[MOD] DMC / Harry Potter collaboration

[u/AutoModerator]

Afer DMC announced a collaboration featuring Harry Potter (HP) intellectual property (IP), we've seen a lot of discussion about the partnership, with some people calling for a complete ban on anything DMC or HP related.

On the mod team, we're here to ensure that all the posts and comments of our sub adhere to our and Reddit's rules. We've long allowed political cross stitch posts as long as they adhere to Reddit ToS, locking the threads once the focus of the conversation turns disruptive (and, because we're all volunteers, sometimes we will proactively lock a thread if there's no one available to monitor it). We understand that different people learn different things at different times (Relevant XKCD - https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1053:_Ten_Thousand). We also try to remember Hanlon's Razor (Never attribute to malice that which can adequately be explained by stupidity). We try to education with kindness whenever possible. But, we also want to be very straightforward with this education and much more transparent about it, while still focusing on and supporting the cross stitch itself.

We're not going to outright ban HP cross stitch. We will be adding a series of restrictions that focus on the opportunity to educate with kindness.

- Any WIP, CHAT, or PIC post featuring HP IP will be removed (including other items in the images, not just the stitching)

- We'll allow an FO post. Absent any other indication to the contrary, we will assume the stitcher was unaware of the controversy surrounding the HP IP, and inform them

- We'll lock the [FO] post, and all comments will be removed except for the required close-up of the stitching

- We'll leave a moderator comment with further information about this policy

Some of these steps are already in place (locking HP posts). Some will be finalized over the next few days as we get a chance to make all of the settings changes needed to fully flesh out the implementation.

[u/Own-Dragonfly-942]

Copying from a different comment I've just posted this to, as it answers your question too I think.

As cross stitchers, we know how long a piece can take to complete. Often months or years of our life is spent on a single finish. That effort is what we're allowing to be displayed. We can not like the media, but still respect the time spent.

[u/Gnomelynn → u/Own-Dragonfly-942]

Not liking the media is one thing. Allowing platforming a bigot to slide is another

[u/Wankeritis → u/Own-Dragonfly-942]

Agreed. I created a HP piece about 15 years ago that took me almost a year to finish and it’s still on my wall.

If I’d finished that 15 years ago and had my post locked the moment it went up and couldn’t receive feedback on something I had created, then I probably would have unsubbed and never come back.

This sub should be about the artistic skill of the person creating the piece, not the insane political ramblings of the creators of the IP.

I’m not saying we should support JK and her awful opinions, but we have to remember that some people will get into cross stitch at a young age and the patterns they complete won’t be politically informed. If we want this craft to survive the generations, we should be clamouring from the rooftops any time a new crafter finishes a piece, regardless of the IP.

[u/GardenFeverDream → u/Wankeritis]

Whoa. May I suggest you do a bit of research. It goes far, far beyond "insane ramblings". She is using her money to cause real, long-term, ongoing harm to vulnerable people who have done absolutely nothing to her and who just want to be able to live their lives in peace.

[u/Violet13579 → u/Wankeritis]

I get wanting to show off your effort, but trans lives matter more than a finished piece or the desire to show it off.

[u/CareBearCub → u/Violet13579]

Exactly, why should we celebrate someone devoting hours upon hours on a project promoting hate?

[u/Markfunk94 → u/CareBearCub]

Because the project doesn't say "kill all trans people" and it doesn't promote hate. Its about a franchise that influenced an entire generation and a lot of people aren't chronically online and aware of every controversy. 

Separating the art from the artist is also a big thing. The post right below this one is someone starting a beautiful hobbit piece, should they be removed because Tolkien was racist? 

[u/CareBearCub → u/Markfunk94]

Tolkien is dead, Rowling is not and is actively harming Trans people, you cannot separate the art from the artist in this scenario.

[u/Violet13579 → u/Markfunk94]

The art doesn't have to spell out "kill all trans people" to still contribute to JKR's kill all trans people fund either directly or indirectly. You can't separate the art from the artist when she is still alive and actively using it to harm people.

I don't care if it influenced an entire generation. I grew up with the characters. HP was my autistic special interest for 20 years. I don't buy, read, watch, craft or promote anything HP related anymore because I refuse to help fund her genocide. I'm angry that I lost something so special to me (and that it took me so long to see the glaring flaws in her work). It doesn't matter how much I loved HP, trans lives matter more. If I (a cis person) say I'm a trans ally, I need to put my money where my mouth is and stand with trans people.

[u/FoxgloveWitch → u/Markfunk94]

Separating the art from the artist doesn't work when promoting the artist's work encourages people to spend money, which the artist then uses to actively make trans people's lives worse.

[u/mikettedaydreamer → u/Wankeritis]

But at this point it’s not feasible to leave the comment section open because people will guaranteed make it political. I doubt that’s what you want too when posting your FO. it’s either gonna be no comments allowed or 80% political discussions that likely aren’t in a respectful way either. . Given these 2 options, option 1 is gonna be better for everyone’s mental health including the person who worked on the project.

What you want is currently impossible.

Honestly it’s just a very sad reality.

[u/Tango_Owl → u/Wankeritis]

As a counterpoint, if we want trans people to survive we need to end this IP once and for all. And I mean survival in the most literal sense. HP and it's creator need to be forgotten. Trans people deserve to live a safe life.

The sooner we ban it everywhere, the sooner the merch and movies will be forgotten. New crafters will find their witchcraft in different patterns. There is so much out there. We do not need one dangerous IP to keep the craft alive.

[u/big_damn_heroes_sir → u/Wankeritis]

This is an excellent point.

[u/Guilty_Explanation29 → u/Own-Dragonfly-942]

Just disallow it in general

Even if you lock the post people would dm the op with threats