Why don't we quit?

It’s often hard to keep promoting diversity in the world. The skeptic an atheist communities have a “big tent” that celebrates misogynists that deny the scientific facts of climate change and rewards misogynists that promote dangerous anti-vaccination nonsense but when we talk about how our movements can and should address and support issues unique to women, racial minorities, and the disabled, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans community we are told we’re reaching too far and are out of line. Unless of course foreign brown people are using their religions to hurt those groups.

In writing for this blog (and even before) I’ve seen my opinions dismissed by people who assumed I was a woman, then ignored when they realized I’m a man. I’ve gotten threats of rape from horrible people with poor reading comprehension. I’ve been the subject of elaborate conspiracy theories. I’ve gotten many kind words of support, but always from people who already agreed with me. I’ve gotten some great guest posts submitted, which I love and appreciate, but in nowhere near the numbers I had hoped for.

Between the abuse and the relative apathy and the feeling like the only people who listen already agreed or now hate me, I often find myself asking “Why the hell do I do this? Is this how I want to spend my free time?” I basically quit in my mind every 10 days or so. But I won’t let myself quit for good. I don’t want to surrender something that I think is important and valuable to people who are despicable and hateful.

I keep myself going in the hopes that, if nothing else, I can add a voice of support for the people who are the real targets of this campaign of bullying. If I can, some day, change one mind that would just be the cherry on top.

Anyway, just some thoughts and - more than anything - a reminder to myself why I do this even though some times, like now, I kind of want to just read a book and play with my cat.