voluntary canary

A voluntary canary is someone who makes a sacrifice, often publicly, in support of a personal or professional value yet stays in the situation instead of leaving. Like a canary in a coal mine, s/he is exposed to whatever happens. Unlike the canary, s/he does it voluntarily. And, it happens to rhyme.

Berkeley's Earth & Atmospheric Science Department canceled a lecture because of the invited scientist's political views. David Romps resigned from his chairmanship in protest but stayed at the school. He became a voluntary canary! We need more profs like that. Let's see if he survives in Berkeley's woke academic coal mine.

by Hugo de Naranja October 19, 2021

voluntary bang up

Being too scared to leave your prison cell to go on the exercise yard or landing, so you stay in your cell as much as possible.

‘Yo I heard he was riding voluntary bang up in the wok house’
‘ What a neek’

by drillerfromthemsides February 23, 2024

voluntary mandatory

Anything needed to be done is voluntary but becomes mandatory if you want to do something else.

Vaccinations for Covid are voluntary but if you wish to be employed, it is voluntary mandatory that you have to be vaccinated.

by bevanpayne September 29, 2021

Voluntary editors

People who suck because they don't let you publish your great definitions.

Random guy: "I'm one of those voluntary editors on Urban Dictionary!"
Random guy 2: "Well you suck then!"

by Pls_let_me_use_a_name September 28, 2018

Voluntary trauma

When you get to choose your trauma, it's voluntary. You get to choose what type, when and why.

Also when you voluntarily decide to trauma dump on people, you can call that voluntary trauma.

Jess: Yoo let's go to the cemetery by the school and get some voluntary trauma!
Pradhi: Sure! I've never gotten to pick my trauma before!

by pringlesking24! September 17, 2021

Voluntary Dutch Oven

When your person farts under the blanket either while your sleeping or awake. Then proceeds to say to you "Do you smell that? It smells like shit!" And of course being partially out of it you sniff it up ffs.

Girlfriend "What Is that smell? It smells like shit" Boyfriend "eeewwww it does smell like shit" was themat a Voluntary Dutch Oven

by Ass Rippa September 23, 2022

voluntary torture

Doing something that hurts willingly, like getting your eyebrows done.

“Istg, getting your eyebrows done is the definition of voluntary torture!”

by Linn0289 October 20, 2022