- Pushing 40 / Old af
- Nonbinary
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Happily taken x2
- Closed Poly
- Artist & Modder
- Content Creator
- Community Manager
- Gamer / Challenge Runner
- Major Stoner / Often High
🖤 Favorites / Fancies 🖤
- Favorite Alternative Styles: Trad Goth, Deathrock, Rivethead
- Favorite Colors: Black, navy blue, mint green
- Favorite Games: Sword of Mana, Tomb Raider 2&3
- Collects 1000s of Gaia avatars
🕸️ Not Welcome 🕸️
- Religious speak and propaganda
- Hate speech / toxic mindsets
- Disinfo / fear mongering
- Drama
- Ai defenders
- Creepy kinks
- Those who lack personal accountability
- Wasting time on those who wont listen
- Any other form of toxicity
(by bloodwitch)
⛓️ Mental Struggles ⛓️
- Anxiety (Can't deal with too much stress anymore as it's not just bad for my mental health but now my physical health as well.)
- cPTSD (Some s**t can just be triggering to me so I tune it out.)
- ADHD (Heavily derps esp while stoned lol.)
First off if you are new to Gaia or newly returning, I suggest you turn back now because this is not a safe platform to be on as there are so many unhinged with very little moderation. I know 'that's just internet in general' but honestly this place attracts a special kind of unhinged and it gets very deranged and ppl are often doxxed and harassed here left and right. As much as I've always loved this place and as long as I've been here near 20 years, it's just not that great thanks to the terrible community and lack of moderation.
Sure it has a good side to the community but over all if you don't want to be involved or around any drama nor have to play guessing games of 'who to avoid vs who not to', look else where. If you choose to ignore my warning, I do have a helpful guide for new and returning users linked in my sig and to the right on my blog under 'resources.'
So here's the deal. I'm done with this site. Here's why and what I will be leaving behind.
The Problems with GaiaOnline
- Lack of moderation.
With nothing being done about there being several users being allowed to just linger and toxify things while they're clearly and openly problematic and obviously going against site ToS while also putting other users at risk. Something needs to be done about this even by means of just putting them all on a permaban list.
- Can't trust the community.
Why should I stay on a site where I constantly have to block countless users for a vast array of reasons. From reasons ranging from they're friends with someone problematic, they're a harasser, they're a pred, they're a manipulator. There's just no point to any of it. If ppl aren't openly a problem themselves they're ignorant and just befriending any piece of s**t here without even thinking twice about it.
That's about it. Gaia itself has always been chill and I had a very good run with it but I do feel that I perhaps am too old for Gaia now. At least in the sense that I'm almost 40 and my health and mental health isn't the greatest and being it's to this point. It's just no longer good for me to be here with all these problems that keep going on ignored.
I'm sorry Gaia, but I can no longer provide a safe space for you as I can't keep up with all the toxic insanity from this place. It's on you guys to learn how to create your own safe spaces now. I'm also tired and burnt out so I don't have it in me to make some sorta whole a** tutorial on s**t like I use to either. Just let me give you this last piece of advice.
PAY ATTENTION TO WHO YOU'RE BEFRIENDING.
Look at profiles, look at post history, topic history and most of all, their friendlists. Comment sections matter too. Know well who the ******** you're friending here and every where else for that matter. We're living in some seriously depressing, unhinged ******** all times where the unhinged are thriving in this world that's only getting more ******** especially here in the US.
Hate, bigotry, predatory behavior and manipulation are rampant af on this site. No other place online is gonna be very different either though. Times are crucial for you all to learn to hone your intuition. If something feels the least bit off about something or someone, NEVER IGNORE IT. Be mindful of your surroundings at all times.
We're at the point where we can only rely on ourselves and our closest loved ones. I'm pretty much not gonna be online anymore other than on private accounts where I don't interact much with anyone. There's no place for me or us really which is why I just have my own private spaces now.
I wish you all the best, those of you few decent that are left here. Best of luck with all this craziness and I suggest everyone else do them self a favor and ditch this place at least until they get better moderation. Tbh at this rate just let Gaia finally die if they're not going to do anything about their biggest issue rn.
I had a good near 20 years here Gaia. I met both my beloved partners who I'd be pretty much dead without. I almost owe Gaia my life but this is pretty much where I'm going to say goodbye to it. Like I said, if things change I will consider coming back and reopening my thread but until then, it leaves with me.
Thank you to everyone who was a true friend to me. It means so much and I'm sorry to let you guys go but with all the chaos and bs, I just can't trust anyone from here anymore. Please don't take it as a personal attack cuz obv it's not. I just need to protect my peace and from having been away as much as I have already has helped me feel better. This is it though. See you on the Other Side.
