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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Should feminist petitions stay in Feminist Chat?

106 replies

wigglybluelines · 19/07/2019 10:21

Another petition has been shuffled off Feminist Chat to languish in the tumbleweed of the Petitions board.

I can totally understand that petitions in AIBU or _Chat could be annoying, and if they were allowed MN might get overrun with petitions.

But AIBU to think feminism is different as it is by definition an activist part of the site? Feminism isn't just chat, it's about doing stuff also.

Would you like to see feminist petitions stay in FWR? (i.e. on this board) instead of being hidden away on the Petitions board?

Do any regular users of the feminist boards actually object to feminist petitions being here?

I think MN should make an exception to the petitions rule for petitions on the feminist boards. What do you think?

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AnotherAdultHumanFemale · 20/07/2019 19:06

I agree, it would be great to keep all feminist petitions in this section. That way we can get as many signatures as possible. I didn't even know a petitions board existed and would not want to go there every day to check for new petitions.

norijunior · 20/07/2019 19:03

Agree it would be helpful to have feminist petitions on this board.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/07/2019 18:59

I personally dont understand why feminism is split into different threads.

Me neither. I can't remember what the rationale was for breaking up (and renaming) the original FWR. Maybe some users then thought it was a good idea and asked for it? If any are around now I'd be curious to know the reasons and whether it achieved what was intended.

wigglybluelines · 20/07/2019 18:37

It can't be that hard to get into the habit of checking topics which interest you, can it?

This is the opposite of good design.

The way people use the web is generally very lazy. As much as you might like to put the responsibility on the individual for going and checking in Petitions, people simply won't do it. People will forget / not get the memo in the first place / get distracted before getting there / not be bothered etc etc

The reality is that putting petitions in another section is as good as hiding it. Effective design works with the reality of human behaviour, rather than trying to change it - and on the web that means sticking important content under your users noses, not hiding it away out of sight.

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wigglybluelines · 20/07/2019 18:32

Or any petition n shouid be anywhere. No special treatment

It's not about special treatment. It's about recognising not all the boards have the same culture or needs (such is life!)

If petitions were welcome in AIBU or chat (so, on any topic) I can well imagine they might get inundated with all sorts of spam and it'd get in the way of engaging with AIBU / Chat.

But in FWR, we love a good feminist petition. Forcing some false idea of fairness on very different boards means one group will miss out.

Equity over equality.

Should feminist petitions stay in Feminist Chat?
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BrightonReSisters · 20/07/2019 17:33

Just chipping in to say that it would be helpful to have petitions, about women's rights issues, on this board. With so many women being banned from Facebook and Twitter [cough cough, we're still banned], it can be hard to spread the word about causes that we want to support and amplify

GirlDownUnder · 20/07/2019 17:28

If you're talking about this petition

Petition: Inquiry into LGBT lobby groups such as Stonewall

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard/3641970-Petition-Inquiry-into-LGBT-lobby-groups-such-as-Stonewall

I only know about it, and signed it, because I saw it in FWR first. Because yes Nobody thinks, "Hey, I want to sign a petition. Don't care what it's about, let's just see what petitions there are to sign today!"

FormerMediocreMale · 20/07/2019 17:03

I'd rather relevent petitions were on FWR I don't go on the petitions page.

nellodee · 20/07/2019 16:54

I agree that the rule should be to allow petitions, with perhaps a few exceptions for boards that don't have specific topics.

Mumsnet is very much about giving people a voice. Nobody thinks, "Hey, I want to sign a petition. Don't care what it's about, let's just see what petitions there are to sign today!" We think, "We care about this topic, we want to be informed and have a say about THIS. "

stumbledin · 20/07/2019 16:06

I didn't know about the petition section until I innocently posted one on this thread and it disappeared. And that's how I found out!

I think they should be on here is they are about feminist / women's issues. I do have a slight worry about based on a feminist emailing list I am part of and some women happily post links to things that interet them but have no relationship to feminism or the area.

I personally dont understand why feminism is split into different threads. it is all political. And the "chat" is in fact the political networking that makes the politics happen.

I think if I posted something on activism, I would then post a message here to let others know about it as this is obviously where the traffic is.

AuntieStella · 20/07/2019 11:45

I think all petitions should be in petitions

Or any petition n shouid be anywhere. No special treatment

It can't be that hard to get into the habit of checking topics which interest you, can it?

Angryresister · 20/07/2019 00:31

What about a compromise by putting feminist petitions in the feminist action board? Many of us have never heard of or visited the petitions board and I really don't want to have to wade through loads of irrelevant stuff. Or at least a direct link from here.

plattercake · 20/07/2019 00:17

I also would like feminist petitions to stay here.

Agree that FWR really is not like the rest of MN. all sorts get covered here.

Redshoeblueshoe · 19/07/2019 23:05

Totally agree Pitpony,
I managed to find and sign the petition Grin

Voice0fReason · 19/07/2019 22:48

Would you like to see feminist petitions stay in FWR? (i.e. on this board) instead of being hidden away on the Petitions board?
Yes

Do any regular users of the feminist boards actually object to feminist petitions being here?
No

It makes complete sense to have them on this board.
If they aren't relevant they can get moved or they will get ignored so drop off the list in no time.

PitPony · 19/07/2019 18:06

Unless any and every topic has the same privileges

Coming out of FWR lurkdom.

Posters contributing to FWR are held to more stringent TGs than elsewhere on MN. HQ will deny it, but posters who contribute here are banned for lesser 'crimes', committed less frequently, than elsewhere on the boards.

Long established posters have had posts deleted on this board for simply posting 'bless' in reply to GFs. Meanwhile elsewhere there are deeply unpleasant posts that are left to stand.

So that argument doesn't wash here. Unless the rest of MN should have the same rules as here.

loveyouradvice · 19/07/2019 17:53

And secondly

I think any petitions that are genuine should be in the appropriate site ... so campaign for more wildflower meadows in gardening, etc.

No one goes looking for petitions - I would never visit that part of the site.

But yes, I do want to know about petitions and campaigns that are about things I care about in the relevant boards - whether its gardening, children's health or feminism

And most important of all that they are in feminism because feminism is all about centring women and ensuring their rights exist and improve......

loveyouradvice · 19/07/2019 17:50

Firstly, I totally agree with Girldownunder:

Would you like to see feminist petitions stay in FWR? (i.e. on this board) instead of being hidden away on the Petitions board?
Yes

Do any regular users of the feminist boards actually object to feminist petitions being here?
No

If it wasn't in FWR, I'd have not seen and signed.

dolorsit · 19/07/2019 16:31

Just genuinely (and frequently) puzzled why there are so many complaints about how MNHQ run their site.

Have you spent much time on the Internet? Grin

dolorsit · 19/07/2019 16:28

If FWR can have super, special moderation rules which can lead to a ban I don't see why it can't have super special rules allowing petitions.

The downside would be all the monitors would have more time to report posts. But hey ho, you can't have everything.

wigglybluelines · 19/07/2019 16:23

I'd make it the rule rather than the exception, for non-general topics

Yes, this makes sense.

So the litter tray and S&B could include petitions if they wanted. but Chat and AIBU wouldn't have them.That sounds like it might deal with spam.

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wigglybluelines · 19/07/2019 16:19

it's to deter spamming, which has been an issue in the past

Was it even an issue on FWR I wonder?

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wigglybluelines · 19/07/2019 16:17

we're not contagious! Grin

Not sure I entirely agree with you there Wink

Should feminist petitions stay in Feminist Chat?
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stealthsquirrelnutkin · 19/07/2019 15:56

On display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet, stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying "Beware of the Leopard".

Cross post Blush that'll teach me not to dawdle.

stealthsquirrelnutkin · 19/07/2019 15:53

Like so many others I had no idea that there was a separate board for petitions, and even when given the tip off I still couldn't find it. I searched the talk topics, trying to work out where it might be hiding Other stuff/Human rights? Nah. Politics? Nah. In the news? Nope. Other subjects? No again.

Seems like moving a petition to the petition board is a lot like moving the notice board from a well lit site the foyer, down some crumbling steps to the sub-basement, searching out a dead end corridor where most of the light bulbs have failed, and attaching it to the wall at the furthest end. Almost as if there are sinister forces invested in denying us access to the information. Weird eh?

The obvious solution is that relevant petitions remain on their relevant boards. Feminist petitions belong here. Political petitions on the politics boards. Petitions from the kitties protection league in the Litter tray etc. Failing that then direct links to the relevant post on the cunningly concealed petition board www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard should be permitted.