Silver/Lyra killed my parents, dammit.

[shamanicshaymin]

The internet, especially tumblr, needs to learn the difference between a trigger and a berserk button.

This is what triggers do.

War veterans have triggers. Domestic abuse survivors have triggers. People recovering from eating disorders have triggers.

A pairing that you don't like is NOT a trigger.

Unless a pairing specifically gives you panic attacks, remind you of a specific phobia, or any of the symptoms described in the article above, a NOTP is not a trigger. It's a berserk button.

Berserk buttons are things that piss you off or make you uncomfortable. Like triggers, they can be blocked via Tumblr Savior. But that's where the similarities end.

I'll give you examples of berserk buttons by telling you mine. 50 Shades of Grey is a berserk button, and I bring up the trilogy as little as possible to avoid rampaging across town. Certain Pokemon movies are also berserk buttons, because I'm sick and tired of ranting about everything that bothers me in those movies over and over again, and it reminds me of past shameful fandom experiences I've participated in. "White tears" and "cisgendered problems" and similar tags are blacklisted on my tumblr. My boyfriend avoids anything to do with "Repo! The Genetic Opera" because it reminds him of an abusive ex who adored it.

I respect the right to not discuss ships you don't like. That's easy. There's a billion other things in the world we could talk about. But if you fly off the handle at someone because you can't stand Sonic/Amy, Kyousuke/Sayaka or Kain/Rosa (three of my personal NOTPs, so don't think I don't know what it's like to not stand a ship) and consider it a trigger rather than a berserk button, then you have a problem with overreacting, anger issues, and/or basic human decency, and you need to grow up.

Comments

[swordianmaster]

The problem really boils down to the fact that some peoples' berserk buttons can be other peoples' triggers, and yet many people refuse to realize that different people have different experiences. As an example, you mentioned 50 Shades, which I feel could be incredibly triggering to someone who had recently managed to break free of a toxic, abusive relationship. Your boyfriend's situation with Repo sounds like it's a potential trigger, as well.

The thing is, people who legitimately have triggers will typically never approach something they feel is triggering - if there is a specific ship in a franchise, and that ship has nothing to do with triggering actions (example: abusive/manipulative ships could have triggering material) then generally being legitimately triggered by "that ship" due to emotional connections to a third party would more likely cause someone to avoid the entire fandom, not just one ship.

This is a whole bunch of confusing words in order for me to say "I more or less agree, but remember that everyone experiences things differently".

[shamanicshaymin]

Fair enough. My anger is directed toward the people who just throw around the word "trigger" willy-nilly, as opposed to those who actually DO feel triggering content from their NOTPs.

[sarajayechan]

THANK. YOU. I am so fucking sick of idiots who misuse that word!

Re: 50 Shades, though-I agree with swordianmaster that 50 Shades could be a trigger if someone's reminded of their own rape or abuse or that of a close friend or relatives via the narrative and content. But to someone else it could just be a really shitty book that makes them angry. Or maybe a mix between the two for yet someone else. YMMV and all that. Just like, say, Love Hina. It's a berserk button for me because the girls are abusive jerks and the guy is a spineless idiot, but someone else could be triggered by the violence because of an abusive background.

But I agree with everything else! NOTPs do not automatically equal triggers. N/Ghetsis could be a trigger because of the incest angle and the fact that some fangirls write rapey porn about it. But Chrom/Sumia from Fire Emblem Awakening? The day two dorky losers bond over pies is "triggering" is the day kittens breathe fire. Same deal with characters being TW-worthy. Akio from SKU, Nakago from FY-they count since they're rapists and murderers. But if the "trigger" just means "female character I hate"? I have no respect for (general) you.

[traitortoheaven]

It depends on the ship. I can see Chikane x Himeko of Kannazuki no Miko infamy being triggering because of what Chikane does to Himeko AND the fact that Chikane basically gets forgiven for it.

HOWEVER, I get what you're saying and or the most part I agree.

[fujicori]

I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt when they talk about specific triggers (because things don't always make sense w/r/t what is a trigger and what isn't), but after having seen more than a couple of people define triggers as just "things that piss me off" or "ships that I don't think I should have to see in the tags"... argh. I feel like that's doing a disservice to real triggers, or devaluing them.

[guardians_song]

Good fucking gad. What the fuck is wrong with the Internet?

I have characters who sent me into a blind rage, but I wouldn't call that TRIGGERING... Sheesh. Tumblr, fuck off.