January 10 - Animal icons live across the site: Forums, chatrooms, profiles & usercards!

My animal is a horse. Can I just be the back end???

Instead of asking us to 'give it a try' I would really like the mentors to look deep. People didn't ask for it. Although admins came up with this idea, it is creating more unrest that it is getting welcomed. Instead of asking us to forcibly accept something we are not liking, I think it is time they started respecting and understanding the word 'choice'. Majority of people have chosen not be included. So they made their choice.

Secondly to the admins, I now strongly feel that the option of OPT IN/OUT should be provided. I read through the posts and found that admins are waiting for more feedback which is acceptable. I hope they read through it, understand the real concerns and provide adequate provisions for people to Opt in/out of this. Clearly some people like this idea and would like to continue which is welcome by me. So Opt in feature would be cool. And I dont think it would be a very heavy update.

Lastly....kindly respect the choices of people. A supportive community always is caring and understanding. Without people, there is no community and without respect and understandting, there is no society. Thanks.

I just got here and noticed this when looking around. Personally, I think it is divisive.

I have a beautiful horse and 3 hospice dogs they love the elderly

How does this work? Sorry I just joined today

I believe this is being used to break up cliques associated with certain rooms by replacing them with new new cliques associated with "adorable " animals so everyone will be friends. Hugs🙂 lol

I am going to give my honest feedback on this regardless of my role on this site because it is important to support the communities thoughts.
HERE IS AN EXTENSION TO REMOVE THE ANIMAL IF IT IS BOTHERING YOU AT ALL. *Scroll down to his feed*

1. Separation
2. Power
3. Inconsistency
4. Messiness

This update has done nothing but separate the community.
A large percentage of us feel separated from each other since we're all "categorised" now. At first, the members felt separated when DS2 and DS1 were removed (which I am stilled annoyed about), and now this. Your intention was to create a cute little image but in actual reality it is damaging peoples thoughts and opinions.
It diminishes the point of this site, to be communal. It has created separation. Some peoples cultures refer to animals as a label of importance or rank, as mentioned in someones answer in this thread. If you take into account religion, culture, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions, you wouldn't "consider" changing, and immediately add an 'opt-out' option.

This update has given others power.
An eagle, versus a butterfly, fish, starfish, or turtle.
Think of the eagles significance. It is internationally known as powerful, strong, higher, a leader. The rest of us feel completely let down. It is not an act of jealously, rather we are let down knowing that we are categorised into something that diminishes our efforts.

This update is inconsistent with what needs to be done.
We all know how hectic this site has become, and little updates like these need not be focused on, rather the real issues. I don't want to see the issues of stalking, spamming and circumventing ignored and 'covered up' by "cute" updates like these. I want to see action, a plan of attack, a goal of the admin team. Why haven't we heard this? I personally haven't seen anything that supports to members of the community in regards to these issues. Members are becoming fed up with reckless treatment.

This update is messy.
I think most of us can agree that the chatrooms now look extremely messy. It gave me headaches because of colour-blindness, so the extension was essential for me.
I love 7Cups, but I want to keep things professional or at least succinct with a professional setting.

Your intention to be creative and cute is nice, however I need you all to look deeper. I've been looking through the replies to messages in this thread and most of them have been inconsiderate and unhelpful. They have been completely ignored.

I'm disappointed, but hopeful that you will consider making a change for the better of your community.

@dancingRainbow45

I am still waiting for NONI to shut up for good..... Not concerned with animals.

@Laura The more I read the posts in this thread the more frustrated I'm getting, yet it's not actually the update itself that is bugging me.

7 cups is clearly a huge community with a variety of different users - listeners and members all at different stages of their individual journeys. While each person should be treated as an individual, this should be a community where the same level of respect and care is given to each person no matter who they are or what their position is here on the site.

I have both a member and a listener account and honestly, I'm disgraced at the way some people get treated throughout the site.

I spend a lot of time supporting members from the trauma support community and I won't deny that many members do feel supported there. What seems to be overlooked are the members who aren't given the support they so clearly need in the forum. Several times in this thread I'm seeing that feelings are being dismissed or invalidated and while I can see why some are feeling that way, I'm furious that the same degree of care and compassion isn't shown to all members who are on this site.

Towards the end of last year a member was extremely triggered by something posted in the forum. she spoke out about this and stated that it would have been helpful if there had been a trigger warning in place to have prevented the struggle she the faced. Whilst the member who posted the initial thread gave a very heartfelt apology, other listeners present in that particular thread made no effort to validate or even acknowledge the pain she was going through, this in itself was bad enough yet what made it worse was that those listeners continued to make light of the situation (that's the politest phrase I can use here)

I find it so hypocritical that now others are triggered about these animals, that everyone is standing up wanting things changed. I totally understand what it can be like to be triggered and know how serious it is for anyone dealing with trauma (past or present) but when will we see some kind of equality here? When will everyone's feelings matter? Yes there will always be groups of people who are closer than others. It's life. It will happen. But this is supposed to be a mental health/ emotional support site! It shouldn't matter who is posting about their feelings. It shouldn't matter if they have a role or if they are popular. They are here for a reason as we all are.

I love what 7 cups stands for and I love the fact that we can support each other through tough times.. but don't pick and choose which members are supported or not.

I'm sure that everyone's views (especially with how many are clearly upset by this update) will be taken into account but I think everyone needs to make an effort to treat people with the same respect throughout the site