A project to create a niche online community forum for people who identify as asexual, aromantic, and allies who support us.
Current social media sites emphasize algorithms, content, and engagemet. Whether positive or negative, this creates an algorithmic view of the world. Project Purple seeks to connect the AroAce community without that particular method of viewing the world, and allowing for people to engage with each other based on our shared identity.
Social media also features content and advertisements that conform to allonormative principles, which is something the AroAce community has long been accustomed to, but this project seeks to create a space where, among other things:
- There are no ads, algorithms, or artificial intelligence.
- All identities are accepted.
- Everyone feels empowered to ask questions and continue exploring our shared identity.
- Everyone feels welcomed to discuss and elaborate on their particular niche interests, be it anime, journaling, fixing cars, or even bird watching.
I have been emotionally moved to start on this project for various reasons. One of them is the amount of fatigue I've been developing from regular social media outlets, which I'm sure others have begun to experience. Second, while I'm conscious of other legacy online asexual spaces, I would like to create another space others can come to.
There's also a personal motivating factor. This project will challenge my software programming skills, and while I've enjoyed my time as a Software QA Engineer, I seek to go to the next level and become a software developer. What better way to do it than to create something that will benefit my community?
Project Purple is built using a modern decoupled architecture, ensuring scalability and separation of concerns:
- Django: Core application framework.
- Django REST Framework (DRF): To build the secure, custom API endpoints for posts, comments, profiles, and relationships.
- PostgreSQL (Planned): For robust data persistence and relational modeling.
- React: For building the dynamic, single-page application (SPA) and implementing the customizable Neobrutalist UI.
- Styling/State Management (TBD): Libraries for handling component styling and complex state will be documented here once selected.
Growing up in the early 2000s, there were a myriad of websites. Some of this will be playing a role in the inspiration for how Project Purple will be developed.
- Xanga
- Myspace
- Livejournal
There are also modern websites that will contribute ideas on this project.
- Hacker News
- Pagebound
I'm a Software QA Engineer with 4 years of manual and automation testing experience. I am Salvadoran American, photographer and cartoonist. I am also asexual and aromantic.