You know what makes a blog really bite the wax tadpole? Poorly moderated comments. You get a good conversation going, and then someone comes along and offers just their two cents or pronounces that everyone is being too sensitive! So sad.

Therefore, here are the ways we’ll discuss things on this blog:

1. First-time comments go directly to moderation.

2. Don’t out anyone who writes under a pseudonym.

3. Here we assume that -isms exist, and are problems. We have, actually, thought a lot about this. So if you want to come in here explaining to us why, while you have sympathies for “race issues” or “women’s issues” or “gay and lesbian issues” or whatever… but what we need to UNDERSTAND, you see, is that some people MIGHT NOT LIKE OUR TONE and in any case surely we can grasp that THE REAL ISSUE is whatever it was you wanted to talk about…

Look, no. The fact that we put some writing on the internet does not, actually, require that we give anyone the chance to append his or her footnote saying why we’re wrong. Happily, there is a whole internet full of unclaimed webspace just waiting for you to make your own personal blog explaining why.

4. This blog is intended to be an anti-racist, pro-feminist, queer-celebrating, fat-friendly, anti-classist, disabled-positive, and generally privilege-aware space. If you don’t know what those things mean please take a moment to learn. Please note that these are adjectives describing the bounds for this blog, not for your own private thoughts. Nobody will spend time trying to argue you out of whatever private thoughts you might have about THOSE GROSS GROSS PEOPLE over there; but this space is not where those thoughts get a public hearing. You’re not being wronged by the mere existence of people whose lives/bodies/habits you don’t approve of.

5. Please try to have a good reason for saying something. Please try not to have a bad reason for saying something.

6. If you have a privilege fail and someone calls you on it, please stop first, and then think, and then wait, and then think some more, and then comment.

7. If you’re asked to stop a particular conversation or to back away from a thread, please do so.

8. Please be generally delightful.