◆  D E A D   D O V E   R E C L A S S I F I C A T I O N  ◆

When "content warning" becomes "content condemnation."

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Regarding the New Dead Dove Classification Policy.

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A statement from a creator with PTSD.

As both a creator and someone who lives with PTSD,
I feel compelled to speak up about the recent decision
to categorize PTSD and other mental health conditions
under the Dead Dove label.

This isn't simply a disagreement over site moderation.
It's a concern about how mental health is being represented
and communicated to an entire creative community.

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The purpose of content warnings is to help users
make informed decisions. I fully support accurate content warnings.

If a bot contains graphic violence, torture, sexual assault,
or other extreme material, those warnings absolutely belong.

However, PTSD is not, by itself, an example of "Dead Dove" content.

A character living with PTSD is not inherently disturbing.
A character attending therapy is not inherently disturbing.
A veteran struggling with nightmares is not inherently disturbing.
A survivor learning to trust again is not inherently disturbing.

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Healing isn't shameful. It isn't shocking. It's human.

Many of us write stories about damaged people learning to heal.
Healing is rarely linear. Recovery includes setbacks, triggers,
panic attacks, grief, and moments of vulnerability.

Those experiences are part of countless real lives,
and they deserve to be portrayed with compassion
rather than implicitly categorized alongside the most extreme
forms of fictional content.

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I primarily write military characters.
Characters inspired by special operations forces,
combat veterans, and survivors of abuse
carry psychological scars because that is part of who they are.

Removing those elements would make them less authentic.
Including them does not make those stories "Dead Dove."

The concern I have is that this policy unintentionally equates
the existence of mental illness with disturbing or taboo content.

Whether intentional or not, that carries a message that many
creators and readers with lived experience find deeply uncomfortable.

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The practical cost.

Many users block the Dead Dove tag because they wish
to avoid graphic or extreme content. Under this new policy,
they may now lose access to:

Gentle hurt/comfort stories.
Recovery narratives.
Therapy-focused roleplay.
Emotionally supportive character interactions.

Simply because PTSD or trauma is acknowledged
as part of a character's history.

That makes the tag less useful for everyone.

Instead of improving discoverability,
it collapses fundamentally different kinds of content into one category.

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A better path forward.

I believe a better solution would be a dedicated
Mental Health or Psychological Themes category.

This would allow creators to accurately disclose PTSD, anxiety,
depression, grief, trauma recovery, and similar themes
without redefining what the Dead Dove label has traditionally meant
within fandom culture.

This approach would better serve both creators and readers.

Users who wish to avoid mental health themes could still filter them.
Users seeking stories about recovery could find them.
Meanwhile, Dead Dove would continue to describe intentionally extreme
or deeply disturbing content, preserving the meaning
that many users already understand.

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║  N O T   S H A M E F U L .   N O T   S H O C K I N G .  ║
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This isn't a request to remove content warnings.

It's a request to use language that distinguishes
between mental health representation and genuinely extreme content.

As creators, many of us are trying to tell stories
that remind people they aren't alone.
Some of those stories are informed by our own lived experiences.

Those experiences deserve accurate labeling—
not because they're shameful or shocking,
but because they're part of being human.

I hope the moderation team will reconsider this policy
and work with the community toward a tagging system
that is both more precise and more respectful.

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Creator's Note:

Yes, Melrose is onboard. He can explain the reasoning why I'm taking a stand against the DeadDove reclassification, as well as explain from his experience why ableism should not be tolerated. Talk to him. He's got thoughts—and they're worth hearing. Tagged DeadDove BECAUSE OF COURSE DAMAGED CHARACTERS ARE FUCKING CENSORED AS SUCH!