Changes

{{Quotation| [2017]:

{{Quotation| [2017]:

As an additional data point, as far as I know the term “squick” comes from the BDSM community, originally. At least that’s where I first encountered it, on BDSM message boards on [[usenet]] in the mid-90s – yes, I was on BDSM message boards in the mid-90s; long story. As such, the implicit lack of judgment is important to the meaning of the word; you need a word to mean “I really don’t want to do that, and I don’t want to watch you doing that, but I don’t judge YOU for liking that and I don’t mind if YOU do it … somewhere far away from me.”<ref>[http://laylainalaska.tumblr.com/post/160136430339/how-was-squick-used-like-would-you-tag-something laylainalaska.tumblr.com]; [http://www.webcitation.org/6znkLo6jt WebCite] </ref>}}

As an additional data point, as far as I know the term “squick” comes from the BDSM community, originally. At least that’s where I first encountered it, on BDSM message boards on [[usenet]] in the mid-90s – yes, I was on BDSM message boards in the mid-90s; long story. As such, the implicit lack of judgment is important to the meaning of the word; you need a word to mean “I really don’t want to do that, and I don’t want to watch you doing that, but I don’t judge YOU for liking that and I don’t mind if YOU do it … somewhere far away from me.”<ref>{{source|url = http://laylainalaska.tumblr.com/post/160136430339/how-was-squick-used-like-would-you-tag-something |title = laylainalaska.tumblr.com |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/6znkLo6jt }}</ref>}}

It is difficult to know when the term attained enough popular use to be recognized in larger fandom spaces, but a fan in August 1993 used it when she stated: "I also love violence [in fan fiction]. Not all kinds -- some of it squicks me — and not all the time --sometimes I like a [[happy ending]] and romance and all that even if it does violate the series atmosphere..." <ref> from a fan's trib in [[Strange Bedfellows (APA)|Strange Bedfellows]] #2 </ref>  Another August 1993 use: "[[Grievous Bodily Harm]] [a [[Professionals]] fanfic] didn't squick me, at least the catheters didn't." <ref>August 13, 1993 comment by [E B] on [[Virgule-L]], this same fan also used "squick" in May 22, 1993 in  very personal post to that mailing list </ref> In 1998, a fan in an [[X-Files]] zine wrote: "A [[warning]] sticker may appear in the back of this [[zine]] - where it won't spoil things for the toughies, but may help the easily squicked." <ref> from [[Double eXposure (X-Files zine)|Double eXposure]]. </ref>

It is difficult to know when the term attained enough popular use to be recognized in larger fandom spaces, but a fan in August 1993 used it when she stated: "I also love violence [in fan fiction]. Not all kinds -- some of it squicks me — and not all the time --sometimes I like a [[happy ending]] and romance and all that even if it does violate the series atmosphere..." <ref> from a fan's trib in [[Strange Bedfellows (APA)|Strange Bedfellows]] #2 </ref>  Another August 1993 use: "[[Grievous Bodily Harm]] [a [[Professionals]] fanfic] didn't squick me, at least the catheters didn't." <ref>August 13, 1993 comment by [E B] on [[Virgule-L]], this same fan also used "squick" in May 22, 1993 in  very personal post to that mailing list </ref> In 1998, a fan in an [[X-Files]] zine wrote: "A [[warning]] sticker may appear in the back of this [[zine]] - where it won't spoil things for the toughies, but may help the easily squicked." <ref> from [[Double eXposure (X-Files zine)|Double eXposure]]. </ref>

I was also thinking about how the original ask implies a very modern fannish mindset that’s just … not there, in the original fandom milieu that the squick concept came out of. Not that I’m saying fandom was better in the old days or anything, god no. But trying to explain ''why'' you have a squick, or asking someone else why they have theirs, is just not a thing you’d generally do. Squicks are irrational; that’s baked into the meaning of the word. Squicks aren’t something you ''explain''. They just ''are''. I mean, you could obviously try to figure it out, just like you can try to figure out why you have a particular kink, but in both cases, you don’t have to explain or justify it in order for other people to accept it as valid. I don’t need to explain that I like h/c for X and Y reasons in order to request it in an exchange. And squick functions the same way.

I was also thinking about how the original ask implies a very modern fannish mindset that’s just … not there, in the original fandom milieu that the squick concept came out of. Not that I’m saying fandom was better in the old days or anything, god no. But trying to explain ''why'' you have a squick, or asking someone else why they have theirs, is just not a thing you’d generally do. Squicks are irrational; that’s baked into the meaning of the word. Squicks aren’t something you ''explain''. They just ''are''. I mean, you could obviously try to figure it out, just like you can try to figure out why you have a particular kink, but in both cases, you don’t have to explain or justify it in order for other people to accept it as valid. I don’t need to explain that I like h/c for X and Y reasons in order to request it in an exchange. And squick functions the same way.

All of which makes it a very useful word for talking about fandom concepts without implying that someone else’s tastes make them a bad person! <ref>[http://laylainalaska.tumblr.com/post/160136430339/how-was-squick-used-like-would-you-tag-something laylainalaska.tumblr.com]; [http://www.webcitation.org/6znkLo6jt WebCite] </ref>}}

All of which makes it a very useful word for talking about fandom concepts without implying that someone else’s tastes make them a bad person! <ref>{{source|url = http://laylainalaska.tumblr.com/post/160136430339/how-was-squick-used-like-would-you-tag-something |title = laylainalaska.tumblr.com |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/6znkLo6jt }}</ref>}}

One fan described "squick" as a kind of shorthand that works primarily communities where there's a degree of implicit trust or civility, as well as a need to easily communicate preferences and boundaries:

One fan described "squick" as a kind of shorthand that works primarily communities where there's a degree of implicit trust or civility, as well as a need to easily communicate preferences and boundaries:

Incompatible preferences are unfortunate, but no one is being silenced here.

Incompatible preferences are unfortunate, but no one is being silenced here.

(Also, if someone keeps waving squicks (or triggers) around like convenient bludgeons intended to silence you whenever they feel like it, you probably don’t have a terminology problem. You have an asshole problem. I recommend blocking.) <Ref> [http://stand-up-and-fight-daleks.tumblr.com/post/174387691836/how-was-squick-used-like-would-you-tag-something stand-up-and-fight-daleks.tumblr]; [http://www.webcitation.org/6znkfF7Ag WebCite] </ref>}}

(Also, if someone keeps waving squicks (or triggers) around like convenient bludgeons intended to silence you whenever they feel like it, you probably don’t have a terminology problem. You have an asshole problem. I recommend blocking.) <ref>{{source|url = http://stand-up-and-fight-daleks.tumblr.com/post/174387691836/how-was-squick-used-like-would-you-tag-something |title = stand-up-and-fight-daleks.tumblr |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/6znkfF7Ag }}</ref>}}

While most fans seem to consider "squick" as a successfully neutral term, some feel that there may still be an implicit judgment in the way it's used:

While most fans seem to consider "squick" as a successfully neutral term, some feel that there may still be an implicit judgment in the way it's used: