Thanks for _refugee_ for the redirect, otherwise I wouldn't have seen this, and I think I need to address it.

Frankly, I posted the picture I posted for a few reasons, some that I were a gut-reaction, and left it up for others.

I posted it in direct reaction to resukureipuru's post because I

1.) felt that I got what was intended by the motto ( the idea of overstepping or pushing past ones own insecurity and fear)

2.) felt, once again, a desire to be accepted by my peers ( who in this case seemed to be would-be inhabitants of 4chan's /b/) and so posted the referenced picture for the common ground it supplied. while being in my mid-20s, I am in many ways still insecure, much to my own derision, and like anyone with that characteristic I occasionally do very stupid things to feel accepted.

Of course, I realize that the word "faggot" is inappropriate, and after sleeping on it, I considered taking down the post, especially considering I am someone who is MAAB and is currently working through whether or not I feel comfortable in my assigned gender (therapists are helpful). I could probably, by the dictionary definition of the word quoted above, be referred to as a "faggot" and would of course find it a hurtful, derogatory term.

However, and this is a big however, I left it up. my reasons are as follows:

1.) I felt that while the word and phrase used by the OP are problematic, that is how they have decided to motivate themselves and I should not judge them based on their problematic language. I see my own post as supporting that person's desire to move past their own self-placed barriers to success, phrased in this manner, or in a more PC manner.

2.) I'd already put it out into the world. I am a big believer that when you say things, they don't go away, even (or perhaps especially) online. What do I gain by removing it, when those who are offended will have already seen it and will remember it? to them my personality is already stained, and there is little I can do to improve my stature. Those who saw it and agreed with the sentiment (if not the words used) will see the missing post and wonder where it's gone. Self-censorship? Censorship by others? Shaming?

I truly feel that, while the wording used in the original motto is problematic, it was not intended to be harmful to anyone. As the cards have played out, it has been taken in that harmful way (in a manner I should have expected, considering the loaded nature of the word "faggot").

So that's the reasoning. If anyone wants me to remove the image, etc. let me know, the delete post button is one click away.