[META] With the sub growing I think we need to have a discussion on the use of actual blood and showing actual self harm prominently in art here. Please read and share your feelings here.

So lately more people have been posting works with actual blood, or images that are just self harm. (Obviously if you are taking a photo of yourself and you happen to have self harm scars that's different).

My personal feeling is that since this is ART TO COPE, and not "art made by self harming" we really shouldn't be posting anything that we did with blood we got from self harming (fake blood and things is fine).

I have posted an image with blood from self harm before but I took it down of my own accord after a day. I had a lapse in judgement because I got manic and didn't think things through. I know this can happen to a lot of people so there is no judgement when people are posting things like this right now. Because we don't really have clear rules on it.

I don't want to encourage people to self harm, and I feel that photos where the main subject is self harm, or where blood from self harm is used might be detrimental to the goal of this sub. Which is to find ways to deal with our issues.

Also, while the sub is mostly compromised of people who self injure, this sub is not meant to be solely for people who SH. It's meant for people dealing with any kind of problem. Depression, Anxiety, other mental illnesses, Chronic illnesses and anything else. I feel like posting actual blood and photos of self harm might be scaring away other people.

There are a few options here, because of course I don't run the sub, I'm not a mod, I'm just someone who feels like this is "my sub", the one I "belong" to. And I want it to be a safe comfortable place for people.

TRIGGER WARNINGS - IF we decide as a community to post photos and art that contain actual blood or self harm, we need to use descriptive titles and trigger warnings. People need to know what they are about to click on. If you are dealing with things and trying to fight urges to SH the last thing you need is to click on something and see SH. And if you want that kind of thing there is a sub dedicated to self harm images, so maybe go there.

NOT POSTING - We can decide as a community to NOT post things of this nature. Self harm photos already have a dedicated sub, post them there. The photos that are done with self harm methods may be welcome over there as well, I'm not sure. I prefer this method because as much as I may enjoy seeing everyone's talent, I don't think that this is what this sub is about.

This is a discussion thread, so please make your thoughts on these issues known. Please discuss what you feel this sub is and should be. I want it to be safe for people to post, and I want to encourage people to use alternate methods for coping, but art made with self harming is not really an alternate method of coping, it's just creating art with your self harm, and as supportive as I want to be to everyone's artwork... I don't really want to encourage self harm.

Okay enough of my rambling. Please discuss your thoughts on the subject. Upvote ideas you agree with, but please don't downvote anything so we can see a more accurate representation of what ideas are popular. If you disagree with something please just reply with WHY you don't agree, so we can try to come to a consensus.

Thank you guys. I care about all of you and I want what's best for this sub and everyone here. <3