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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

MNHQ .. Can we talk about disability bashing?

921 replies

Brownsugarshortbread · 05/06/2011 23:58

Over the years i have posted on and enjoyed MN.
Sadly there seems to be a growing culture of it being okay to have a go at disabilities, those who claim DLA and those who's children have 'invisable' disabilities such as ADHD and ADD.
The terms 'freak' and 'scrounger' have been batted around and comments from some posters IMO certainly boarder on harrassment and discrimination.

When certain posts or posters have been reported, some have been removed, yet a lot haven't.

And while I agree with free speech, these types of comment or reaction to these comments, are not an education for those bigoted posters. Nor do those whose lives are touched by disability wish to be used to educate those posters.

Disability Harassment

is unwanted behaviour based on disability,
impairment or additional need. Such behaviour may include comments that are patronising or objectionable to the recipient or which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for people with disabilities. Disability harassment includes inappropriate reference to disability, unwelcome discussion of the impact of disability, refusal to work with and exclusion of people with disabilities from social events or meetings.

OP posts:
handsomeharry · 06/06/2011 19:03

I am adding my support too. I reported the thread last night and will continue to report threads using disablist comments.

I don't think there is any justification for allowing them to stand. As some posters have already said MNHQ have completely missed the point and need to take stock and make changes to their talk guidelines.

StewieGriffinsMom · 06/06/2011 18:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

madhairday · 06/06/2011 18:57

Just adding my support. I'm having a wee break from most of MN for a while, partly because of my despair at the types of threads mentioned and the whole benefit scrounger thing going on in general, but someone signposted this and didn't want to not post. Wish things could be different.

TheHumanCatapult · 06/06/2011 18:56

If there was a post saying my dc gone so brown they look like a N ( wont type it as hate the expression) that would be delted so fast MNHq eould ahve burn marks on their fingers .Yet to say freak ,spastic is ok

TheHumanCatapult · 06/06/2011 18:54

yes funny as calling and making comments on disablity seems to be allowed , yet anything relating to race , sexual prefences , relgion will be delteled ./yet we are all a fair target .Would they like to explan to my 8 yo dd why it is ok for people to refer to he rlittle brother with those sort of names .

Then at age 8 she can then explain to MNHq just why it is not ok .

Shoesytwoesy · 06/06/2011 18:52

tbh I think I am still shocked by their reply, To be told to hide an disablist thread or a offensive one if it "upsets me" shows that they are missing the point.
this is not about me being upset IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE BEING BIGOTS AND DELIBERATELY POSTING SICK INFLAMMATORY WORDS AND POST KNOWING THAT MN HQ WILL DO NOTHING AT ALL ABOUT IT.

Glitterknickaz · 06/06/2011 18:50

Betcha they're rolling their eyes cos the parents of the retards and spakkas (cringe) are revolting.

Not as revolting as the policy to ignore though.

Glitterknickaz · 06/06/2011 18:49

Hello Mumsnet are you not listening Hmm
There is LEGISLATION in LAW to prevent us having to endure what we do on here.

Mamaz0n · 06/06/2011 18:48

We should hide the threads that offend us??

so it is now the victims responsibility to prevent themselves from being offended? Dear lord it is the rape apolgist thread all over again.

Whilst i take their point that the Op claims to have told the husband off for it, there was no need ...for the use of that word in the title. It was deliberatly provocative.

And quite why WE should waste out time reprting posts that are fucking offensive i don't know. And come to mention it, how can we if we are to hide the thread?
They want us to hide the thread so we don't see, so who is going to report the disablist comments? no one. so they are allowed to stand.

it is just not good enough

LoopyLoopsBettyBoops · 06/06/2011 18:46

Get on it MNHQ, a change has been needed for a while and people are very upset about it.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 06/06/2011 18:45

Calvin Klein?

NOT Cath Kidston - please no Shock

(sorry - crap day disablity wise, weak attempt at humor)

Riveninside · 06/06/2011 18:42

Might as well just invite the vile cK back and go the whole hog

expatinscotland · 06/06/2011 18:41

Can't say anything remotely negative about the McCanns, but it's okay to call disabled people freaks, scroungers, write that they shouldn't be born, they're a drain on the system, the Royal Family are murderers, certain MPs are lying criminals, etc.

Hmm
Shoesytwoesy · 06/06/2011 18:40

yep they do now riv, at long last, sad that people had to die first.
I do often wonder what the big charities like mencap and scope would make of mn hq stand

Riveninside · 06/06/2011 18:38

Perhpas reading up on disability hate crime mnhq. The polive now take it seriously

Shoesytwoesy · 06/06/2011 18:37

weird I have just had an email from mn hq, tehy won't remove the offending thread.. and basically told me to hide it if it upsets me Angry
so I won't hold y breathe about this thread being taken seriously

AnnieOnAMapleLeaf · 06/06/2011 18:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shoesytwoesy · 06/06/2011 18:31

sorry puzzled, why are you telling us that, most of the thread are complaining about the disablist posts, not making them

MNHQ
RachelMumsnet · 06/06/2011 18:27

Thank you all for your comments on this thread. Again, we apologies for not getting back to you sooner - we assure you we're not ignoring the thread but there's a lot of questions raised here and we do want to look at it all thoroughly and have a proper conflab about the issues raised here. In the meantime it is worth looking at the guidelines on this issue. See: Nettiquette - "We also have an extremely low tolerance for words that are offensive to those with physical or mental disabilities".

AnnieOnAMapleLeaf · 06/06/2011 18:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Glitterknickaz · 06/06/2011 17:55

I for one didn't start out as a parent to a child with additional needs. That came later. The giving up work to be a carer came later too.

So why have I become lesser in mnhq's eyes? Why is my family not worthy of the same protection from harrassment that others enjoy?

thefirstMrsDeVere · 06/06/2011 17:51

I am still caught up on that stupid bloody 'freaks' thread.

Well I was but not anymore Hmm

I hope MNHQ sorts this. I too lurve MN.

AnnieOnAMapleLeaf · 06/06/2011 17:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shoesytwoesy · 06/06/2011 17:24

Glitterknickaz you are so right, as always, I don't want to educate the bigots, I want to enjoy mn like other people do,

Shoesytwoesy · 06/06/2011 17:22

been thinking, so the op started this thread last nigh and now hours and hours later mn hq are looking into it, so don't they check site stuff? if not what is the point of the topic?
and I reported the other thread nearly 2 hours ago, and doubt I was the first, so don't quite get the long delay