Being an ethical fan and consumer

Rachael from The Social Justice League posted a fantastic guide called How to Be a Fan of Problematic Things.

This is pretty timely since I've been trying to marry all my various fandoms with my politics, and not entirely succeeding. The most important thing to take away from this is that you can be a conscientious consumer without actually give up the things you otherwise love:

After all, most texts have some problematic elements in them, because they’re produced by humans, who are well-known to be imperfect. But it can be surprisingly difficult to own up to the problematic things in the media you like, particularly when you feel strongly about it, as many fans do. We need to find a way to enjoy the media we like without hurting other people and marginalised groups. So with that in mind, here are my suggestions for things we should try our darnedest to do as self-confessed fans of problematic stuff.

Acknowledgment is key. It's pretty obvious I devote most of my energy to music, but if I removed every artist that has ever made a questionable statement, in song or elsewhere, from my iPod I've had not much left. I'm also a casual watcher of Glee, a show whose failures often outnumber its successes.  I still enjoy those things, but with a more critical eye. One thing I have noticed is the more I pay attention to what's being sold here, the more I am likely to seek out alternatives.