This is from a post on Visions of Alice forum:
Quote used with permission.
YGL wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023
The irony of minority, repressed groups like us (and homosexuals a few decades back) is that most MAPs probably feel this way, i.e. they would be willing to come out (or at least be more vocal anonymously) if they did it as part of a large group.
So perhaps the first step we should take towards making ourselves more visible is making ourselves more united as a community—to gather as many of us as we can. Power is numbers. That’s how homosexuals got out of the shadows and successfully faced and eradicated mainstream homophobia. That’s the only chance we have of doing it, too. The LGBT movement set the example and precedent. We just have to follow it by creating our own big movement.
☝🏻This
What we need is to start trusting each other. Find people in the community you’re comfortable with, video chat with them, meet them in analog space (rather than the digital space of the internet), and once we start getting these little clusters of people who know each other, then those clusters can grow and merge with other clusters. And the more people who know each other in analog space or through video chat, the easier we’ll be able to organize widespread campaigns.
I’ve met several MAPs in person, and several more through video chat. What I’ve found out is your gut instinct about someone is usually right. If you get along with them online, they’re probably safe, and you’ll get along with them in analog space. Everyone who has been in the community for a few months can easily spot someone who’s shady or has mal intent. Antis and trolls who infiltrate our spaces don’t have the patience to play the long game. They’re either going to make themselves obvious that they’re a troll and get banned, or they’re gonna give up posting, and you’re not gonna feel compelled to meet with someone who hasn’t posted regularly. We don’t have to live in fear.
