Reddit isn't just for cyberbullies and internet trolls

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     December 11, 2023 When I think of the average Reddit user, a stereotype comes to mind: a young, neckbearded individual whose hobbies include pedantically nitpicking people online, not showering, and casually dropping racial slurs. And, judging by the endless "[average redditor](" memes on the Internet, I'm not the only one with this sentiment. But, thank god, that's largely wrong. The platform has some corners that are pretty positive. My colleague, Sophie Hayssen, recently sat down with Millie, former fundamentalist who fully separated from the church when she was 25, to talk about how she and other members of this online community are using humor on Reddit to unpack the harmful lessons they were taught as children. These communities, made up mostly of young women and queer people, have come together to find some solace. And they've also dunked on several high-profile Christian influencers, including the Duggars of TLC's "19 Kids and Counting" and Girl Defined, a Christian lifestyle blogging duo who [once]( called feminism "an attack on God's design of womanhood." With all of the absolute garbage polluting social media, it's easy to forget that the Internet still can create safe spaces for vulnerable people to form communities with one another—a lesson I have to constantly keep reminding myself of every time I threaten to hop off the grid. So, if you haven't read Hayssen's post yet, I'd highly recommend it. —Arianna Coghill Advertisement [World Wildlife Fund]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [How Former Fundamentalists Are Finding Healing on Reddit]( On "fundie snark" forums, mockery can help posters process their religious trauma. BY SOPHIE HAYSSEN SPONSORED CONTENT BY WORLD WILDLIFE FUND   Make a WWF gift for everyone on your list! This holiday, donate to WWF and choose a thank you gift from us! From cozy apparel, an adorable stuffed animal adoption kit, to many other unique sustainable gifts—you're making a positive impact for our planet. Give a meaningful gift to nature this holiday. [Browse the WWF Gifts catalog now!]( [Trending] [Kate Cox flees Texas to seek abortion]( BY KATIE HERCHENROEDER   [The United States vetoes a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza]( BY JULIA LURIE   [J.D. Vance has some bad ideas about the media and Trump]( BY RUSS CHOMA   [What's next for Donald Trump now that his gag orders were upheld?]( BY RUSS CHOMA Advertisement [World Wildlife Fund]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [Few Interpreters, a Byzantine System, and a Child in Need of Learning—Welcome to New York]( Navigating the city’s services for students with disabilities is hard. Even more so for non-English-speaking parents. BY ISABELA DIAS [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755