Ghastly Professor and Why One Pose is Innappropriate

[Jazeraint]

While we're on the subject, I am also including Spiteful Professor (I'm certain these are recolors of another item, I just haven't stumbled across the original yet and this is currently on my mind because of the opening of Torii's Gateway and these items being included.

The Pose in question is this "Hairy Limbs" pose, which makes a lot more sense when you read it as to what it's supposed to be, but the fact of the matter is, when I tried it on and saw this:

My first thought wasn't hair.
My first thought was a much more serious issue that I shouldn't have to bring up in this situation.
Other recolors might look more like 'hair', but the coloration here (and I hope there isn't a pale orange or a pink version out there) looks far too much like scarring and a lot less like hair.
Especially considering the placement.
I get that gaia has some more 'gorey' items; I've got a couple, and yes, I love them.
But that's gore.
This is a serious issue that millions of people deal with on a regular basis and this should simply not exist as an item an avatar can wear.
Seriously.
It boggles the mind how this actually made it through screening without a red flag popping up.

Edited @ 11:11 PM CST, 9/24/2014 :: I am adding this note because it is possible that people are misconstruing my opinion based within. I am not asking Gaia to remove this item, or any other items. I am merely hoping that bringing this to light may allow for Gaia to look at what they put out a little more carefully. I am not saying that they should quit putting out whatever they want or cater to anyone-- simply that I would like them to keep possible issues in mind when putting items like this out.

[Bleeding Apocalypse]

I'll be honest. At first glance, without knowing the name of the item, it wouldn't occur to me that that pose right there is supposed to be hair. They don't look like "Hairy Limbs" at all. It looks like the avatar is cut up. I've got an E base skin tone, so I'm going to look it up and see how it looks on my base. Maybe it'll look more like hair for me, but... it doesn't look like hair at all on such a fair skin base.

EDIT: On my very dark skin tone, it just looks like a lot of black lines. I have the original, the Beastly Professor, and there's a bit more detail to the item that's lost on the recolor. Although they're a kind of purple-ish set of lines on the limbs, they at least have a bit of shine to them to give them a sort of silky appearance. That detail is lacking on this recolor, and I think that along with the very pale skin tone makes it look like a bunch of cuts rather than body hair.

[nalyehe]

in no way does that look like hair. agree with you 100%, disturbing that this is actually an item and no one saw anything wrong with it.

[I have a tissue]

I suppose it's only inappropriate if you choose to see it that way. I could see your point if it was called "cut limbs" or "bloody tracks" or something, but it's called "hair".

[TheMainCharacter1]

While I do understand the concern I think it’ll be treated as one of those “as long as it isn't used for something very inappropriate it will stay” items.

[Jazeraint]

I have a tissue

I suppose it's only inappropriate if you choose to see it that way. I could see your point if it was called "cut limbs" or "bloody tracks" or something, but it's called "hair".

They're lucky it's not called cut limbs or bloody tracks, because there'd be an immediate uproar about it.
Just because I draw a picture of a cloud and name it sheep doesn't mean that everyone who sees it is going to agree with the title or subject matter.
The matter is that it doesn't look like "hair" and not everyone is going to assume it's hair when they first look at it. I rarely even read pose names-- the only reason I know this one is because it bothered me and I wanted to make sure it wasn't something like bloody tracks or cut limbs.

[Jazeraint]

Bleeding Apocalypse

I'll be honest. At first glance, without knowing the name of the item, it wouldn't occur to me that that pose right there is supposed to be hair. They don't look like "Hairy Limbs" at all. It looks like the avatar is cut up. I've got an E base skin tone, so I'm going to look it up and see how it looks on my base. Maybe it'll look more like hair for me, but... it doesn't look like hair at all on such a fair skin base.

Yea, I don't know what it looks like on other bases, but it definitely doesn't look right on the grombie skin.
I can try it with a few of my other skin-items and see how it looks that way.

[I have a tissue]

Jazeraint

I have a tissue

I suppose it's only inappropriate if you choose to see it that way. I could see your point if it was called "cut limbs" or "bloody tracks" or something, but it's called "hair".

They're lucky it's not called cut limbs or bloody tracks, because there'd be an immediate uproar about it.
Just because I draw a picture of a cloud and name it sheep doesn't mean that everyone who sees it is going to agree with the title or subject matter.
The matter is that it doesn't look like "hair" and not everyone is going to assume it's hair when they first look at it. I rarely even read pose names-- the only reason I know this one is because it bothered me and I wanted to make sure it wasn't something like bloody tracks or cut limbs.

The argument of it being inappropriate is taking it too figuratively. It's a literal recolor of something that isn't in a blood-themed item. It's more or less a conflict of perspective.



Though, this also makes me wonder why all other blood and gore items are okay but this wouldn't be if it was labeled that way. It's a confusing standard for stuff that is beyond the 13+ age group standard.

I am not saying that self-harm is "okay"- I do not condone it and I hope those experiencing it can seek assistance.

But, at the bottom line, it's still blood and gore. It's no different than the other blood spatters, dirty knives and bloody limbs. It's still really not any more appropriate than any other "blood" item. It's weird that this is what raised a red flag.

[Bunai]

Spiteful Professor (black)
Ghastly Professor (red)
Beastly Professor (purple)

[Jazeraint]

I have a tissue

The argument of it being inappropriate is taking it too figuratively. It's a literal recolor of something that isn't in a blood-themed item. It's more or less a conflict of perspective.



Though, this also makes me wonder why all other blood and gore items are okay but this wouldn't be if it was labeled that way. It's a confusing standard for stuff that is beyond the 13+ age group standard.

I am not saying that self-harm is "okay"- I do not condone it and I hope those experiencing it can seek assistance.

But, at the bottom line, it's still blood and gore. It's no different than the other blood spatters, dirty knives and bloody limbs. It's still really not as appropriate as any other "blood" item. It's weird that this is what raised a red flag.

It raised a red flag because it looks like self-harm.
The other gore items are just that-- literal gore items. Severed limbs. Torn apart bodies. In terms of it going over the PG-13 aspect, we have to look at how the rating systems work-- as long as the object of the gore isn't "human", it's PG-13. Which is why movies like Terminator aren't R or NC-17 rated movies, because the gore isn't with "humans". In the case of Gaia, our avatars aren't considered "human", just "humanoid", which is why the gore-items are okay within a PG-13 setting.
Self-harm is a serious issue that shouldn't be made light of. People getting arms and limbs ripped off is serious, as well, but it's not nearly as common-place and out in the open as self-harm is. People go to jail for gore. People go to hospitals and seek mental help for self-harm. I'm not saying I'm going to go and cut myself because I saw an item on Gaia that looked like my avatar had self-harm cuts or scars and I thought that that was okay. I'm saying that it's inappropriate for a PG-13 site to show such imagery, even on their "humanoid" avatars, because it's a serious issue that needs to be taken just that-- seriously.
They probably won't do anything about this item; I'm not letting my hopes get that far. But it is different from blood splatters-- it is different from other blood items, because it's a much larger issue that isn't just physical, it's mental.

[I have a tissue]

Jazeraint

It raised a red flag because it looks like self-harm.
The other gore items are just that-- literal gore items. Severed limbs. Torn apart bodies. In terms of it going over the PG-13 aspect, we have to look at how the rating systems work-- as long as the object of the gore isn't "human", it's PG-13. Which is why movies like Terminator aren't R or NC-17 rated movies, because the gore isn't with "humans". In the case of Gaia, our avatars aren't considered "human", just "humanoid", which is why the gore-items are okay within a PG-13 setting.
Self-harm is a serious issue that shouldn't be made light of. People getting arms and limbs ripped off is serious, as well, but it's not nearly as common-place and out in the open as self-harm is. People go to jail for gore. People go to hospitals and seek mental help for self-harm. I'm not saying I'm going to go and cut myself because I saw an item on Gaia that looked like my avatar had self-harm cuts or scars and I thought that that was okay. I'm saying that it's inappropriate for a PG-13 site to show such imagery, even on their "humanoid" avatars, because it's a serious issue that needs to be taken just that-- seriously.
They probably won't do anything about this item; I'm not letting my hopes get that far. But it is different from blood splatters-- it is different from other blood items, because it's a much larger issue that isn't just physical, it's mental.

Gaia Online is not PG-13. That's a rating from the MPAA that is only a borrowed term. The internet does not have a rating system.



That any the conjecture seems really strange. I wouldn't see a difference between "human", "humanoid", "non-human", "animal" or anything else that would have that much gore to it. It's still gore- it's still a grey area for young adults. A pose being mistaken for something that is labeled as "hair" is just lumped into the rest of the concerns.

Regardless, if people see this as blood then I would like to know why the rest of them are not being bitched about. This item is not any more of a big of a deal as the pre-existing ones that no one apparently gives a damn about. It's a double standard that shouldn't exist, which is why I heavily disagree with the core of your argument.

[Wizzardess]

It surprised me when I first saw it, then went "Ohhhh," when I saw the name.

I don't have a problem with it, but it definitely is capable of raising red flags at first glance.

[RiverDaNile]

As someone who used to cut, I definitely don't think this re-color was a good idea. In the other two, there isn't much of an issue, simply because it's not instantly mistaken for cut marks.
But the red one? Definitely not cool. That's what my arm used to look like when I did that. And I would think that this sort of thing could possibly trigger something in others who havent yet been able to stop.

And no, just because there are other blood and gore related items out there, doesn't mean that this s**t is okay. Just because its called 'hair' doesn't make this okay. The blood and gore crap is typically more on the horror side, fantasy, zombie related, etc. It has a very different feel to it. This? This looks like self-mutilation. And that should NOT be condoned on a site that is supposed to adhere to teenagers more often than not. Especially when that particular age group is the ones who suffer from self-harm the most.
I dont care if its hair. It looks like self-mutilation and should be removed. PERIOD. This kind of thing is a serious issue for those who do cut.

As someone who used to, I think I'd know. Like someone needs to look at that and think its okay to do that s**t. ITS NOT. Plain and simple. Anyone who thinks otherwise is ignorant and should educate themselves on mental illness.

~MLI

[I have a tissue]

MoonlightIllusionist

As someone who used to cut, I definitely don't think this re-color was a good idea. In the other two, there isn't much of an issue, simply because it's not instantly mistaken for cut marks.
But the red one? Definitely not cool. That's what my arm used to look like when I did that. And I would think that this sort of thing could possibly trigger something in others who havent yet been able to stop.

And no, just because there are other blood and gore related items out there, doesn't mean that this s**t is okay. Just because its called 'hair' doesn't make this okay. The blood and gore crap is typically more on the horror side, fantasy, zombie related, etc. It has a very different feel to it. This? This looks like self-mutilation. And that should NOT be condoned on a site that is supposed to adhere to teenagers more often than not. Especially when that particular age group is the ones who suffer from self-harm the most.
I dont care if its hair. It looks like self-mutilation and should be removed. PERIOD. This kind of thing is a serious issue for those who do cut.

As someone who used to, I think I'd know. Like someone needs to look at that and think its okay to do that s**t. ITS NOT. Plain and simple. Anyone who thinks otherwise is ignorant and should educate themselves on mental illness.

~MLI

It is on a fantasy site. Zombies, clowns and ghosts can trigger someone into having serious night terrors, which is why I don't understand the double standard.

"Some" blood shouldn't be "okay" where others are looked down on. it makes no sense why some people should be catered to while others have to suffer that can have the same degree of trigger.

And, for the record, they do not condone it. They have a sticky in Life Issues that has a ton of phone numbers in it, some of them dedicated to self-harm.

[PrincessKitteh]

Personally, I saw it as hair as described and given where the hair is present I did not see it as being possibly viewed as self harm until I looked at it some more. However, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't most self harm inflicted on the inside of the arms, not the outside? And more often the ankles, not the whole front of the legs?

But even so, even if it were used as an item to insinuate self harm, it is not necessarily making light of the issue unless that is the way in which someone uses it. Some people cosplay their OC's. What if those characters do self harm and it just is a way to achieve accuracy? Just because someone has an OC who does self-harm does not mean that they do not understand it or are making light of the issue.
I can understand it as a sensitive subject, but sometimes there is just seeing a problem where there isn't one. And no, I'm not saying self-harm is not a problem. I'm saying that this item is perhaps a little unfortunately recolored and is not an actual issue unless it truly does raise a phenomenal amount of red flags.
Like I said, I didn't see it as blood and I had to read to find the problem.
Then again, I myself have never actually done self-harm, so maybe it just allowed me to remain oblivious.