Haven't quite finished reading this thread. But wanted to comment before I got side tracked.
mouse I regularly NC, and stray on and off these boards a lot, I have no problem with them, and yes I've had different views and expressed my opinions.
Many years ago I wrote a very damming post about feminists. I wholly believed modern feminism was the scourge of the earth. I argued aggressively about equality for all humans, as the classes with the elite at the top was the problem. (In some ways I still see this as a main problem)
I also waded in (not really understanding the full significance of the debate) on male and female brains, for obvious reasons I was questioned and asked for evidence every step of the way. As I believed in my convictions I went and found some, then more when requested, then peer reviews, then more evidence from the one of the most credible uni.
We argued about the use of a word, at which point I was tired, annoyed and deflated. I spat my dummy out and flounced. But that thread made me think, it made me value real evidence, peer reviews, and reading actual papers, and not something cherry picked for articles.
Later I'd come and read some of the stuff on here, to secretly scoff to myself but a few threads I agreed with, others I read then went away and thought about.
I don't agree with everyone/everything on here but that's life. Sometimes I learn stuff sometimes I don't.
All I can suggest to newbies is hang around, read through threads, there will probably always be someone who says what you wanted to say, then you see the replies.
Ask questions, have an opinion but be prepared to defend your opinion and not be offended/put off because some may disagree loudly or ask for evidence/facts/research/theories.