelry’s revenues through pattern sales and advertising. It’s a mutually beneficial situation, and it _should_ have been a mutually respectful one. Unfortunately, the site owners showed deep contempt for their users when they declared us to be “white supremacists” and then forbade us to challenge the lie. (It also strikes me as more than a little misogynistic that they took this patronizing approach toward a largely female community.) I will miss everything that was wonderful about Ravelry, but nothing there can compensate for being treated so shabbily by a forum where I had invested so much time, love, and effort.
I love that that did this!
I love that they have done this! I firmly believe more sites should!
Thank You! I appreciate your stance.
Sadly, those who applaud Ravelry’s decision are blind to the hypocrisy in both the company and themselves.
This saddens me and I’ve deleted my account. Political topics shouldn’t have been allowed. But calling Pres Trump and all of his supporters white supremacist is hate speech in itself. Ravelrys statement was ugly and hateful. To tell people they can’t wear a Make America Great Again hat is none of their concern. It’s not pornographic, it just means that people support their President and Country. Ravelry has turned bigotry into a whole new meaning. Shame on you.
Superb! Misleading, but should not have to be stated that a site dedicated to crafting is no place for divisive and derogatory comments. I would not mind much of the political interjection if it were just truthful and it is not. No moderator should have to be a fact checker on a craft site! Those leaving the site will not be missed. If you took it personally, you jumped to conclusions and good luck. If you feel that your political opinion belongs where it is not solicited, you also need to check yourself. If you aren’t interested in hearing the opposition, why state your OPINION and think others need to read it? Staying on topic seems fundamental to me. Want to discuss controversial items, find that site! Hope many more take the lead and limit subjective material that is purely unrelated.
Shame! Shame! Shame! Why not just state, “This site/blog is no-hate, neutral and politically free. Under no circumstances will any comments/statements for/against any political affiliation be tolerated.” That would have treated everyone the SAME and ended it all period, but NO, it was chosen to use specific wording to single out one group and give them a label thereby the site/blog is coming across as being racist, fascist and hate filled. There should not be any political opinions on a neutral site/platform period! I don’t understand why everyone can’t agree to disagree so we can all get along. Seems more and more individuals (in both political parties) purposely make statements a certain way just to create unnecessary sensational drama about things to inflict as much hatefulness as possible toward others causing more of a rift between everyone. I just don’t understand this nonsense!!
Why no let the customer decide? If they want Trump stuff they will buy it, if not they can move on. We are a 50/50 nation, why tick off half of your buyers? Would Raverly acted the same, if the shoe was on the other foot?
The post do no post in support of Trump or his administration, does that mean post against Trump and his administration is allowed?
I 100% agree with Ravelry’s decision and I wish every site would do the same.
I agree with Ravelrys decision and wish that politics co uj ld be left out of websites such as ravelry totally. But regardless we have to speak up when we witness wrongs happening. Have you noticed how much more hate speech and actions there are now prior to 2016..it is outrageous and good people better take notice and speak up and shut it down.
I’m not a Trump fan but I just want to knit. I don’t come to Ravelry for political statements. their hypocrisy is amazing. Why not just ban all political comments? This is a crafting site, not a political forum.