Dangpa

I've been speaking to Toledo (Campo Largo's dev) and I feel that it's worth going over my feelings again on their work. I'm gonna start by saying, do not send harassment anybody's way. Despite my energy when initially talking about it, I do not believe in censorship even of art I find distasteful.

I still currently hold the same opinion of the VN and the church it oft reveres, from it's explicit power of prayer, to it's pro-colonial atmosphere and activities, but I am more keen to see the author through their journey, assuming it's intent isn't convincing me of the LDS "good nature and acts".

toledo-art.itch.ioCampo Largo by ToledoElder Hartley is fine.

I would caution this is not a VN for everyone. If you suffer from religious trauma or want to avoid pro-LDS material it may be best avoided, and I would advise you to inform yourself of the LDS before reading. That being said, the VN is here to engage with yourself: toledo-art.itch.io/campo-largo

My initial emotional reaction was spurred on by the cageyness of the author's reluctance in revealing their intent and identity, my reading of the VN itself, it's anti-LGBTQ+ subject matter discussions, and very real existence of the racist anti-LGBTQ+ group that is the LDS.

As a gay PoC who's aware of the church's racist anti-LGBTQ+ tendencies, I find it hard to "accept" the potential for hate groups coming into these spaces. If the intent isn't VERY clear with the text I'm going to err on the side of extreme caution and probably disgust.

While I find the VN's reverence to be repugnant and uncritical, especially regarding missionary efforts and repressing of queer actions to fit into the church, I do not believe the VN itself to be a malicious attack on LGBTQ+, nor, as far as I've read, an attempt to push the church's ideology here.

And while I suspect the author to still be supportive of the church, I feel between testimonials from LGBTQ+ friends of theirs being helped by them and their own conversation with me that this is primarily meant as just an autobiographical piece, and not meant to convince you of the LDS good ways.

Campo Toledo, from my reading of the first route, is a semi-autobiographical, faith-heavy, pro-LDS, pro-colonial VN about a queer NA missionary in South America. It uses cute, well-drawn, furry art and fantastical elements to relay the character's struggles being queer in a regressive ecosystem.

The text is reverent of the LDS activities and beliefs and generally uncritical of the LDS past some conservative thoughts regarding if gays are allowed to exist in LDS. The VN itself doesn't really answer this question in its first route. The closest it gets is "as long as you don't act gay."

When you approach and harass people this is effectively what you are doing. Proper critique, even emotional, isn't harassment, ofc, but if I find out you are harassing the dev I will block you. Now for my actual thoughts:

19 Aug

Just a follow-up to everything; If you are a creator making crazy, insane, personal, potentially problematic works, please keep at it! Nobody ultimately has the right over your creativity, and while I may not agree with it, be disgusted, etc, I support your right to do it wholeheartedly.

And nowadays with the surge of AI works hidden in furry spaces it's felt like there's not really a space I can feel comfortable in anymore online. Private conversations overheard or otherwise with individuals who engage in elusive practices has made me expect the worst from people, and I hate that.

19 Aug

Still, I believe I shouldn't have engaged before speaking in private. Toledo doesn't owe me the conversation, but I would love to chat with them if they are willing. My DMs are open for it, and I would absolutely love to eat my words and be wrong about their work and them.

The FAQ posted gave me no reassurance either this wasn't some piece of pro-LSD propaganda dressed up with cute furry art. Still, I always make an effort to speak to people privately and I should have done so with Toledo rather than let my anger at the text get to me, and I apologize for that.

19 Aug

This piece of work feels like an invasion on my own queerness, blackness, and identity that got to me deeply. I've dealt with heaps of religious bigotry and racism growing up and seeing a seemingly sanitized version of it in relation to gayness in this space was a bit much for me to take.

While I do not believe my reading of the text is wrong, I have a lot of ire with organized religion in general, and things like LDS and their actions on the queer/black community. I would have loved to talk to Toledo first, but reading the VN put such a bad taste in my mouth I posted after reading.

18 Aug

Keeps appearing on my TL. I read the author's FAQ where they say "the answers in the text" so I read it. This is gross, and the MC's unquestioned belief. Most of it is pro-LDS, the belief on homosexuality is "repress the action/sin", and prayer literally saves the day. Why is anyone defending this?

14 July

Clarification; He was suspended due to a hack so thankfully he's gotten his account back. I still retain this platform, especially as it gets bigger just like the rest, will be more automated in it's suspensions, strikes, & bans and the responses when it happens will be much the same. It already is.

Dangpa@dangpa.art

Artdecade? Really? For absolutely what reason? It's harrowing how bsky has the same twitter-esque "feature" of random deletions of people's livelihoods with zero recourse. You just have to beg into the void or know someone and that's insane. I thought bsky aimed to be better.

14 July

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