to think that not every man on mumsnet must be "dodgy"

[OpinionSeeker]

A thread on mums net to settle an argument about mumsnet...
DH thinks that if a man is on mumsnet then he must have an ulterior motive, to chat up 'mums' - he wants me to add that he thinks they must be devious. I think, perhaps naively that there are probably some genuine male parents, aka dads, wishing to discuss parenting issues. DH believes men should be on dadsnet.
Genuinely looking for opinions.

I am sure my DH will use MN one day when seeking advice. I talk to him about my escapades on here all the time (yes I am sad) and show him the more interesting threads so he knows he could venture here. He has used DN once before but it is virtually empty in relation to MN so I think it makes sense that men would also use MN. He is a man and he wouldn't have an ulterior motive and I am sure some men have come to use this site that very way.

What? Let my DH on AIBU??

No fecking way. He'd have you all convinced I'm a mad fire breathing harridan which I'm not, no, not at all.

I like lots of the men on here, they add a je ne sais quoi to the mix.

My dp couldn't understand why men came on here at first, until he had a look at dadsnet and how quiet it is.

I think he probably got the wrong idea about the site at first though, probably because I hung around breast feeding and birth threads alot in the beginning

He still won't join though, just goes on mine to nosy around sometimes. He's the same with fb

My dp thinks every woman on here is really a man. Ditto FB.

Obviously there are men on here with an agenda (John Hemmings, looking atcha) as there are women. But most of them (and us) are just wasting time researching areas of personal interest and finding likeminded people.

What I like about MN is that the men, by and large are treated normally. If they say something good, they get agreed with, if they say something fuckwitty they get oldto fuck the fuck off. I used to be on Babycentre where most of the women divided into 2 groups. The "OMG! It's a man! Moderators! Quick! Do something!" and the "Hello Brian, how is that lovely iddlebiddle babykinnywinny of yours" like Brian's baby had sprung fully formed from Brian's loins without any intervention whatsoever from MrsBrians's vagina.

I first came onto mumsnet ( and netmums but I didn't stick around there ) because I'd split with my partner and needed a female perspective on things like how to make sure my young dd was happy staying over with me, whether I was being reasonable about access and CM etc.

I was, and still am, extremely grateful for all the advice and support I got / get in Lone Parent, Legal and an obscure quiche I'm in.

Venturing out into _Chat and AIBU ( Gster ) however was a baptism of fire and I very nearly left after being roundly accused of being a perv with his trousers round his ankles and box of tissues at the ready.

Maybe it's an initiation test ?

Thankfully I stayed and am even in a quiche :-) and have made some new friends.

Dadsnet is a ghost town.

I think you do need to know your place a bit as a man here. If you keep popping up on threads about sanitary pads or the ideal blow job I think you're probably in line for a virtual kicking.

But there are times when a man's perspective can be helpful.

But to the OP I've got to say that the realization that there were single mums here and 'hey, hey I'm a single dad !' did enter my mind but it wasn't my motivation and I don't trawl threads looking for available women in a virtual posing pouch. :o except on Friday nights

YANBU

I am not a mum (or a man), but I see plenty of non-dodgy reasons why people who are not mums and not women might want to post here.

Its an intrenet forum anyone is allowed. How would you know if the poster is a man or woman, unless they told you?

OpinionSeeker - why don't you suggest that your DH comes on here to express his opinion himself...... or are you perhaps actually MrOpinionSeeker himself hiding behind your wife's login name while she is out.

Tinfoil hats. You all need tinfoil hats. They keep you safe from technology beaming stuff into your heads and deflect man-rays from computer screens.

Your DH is of course BU because MN is a lot of fun and a very active board and a lot of the posters and threads are really funny and why wouldn't a man want to be involved with that?

Unless of course he thinks that men and women are fundamentally different and the only reason for them to interact is to do with sex, not because they might actually enjoy each others company?

Tiggy - I know i was missing something

How do you know which posters are male or female? I mean how do you know if I'm a bloke or a woman?

Dadsnet is a waste of cyber space.

Look at the top of the web site: "By parents for parents". Mumsnet just happens to be the sites name.

I made a concious choice to put the 'Mr' in 'MrGin'

this just to clear things up....

...is me

I always assume I'm talking to a woman on here so I'm always a little 'ed when I find out I'm actually talking to a man. I can't really see the attraction for men -

MoreBeta haha, noooo, I am genuinely the DW but DH suggested I post this thinking he was not BU. I believe he's now humbled and admits he got the wrong end of the stick. I, on the other hand am victorious! Of course I knew all along that any 'dodgy' bloke posting on here would be annihilated in seconds.

I can't really see the attraction for men

because we're parents too ! :)

MrGin

I too post here as a man and (make sure my nickname includes something to indicate my gender).

I've posted on internet forums on-and-off for years and find it natural to do so. Some of us men don't want to bang-on about football or cars endlessley and, because of this, find that Mumsnet contains more discussions I'm likely to be interested in.

I even post on style and beauty occasionally as, living in a female dominated household, I've come to have an interest in such things.

...and some of us do our share of housework and childcare believe it or not.

Yes that's true - but how much of your time on here is spent discussing parenting? - I'm a mother and I spend most of my time discussing everything but my children - because my children bore me.

So you come on here to chat about stuff rycooler - do you imagine that men don't also like to chat?

MN is full of interesting people to talk to about all sorts of subjects. So people (men and women) who like talking to interesting people will enjoy reading and posting here.

What's so difficult to understand?