Black section on MN

[PatricksRum]

I think it would be great if Mumsnet could make a black parents section/ section for black users.

When I opened the thread I initially thought, no, Mumsnet does not need this. I don't belittle anyone for their race etc.

Then I saw some of the comments are was reminded of the very racist comments I see quite often on here. You don't need to be reminded of these as you are directly on the end of them all the time.

So yes, I agree. If black people tell me it is needed then it's a good idea.

@SimonJT

Anyone remember the recent thread where a company was specifically looking to offer training to black men?

Standard racist MN comments.

At the moment due to a vocal minority MN isn’t a safe space to talk about specific issues about ethnicity when that ethnicity isn’t white.

There does seem to be a lot more right wing commenters than there used to be doesn't there.

Great idea.

MN would need to make very clear rules though.

Already in some sections such as the LGBT child section, which should be supportive and discuss that, people come wading in with their irrelevant opinions and derail the thread because they don't see, or understand, the issue.

I can't really think of a good reason they would deny users this topic considering they have Scotsnet and Craicnet, which was requested because the site is very England-centric and we sometimes have different experiences, so we go on there so people can give real advice without assuming we are in England, I do believe a lot (probably most) users presume everyone is white, so this would resolve issues with that in the same way.

Good luck op.

By black do you mean non-white? Do you mean living as a minority ethnicity? Do you mean having some African ancestors?

Eg systemic racism, degree attainment gap, COVID (which disproportionately affects black people).....

I think this is a great idea.

@Marchitectmummy

As with all topics on mumsnet surely everyone just inputs and reads what they are interested in? The sections and subsections are just a form of organising mass amounts of information. There is nothing stopping anyone posting a thread about hair now on the beauty board?

I think if we as a society want an integrated society we all need to behave that way, so no segregating off areas is not an inclusive idea so I don't agree its required.

So do you propose MN remove the LGBT area, special needs area, adoption area etc?

An adoptive parent recently posted in a non-adoption area of MN, the replies they received were awful, aggressive in some cases and completely innapropriate. The poster then found the adoption board and the replies were kind, understanding and useful.

It strikes me as a slippery slope of separatism based on colour which hasn’t worked well in the past

So the differently abled boards, the SEN boards etc, you feel those are also "separatist?". Thought not.

People who are arguing against segregation, should the LGBT and Craicnet and SEN and Lone Parents boards all be removed too? Because they are for users with specific needs/interests. I don’t understand why a space for black parents/MN users is any different to any of those.

Totally understand why you’d ask for a space OP and hope MNHQ listen.

OP I support your request - there are any number of boards on here that don’t cater for everybody - so if black MNers believe that a black board or set of boards would be used/useful then I don’t see how any non-black posters can object - it’s quite literally not for us.

OP would you be thinking a black section with a few boards like ‘chat’ ‘parenting’ ‘black s&b’ OR should black boards be inserted elsewhere - so ‘black s&b’ alongside s&b etc.

I’d be interested to explore/discuss more whether the desire of some paler-skinned communities to avoid tanning/thinking untanned skin=more prized is at its root a racist or classist desire - does it not have its origins in higher classes being indoors more and lower classes working outdoors more, way back when, pre-colonial probably? Don’t want to derail the thread further although OP brought up Japanese parasol mum.

The op surely doesn't have to moderate language from a very mild Ffffssssss! If you can't cope with the odd fuck then Mumsnet isn't for you.

Do you mean BAME or just black people specifically?

And can you stop talking about "white people" as a collective please when you're making such sweeping statements?

I think if we as a society want an integrated society we all need to behave that way, so no segregating off areas is not an inclusive idea so I don't agree its required

The fact you don't understand why people might want their own boards says a lot about your blessed ignorance on what it's like growing up black, or gay, or differently abled etc. You have no place commenting on something you don't comprehend.

I think it is a great idea.

Obviously it's lovely to have a focus area where black posters can talk about stuff specific for them.

I also hope in time it might mean that Mumsnet is more appealing to black mums and we will end up with more coming to the site..... this alone would really help counteract the site's racism...

Until then, I hope it could act as a support space where black posters could discuss the challenges of being on the site and unite, if they wanted to, to deal with them.

My only fear is that it might mean less black mums posting actively on the main site, which would make the main site worse not better, in terms of its diversity, awareness and quest to become less racist. But in the end, that's not black mums' responsibility and if the main mumsnet is not a welcoming place then it deserves what it gets. If this happens I will just want to be less and less a part of it.

Right now, mumsnet is borderline for me- it is a majority white space with a mixture of views - some which I find obnoxious because of their racism. I am sticking around hoping we can fight the good fight and change it, because mumsnet has other awesome qualities. But the other alternative of course is to abandon it and join/ create new spaces.

I think this is a brilliant idea. I've complained quite a lot to MNHQ about clearly racist posts that are allowed to stand, and racist attitudes the prevail. It's a massive problem, but we can't pretend that MN isn't also a huge tool for women and parents. If that means that Black people need to have their own corner of safety to discuss things without having to defend against ignorant white people, then it should happen. Wider issues can still play out in the wider forum.

@KenAdams

Do you mean BAME or just black people specifically?

And can you stop talking about "white people" as a collective please when you're making such sweeping statements?

No.

And no.

@Home2018

It has been asked before. About 2 years back. It was rejected.

Does anyone know anything more about this? What were the reasons given for rejecting it?

@Obviouspretzel

When I opened the thread I initially thought, no, Mumsnet does not need this. I don't belittle anyone for their race etc.

Then I saw some of the comments are was reminded of the very racist comments I see quite often on here. You don't need to be reminded of these as you are directly on the end of them all the time.

So yes, I agree. If black people tell me it is needed then it's a good idea.

Black people have some shared experiences, due to racism etc, but we don’t all have the same experience, due to background, social class etc. So the OP is just one black person giving her opinion. Having said that, as a black woman, I don’t have a problem with a Black board. It just wouldn’t be my focal point, however if other black people would rather this happened, I don’t have an objection to it.

@ElizabethMainwaring

I can't believe that this hasn't been suggested before to be honest.

Me too!

Tbh- I assumed there already was a section for black MNers. I’m not black so had no reason to look for one but I’m amazed there isn’t already.

I think it’s an excellent idea.

What I love about Mumsnet is that you come to a safe place where you are the default, where you don’t need to explain yourself to others and where you know that other posters have more or less shared a common experience. We never get that out in the male-default mainstream and it feels so comforting.

It would be great if Black mums had a place where they got that feeling too.

@YouJustDoYou

I think if we as a society want an integrated society we all need to behave that way, so no segregating off areas is not an inclusive idea so I don't agree its required

The fact you don't understand why people might want their own boards says a lot about your blessed ignorance on what it's like growing up black, or gay, or differently abled etc. You have no place commenting on something you don't comprehend.

I think if we as a society want an integrated society we all need to behave that way, so no segregating off areas is not an inclusive idea so I don't agree its required

It's not segregating, it's having a space specifically for.

If we want an integrated society, we need to listen a lot more to the people who are most affected by the fact we don't yet have one.

I imagine if MN was to go down this route, it would have to provide a section for all colours, ... religions, ... ethnicity's, ... races, ...political affiliation, ... gender, ... species & every other sub group of human categorisation?
Of course, just like my large corporate has official supported Democrats, sub Saharan African, white South Africans, creole, aliens from mars, aliens from Venus, ex solar system Alien groups, because you can’t have any forums for a minority voice without having them ALL whether the are relevant to the company or not... Oh wait they don’t.

I think it’s a great idea. I confess I read title and thought ‘mn wants a dark web for mn??’ Probably another sign it’s needed!
And posters saying it’s sad if that means we see less of a black voice on the main boards- yes we lose out, but check the privilege. We don’t have a right to insist black voices are only heard in our sphere so we benefit, whether they want their own space or not. Or we shouldn’t.

@ChanceChanceChanceYes, I know - I was quoting someone else, those weren't my words. Bolded words is quoting someone else.

@YouJustDoYou

Interesting you make an incorrect assumption about my ethnicity! Don't assume.

If there were fewer differences and higher expectations then perhaps outcomes for children would be better

Roses are you seriously suggesting that lack of black children at Oxbridge and in the cabinet is because their parents don't have hiigh enough expectations?

Do you have the faintest idea how tedious and bloody exhausting it is to post here about randoms touching your child's hair/dry afro hair to have dozens of responses "oh my poppet had such lovely ringlets that is just the same, you are oversensitive"?

Or to post about racist kids' clothing campaigns to be told you are making a fuss about nothing?

Or to talk about having "the talk" to be told by a liine up of white posters that you are overworrying?

Or to engage in a discussion on beauty fashions to see a torrent of posts all extolling the white aesthetic, maybe with a token black woman as an afterthought? (but its ok because some of their best friends are black)

We have topics here on sporning and keeping pet fish but somehow a topic which reflects the lives and experiences of a large percentage of women isn't acceptable?

What exactly are you afraid of?