I have never been so offended and disgusted as I was when I read your latest email.
I thought I was just getting an email about products, but it turned out to be the most disgusting racist rant I could have ever imagined.
I only joined this forum since I had no idea how to respond.
Yes I unsubscribed to your emails already.
You should stick to selling products and sexy ideas but stay out of assuming everyone agrees with your offensive racist bullshit.
Hi Kat2,
Can you please explain to me, a Black women within the sex community who also buys and uses sex toys the same as you, what exactly offended you? Was it the part about bringing light to the murders of innocent Black people? Was it the part about celebrating a Black trans activist who started the movement for gay/trans rights? Was it the part about understanding what white privilege is? Or was it the part where resources were provided for those who want to use their voice and privilege to help? Can you please explain to me what you felt was offensive, racist bullshit?
8 Likes
Hi Olivia,
Unless someone is willfully ignorant, most of us are aware daily of what is going on in society. It does not need to be inserted and repeated into every single aspect of our lives. I personally do not put people into categories by their skin color, race, sex, preferences, etc., etc., because I am not racist, I see people as people and if someone is comfortable in their own body, they are happy, that is what matters.
I think you would agree we are all different and seek many different outlets in which to simply relax and enjoy ourselves. When I shop from Spectrum Boutique I am seeking just that, an outlet for a fun and relaxing look at the variety of sex toys that are for everyone regardless of who you are.
So when I opened the email to what I thought was going to be some fun new toys, I am instead hit with a full page about wrongs of society, it really offended me and I called it racist bullshit. It is very sad that SB has chosen to become activists instead of simply a pleasure outlet.
I have been an enthusiastic customer of SB for many years, but since they have chosen to change the companies mission, I will be shopping elsewhere.
I will spend my money where the shopping is pleasurable and the company is simply about pleasure.
Your discomfort is kind of the point. Racism isn’t about how you feel about yourself it’s about how other people are treated. The post was short, to the point, provided great resources (I listened to Running From COPS when it came out and loved it). It even provided some history that many people don’t know about (I only last year learned about the stonewall riots being started by black trans women).
There are many systems that Zoe rightly pointed out are hard to see that support racism.
I’ll provide an example from my work. I do computer programming and one of the biggest examples in my industry is predictive policing systems, and algorithmic racism. I’ve listened to interviews with people who made some of the systems. They specifically wanted to make policing LESS biased, but didn’t understand how to do it right so just made it worse. This is similar to how Credit Scores were created (except the credit score algorithms were designed to be racist)
As far as wanting to relax. You have the privilege to choose that. There are many who don’t.
8 Likes
CockyPenguin,
My point, which you obviously missed was that not every outlet, whether it be online shopping or whatever, has to be involved in activism. That’s it. I’m not disputing the cause or validity, etc.
As I said, I have been a customer for many years but now that SB has decided to join in activism, I will shop elsewhere.
The only reason I signed into the forum was because I thought maybe it was a way to connect with the company.
My mistake, sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude in your hatefest.
I’m out,
Peace
First of all, as the moderator of the forum this slipped through my fingers and I should have addressed it days ago so other forum users didn’t have to. I apologize for that, and thank you to the community members @OliviaPW and @CockyPenguin, that did step in.
Whether the OP sees this or not is besides the point, since they stated they are leaving. And I want this thread to stay so others can see clearly what Spectrum and the forum by extension believes in, and because folks are free to express their opinions as long as it doesn’t include hate speech or attacks.
Pleasure is absolutely political. Spectrum and its owner believes that we must make a commitment to continuously uplift and center Black, indigenous and people of color in the sexual wellness space and beyond. Zoe literally just wrote about it over on Forum here, which I’ll also make a main thread for folks to see: https://journal.spectrumboutique.com/article/pleasure-is-absolutely-political/
Personally, if you didn’t already realize that Spectrum puts a huge focus on supporting and amplifying BIPOC within the industry, you weren’t paying attention to the brand in the first place. It’s been a continual part of the work Spectrum does for a long time, and a glance at the articles on Forum or the backgrounds of guests during Touch Yourself Tuesday and past roundtables with Zoe show that.
So yeah, if you didn’t know about the very obvious values and causes that Spectrum supports and will continue to support before said email, well, that is on you for not doing any research of where you buy from as a consumer. And for anyone who thought that email was racist (it was not), you can see yourself out, no reason to announce your departure.
12 Likes
This thread just continually reminds me why I love Spectrum so much, and why I will always support them. Pleasure is absolutely political. It’s always been true.
3 Likes
Yikes kat
“Colorblindness” is willful ignorance. Glad that your no longer a part of this community. So, I dont have to come across ignorant rhetoric like yours.
3 Likes