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Original poster

Dealing with inflammatory posts re Trans on MN

835 replies

womanformallyknownaswoman · 07/04/2018 17:37

I am concerned to see the message below from MNHQ at the end of the T thread. Regarding posts that I consider "goady", I have a personal policy of not feeding them, not engaging and not rising to the bait. I ignore them. OPs looking for conflict as a way to feed themselves won't get it from me. Firstly, it's exhausting-they are not interested in dialogue, despite what they say, and secondly the best way to deal with them, imo, is to starve them of attention and not rise to the bait. Don't give them what they want i.e. a fight and conflict.

My concern is I predict there will be a lot more new threads and OPs looking for a fight, as the public becomes more aware of the issues and the tide starts to turn against TRAs. They will want to try and get this Place closed down for discussion, and none of us want that to happen.

Personally I have found it empowering to learn how not to engage and to turn it back on them if absolutely necessary, by the use of ridicule and short rebuttals of their nonsense. I am happy to share some techniques if it will help plus learn more from others. There's no point in trying to score points and win all the arguments they make as it's the engagement down their rabbit holes they want - they literally feed off conflict. They're anti-social remember, so any attention is better than none. They want to keep you coming back and arguing, so they can derail, prolong, provoke and generally make life difficult for MNHQ - to force them to take action. The negative attention "turns on" those looking for a fight….so please don't feed them, ignore them and lets keep this place open.

Message for MN:

Hi all

Since this thread is getting near its end, this seems like a good moment to make a really serious point.

We've just made some more deletions on this thread, and we're pretty exasperated tbh - we feel we're running out of ways to say 'please stick within the TGs or risk losing MN as a place to discuss this issue.'

We're really proud of our commitment to free speech, and we put a huge amount of time and resources to enabling this debate to take place - as many of you have pointed out, it's one of the few places left.

To those who haven't yet been able to stop and look at things from our end of the barrel - please understand that you're risking this space for everyone; if you really can't debate civilly with those you disagree with, it might be time to consider that MN is no longer the place for you. We're sorry to have to say this - we don't like it one bit - but tbh nothing else seems to have got through so far: we're at a point of last resort.

Thanks to all those who modify their first instincts and manage to make their points in a calm, considered and civilised manner - even in the face of goadiness. We appreciate it (and so would Michelle.)

Thanks all

MNHQ

OP posts:
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Ereshkigal · 07/04/2018 17:56

I agree Vickxy.

GoodyMog · 07/04/2018 17:55

"Sealioning, being purposely goady, then reporting any replies, in the hope that HQ will get sick and just go back to banning all discussion on the topic"

I remember when there were constant goady MRA threads using just that tactic

misscockerspaniel · 07/04/2018 17:54

I agree. TRAs have been much in evidence these last few days. They want to shut down this space. Don't feed them.

TallulahWaitingInTheRain · 07/04/2018 17:53

I think it's hugely understandandable that women are getting frustrated but also important to keep our tempers.

We're winning the PR battle at the moment. The tide is starting to turn, the debate is starting to happen. More and more people are noticing what's going on and coming to have a look. Let them see reasonable arguments and courteous debate.

CircleSquareCircleSquare · 07/04/2018 17:51

Sealioning, being purposely goady, then reporting any replies, in the hope that HQ will get sick and just go back to banning all discussion on the topic (which TRAs really do want, they HATE that MN let us talk)

^
Yep. This is a well rehearsed tactic, used across the entire internet to close women down.

Wind ‘em up and watch them go and then send in a raft of mates to report, report, report or even threaten legal action.
It’s deliberate, they know it will lead to the whole topic being closed down here and they know it because they’ve done it elsewhere over and over again for the past decade.

I hate the thought of this place becoming a gender critical version of what TRAs have created for themselves on Twitter, an echo chamber of the same murmurs of agreement and beige personalities. There needs to be away of engaging with the likes of the Donna whilst making sure we stay squeaky clean (ugh). Those threads also probably bring more people to peak trans than anything, however I feel like there needs to be some very careful toeing the line. We are in a precarious position here./

MN will be under considerable pressure to close this down, they probably have TRAs contacting them and advertisers constantly.
This forum is one of the only places we have left, it’s terribly worrying that we could see it disappear.

LangCleg · 07/04/2018 17:51

I will do my best. Even though my gob is enormous and often hijacks my brain. I will do my best.

picklemepopcorn · 07/04/2018 17:50

Thank you MNHQ! I wanted to say that, but the post closed.

It's important, IMO, not to give ammunition to the poor martyred trans dialogue with personal attacks. When they complain of aggressive terfs, but can show only 'in what way are we both women?' as evidence, they look pretty foolish. When they can show swearing abusive texts (no matter how justified), they look better.

Xenophile · 07/04/2018 17:46

Vickxy, we have had invasions of all kinds over the years I've been using this forum and they have, until now, been dealt with with a level of sarcasm and enormous good humour. There has been a change in the way some posters see fit to communicate with goady fuckers and it's that that will cause the problems.

Vickxy · 07/04/2018 17:43

I am slightly worried by that message tbh, as I think that transactivists will see that as the green light to invade (oddly enough, when MN regulars were just yesterday accused of being far right invaders Grin ). Sealioning, being purposely goady, then reporting any replies, in the hope that HQ will get sick and just go back to banning all discussion on the topic (which TRAs really do want, they HATE that MN let us talk)

BoreOfWhabylon · 07/04/2018 17:42

I was just thinking of composing a similar post woman, but you have said it much better than I could.

MNHQ are to be commended for allowing these discussions and I have no doubt they are under great pressure not to.