Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Nippletastic: A Rant For FS Bloggers

I'm going to step onto my soapbox now.  I'm in the middle of several other posts, but there's something that just needs to be said right now.  And that is:  nipple. 

Now.  If you are among the FS blogger community that makes up the vast majority of my readership, you know exactly what I mean by that.  For those who don't, it means that I am standing in solidarity with one of my own - a fellow FS blogger.  And not just any FS blogger, but one of the pioneers of the FS blog.  One of the leaders in the FS community, online and off line.  A woman who I consider a friend, despite the fact that we've never met.  But, she's invariably been there for me when I've needed her, even (especially) when she's needed support even more than me. 

This week, Jen discovered that she is "not FS enough" to represent the FS on an official blog roll used as a recruitment tool.  (A blog roll I've chosen not to be on, for various reasons.  None of them have to do with not wanting to recruit people.)

Jen has detailed what happened very well herself.  And on this post she links to others who have done the same.  I won't rehash everything here (especially since the majority of you know the story anyway).  If you don't, follow the links. 

The reasons she was given are simply laughable.  Especially because the same could be said for every single other blog on that roll (and the many, many more who aren't).  We are taught from day 1 that the FS isn't a career, it's a lifestyle.  And so it makes sense that everything that happens to us, good or bad, is part of that lifestyle.  And there's a whole lot of good that happens to all of us.  But there's a hell of a lot of bad, too.  And all of it is inextricably intertwined with our lifestyles.  And any prospective member of the FS family should be inspired by these stories, not scared of them. 

I am not the first or the most eloquent to post about this injustice, and I won't be the last (or, hopefully, the least eloquent!).  Because we are a community.  We stick together.  We make our own corner of FS life more fun.  Sometimes more bearable.  Sometimes we kvetch.  Sometimes we brag.  Sometimes we cry.  Often, we laugh.  With both of the most difficult experiences I've had in my short FS career - the death of my beloved Hattie and my mother's recent brain aneurysm saga - the FS blog community has comforted me, grieved with me, exhaled with me, and made me realize I had a community.  I think every other blogger has had similarly positive supportive experiences. 

I've only met a few of these people in real life, but I look forward to upcoming bloggy get-togethers when I'm back in DC this fall.  The one I-know-you-from-your-blog meet-up I've had was pretty awesome.  And I know the rest will be too.

Because, after all, the FS blog community is pretty darn nippletastic, if I do say so myself. 

And Jen - you don't just have an FS blog.  You ARE the FS.  We all are.

7 comments:

Adrian Pratt said...

Well said indeed.

Donna said...

Love it!

Erica said...

Great. Nipple to you too!

Daniela Swider said...

Nippletastic it is and so are you!

Nomads By Nature said...

Beautifully stated!

Nomads By Nature said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jen said...

Just plain awesome!