To think free speech on MN is dead?

[BabyItsAWildWorld]

Despite the lofty sounding promises from Justine a few weeks ago which had me wringing out my hankie and waving my MN banner (which I've had for over a decade.)


And now, just like that, in some presumably misguided attempt to 'make things better' they've thrown away the most important thing about MN.

The level of moderation, the inconsistency, the artbitrary rules, the illogical attempts to police words, and FACTS, so feelings don't get hurt, it's a hot stinking mess, and the only way they'll be able to deal with the mess they've created is to either get more authoritarian, or to get rid of the poeple whose views they don't like.

They seem to be trying abit of both at the moment.

So Long MN, the take your chances and no complaining bearpit of debate that made MN pretty much a unique place for women.

It's shit, and it's sad. Really really sad.

AIBU?

[ResistanceIsNecessary]

YANBU. I appreciate that they have tried to be even-handed in the new "rules", but TBH I would rather have kept all of the terms (including the ones that GC feminists find offensive), because in order to debate effectively both sides need to be able to speak freely.

As it stands, nobody wins.

[NotTerfNorCis]

The GC feminists aren't the ones calling for censorship.

As it stands we seem to be appeasing people who don't even use Mumsnet, just judge it from Twitter. They're already losing interest now they think they got what they wanted.

[SugarIsAmazing]

What's a GC feminist?

[CoughLaughFart]

I think ‘free speech’ is all too often used as a get-out clause to justify things no one should WANT to say.

[NotTerfNorCis]

A gender critical feminist is a feminist who doesn't believe in the female penis.

[AuntieStella]

MN was never about free speech.

It's a commercial chat site, with rules. And what the owner says, goes. Trying to make it some sort of bastion of whatever has and will always end in tears.

The internet has many sites. There's bound to be ones out there that suit people who don't like MN.

[PlantsArePeopleToo]

I think ‘free speech’ is all too often used as a get-out clause to justify things no one should WANT to say.

Like saying women don't have penises?

[TopDog123]

I don't know how people keep having the same conversations over and over again.

[BesmirchingMotherhood]

Women definitely don’t have penises.

[rosesandflowers1]

When you signed up, I assumed you clicked the box accepting 'Terms and Conditions'.

A chat site that allowed complete freedom of speech would turn into a cesspit. Even ones that are relaxed on it end up horrific - think Reddit.

There are few places on the Internet where complete freedom of speech are allowed. More importantly, perhaps, there are few things violating Mumsnet guidelines that I can imagine myself wanting to say.

[PlantsArePeopleToo]

Say it loud and say it proud!

[CoughLaughFart]

Like saying women don't have penises?

You appear to be referring to something very specific rather than the concept of free speech.

[rosesandflowers1]

You appear to be referring to something very specific rather than the concept of free speech.

Yes, this whole thread is transparently about something very specific.

I think I'm going to bow out now before it does indeed become a cesspit, and then a sea of deleted comments.

[54321go]

Some women have penises, but they make someone else carry it.

[JustAnotherPoster00]

Feminist cant be transphobic so its all gone a bit pc gone maaaad nd a bit gammon but of course your free speech is being eroded, what other spiteful things arent you allowed to say anymore?

[DioneTheDiabolist]

People are so much more arsey about language now. Just this the weekend a thread was massively derailed because the word old was used in the OP.[hmm

YANBU OP.

[HarryLovesDraco]

It has all gone a bit Pete tong hasn't it? Hopefully it will all settle down again and they will get into a more rational groove.

[AuntieStella]

Ageism is a problem in MN.

No idea what thread you mean (didn't see it) but too damned right - casual ageism needs countering and good on those who did it.

(If you didn't want your thread derailed, don't used bigoted language. Even if you don't see it that way, because other posters or MNHQ will)

[DiamondsBestFriend]

how are people not bored of this particular discussion by now?

I think it’s hate speech that is dead on MN and rightly so.

Hth.

[NeverLovedElvis]

YANBU. I had a comment deleted. I said nothing malicious. It was factual and easily verifiable, but concerned a 'female' penis-owner and was therefore removed for wrongthink. I don't post here much anymore as I can't be arsed with the mental gymnastics required to make a simple point.

[Plsbemyturn]

YANBU

Is there a forum that allow freedom of speech and accept statistics/facts?

[DioneTheDiabolist]

The word old is not bigoted language.

[crispysausagerolls]

There are always a few people on every thread who get offended by fucking nothing, but that’s life.

[UnderHerEye]

Well apparently ‘women don’t have penises’ is bigoted language so there you go.

Oh and also expressing concern about said penises having open access and control into women’s spaces, and the fact that women aren’t allowed to say no to this, well that’s bigoted too.

Off to Gulag for me.

[Singlenotsingle]

Well, I'm a woman and I don't have a penis (not last time I looked, anyway). Isn't that standard?