what draws you to this part of MN, particularly if you are a man? and if you dont support feminism?

I've been in here before.

I'm a single-father with a son and daughter and I'd also studied feminism at the OU. So I was interested in finding out more.

Men are more welcome on here than other forums.

But I got a bit fed up of the What about the Menz comments and the Mansplaining comments so I stopped posting.

it's a question I have asked myself many times

and the main reason why I hardly use this part of the site any more < shrug >

there isn't actually much point because many of the discussions get taken over by derailers and the goaders, and it's all very tiresome

illustrated again by some posters who will come on and say how much they detest the place, don't find anything to agree with, take every opportunity to have a dig at regulars and would never post here

< waves back > Hi Eats !

Thanks Comrade - will that thread still be accessible? I'll have a look as it would be useful.
I am reading a fair bit and gaining more certainty on where I stand as a feminist but it's definitely a work in progress. Will keep reading the board and ask more questions.

Hi juggling

Mainly because of a ink or topic name that interests me, then I most often go away again as I find this a strange place where no one ever agrees with me, even on very beneign subjects. Somehow the things that are normal behaviour that women talk about doing in other parts of the site are beyond the pale in this section.

I follow threads that catch my eye from discussions of the day & most active - sometimes they bring me here, and it's generally proved to be interesting, educational, and inspiring.

I am a feminist - I think it would be an odd choice as a woman growing up & living in Britain in 2012 not to be.

I don't always find it the warmest and most welcoming corner of MN though - sometimes there's complex intellectual debate going on all around me which I can't quite follow and no-one stops to wave hello !

Emphaticmaybe - there was a great thread on FWR a while ago called Feminism101. It was fantastic and everyone was very generous with their time and knowledge. Also, starting a thread with, "i'm not sure about this but I'd love to know more about XYZ" always gets good replies too IME.

FWIW I'm not a well read feminist and try to reject the idea that you have to have read all of the books before you can join in or before you POV is valid. What I think is true though is that people get very upset when you try to speak for them when you haven't read about the subject. For example I don't have any real knowledge of genuine RadFem beliefs (even though my feminist beliefs have been described as RF on here) so I wouldn't attempt to speak for RFs or their views.

I have really never understood posters who frequently come here, post over and over and repeatedly state that they are not feminist and do not agree with it. I just don't get it. Do they do the same thing on the chicken keeper boards?

They come here to mansplain to us. Why, only today I read that I am not aroused by penises in the way that men are aroused by breasts.

It was interesting to discover that about myself.

I would call myself a feminist, but I'm a bit crap at academic debate and so read more than I post.
I have found reading both the rad fem and liberal feminist perspectives really interesting and have agreed and disagreed with arguments from both sides.

My only criticism would be that while passionate debate is good, because I'm a bit of a wuss and still working out what my opinions are on many topics, I feel a bit out of my depth when some of the more prolific, (and well read/qualified) posters are on, (my problem not theirs.)

I don't want an argument just a friendly discussion - I think I'd like to have a slightly woolly and gentle 'it's okay if you don't actually know much and you're sure of even less' corner on the board, then I'd feel more at home.

Apart from that I'm just pleased that there is a feminism board and people do pop over from elsewhere if they see a thread they're interested in, even if they would't generally identify as a feminist. However I can understand that it is tiring when a poster has no real interest in the debate and just wants to derail a thread but I guess that's the price of an open forum.

I usually post on other sections of Mumsnet and sometimes I read or post on feminist issues because I'm interested. As I understand all Mumsnet forums are open to anyone as long as they remain respectful of one another.

My view is there is nothing wrong with constructive discussion and debate. Key elements of that are exploring one another's views for the purpose of understanding and clarifying them, and exploring and testing our own ideas or conclusions.

it occured to me long ago that some of the more extreem radfems would be male in RL, i have come acrose some men playing women in SL who dispise other men.
like the lesbien blogger in damascus, turned out to be a canadian in scotland.

I have used MN for years and my dh used to say it was full of men pretending to be women so maybe nothing has changed but men have become weirder
hth

Bejeesus: The intention of using the word show was not meant to declare that I have any more knowledge or indeed any more right than any one else. It was to illustrate that I have taken different stances from those of other posters to "show" different ways of perceiving something, alternative solutions are available.

However if you wish to subjugate people by the choice of words not the intention of the thoughts behind the words that is something I have found in this part of the mn forums also. Someone who is not confident or does not use english that much would spend an awful lot of time explaining why they used a word, when time could be better spent asking for an explanation of their thinking.

i dont know how to hully, sorry

I lurk in this section, don't really post, don't agree with all aspects of everything that comes under feminism but I care alot about certain feminist/female issues, and am slightly interested in feminism as a whole, more than I used to be but wouldn't say I identify myself fully as a feminist.. I just read the threads as food for thought really. Have had disagreements with some feminist posters in other sections before, but not in here cos I just read

I'm not a man btw!! but just thought id answer as i do come in here but am not a 'proper feminist'

Hmmm, I didn't notice the "show us" in either post?

This part of Mumsnet is my first port of call. I rarely post here but I love to read the discussions and find for the most part this is a mine of information.

I'm female and a feminist so I love this section. I should post more.

Isn't it obvious?

If a man who does not believe in feminism comes onto a feminism thread it's probably to goade.

I should imagine with this thread title you'll start getting them round about page 3.

Some people just love a good fight and think that feminists are an easy target (i.e. quick to respond and react).

I lurk and sometimes post if a thread title catches my eye, but not if it's more than 300 posts in. There's no point, my post would be lost amongst the minions!

can you do that as a link?

so....you 2s come here to show us things and for comedy value?

Well no, but if you want to be selective about how you read a post you could think that.

yes it has been said

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/1245350-Silly-question-maybe-can-a-man-be-a-feminist/AllOnOnePage

dittany, alice, and there are more who say a man cannot be a feminist.

Generally, yes. I sometimes come straight here if I've started reading a thread and want to read the rest of it and have forgotten to add it to 'watch'.