I actually had a different comic planned for this week. But then I kept getting messages like the one I will highlight in my Insta story today, and I decided enough was enough.
One of the things I have been intentional about is approaching others with compassion. I genuinely try to understand and acknowledge the humanity of the people I engage with on this platform, even if, and often especially if, they don’t agree with me. I answer as many of my DMs as possible because connecting with so many people has been one of the things that make SW so rewarding (and makes my job as a physician fulfilling.) In a lot of ways, that made this space into a safe, comforting one for me.
Recently, though, this has changed. I’ve put up various boundaries and broadcasted them in my stories, in highlights, in my captions…only for people to blast through them like balsa wood . And I’m tired. I feel dehumanized- like I don’t exist to people as a person, but rather as a mule to produce work or a human battleground to fight for global and social causes. Most recently, the fact that I am passionate about systemic racism and health equity has been used against me to justify a lot of HARASSMENT (yes, I will use that word) about my PERCEIVED silence (bc actually, I have not been silent) on other injustices.
I hate blocking people, esp those who aren’t blatant trolls. But nah. The Banhammer shall swing HEAVY from now on. I need y’all to remember that this space was created for my well being — you benefit by proxy. Go look at my “House Rules” highlight before you check for me again. I will no longer be offering explanations for cutting people off. :)
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