To wonder why there are men posting here?

[TheMenzAreBack]

The website is called MUMSnet. Not dadsnet or parentsnet, but MUMSnet. Most people who post here are female so why men would even want to post here is beyond me. It's even creepier when they don't have any kids.

Trills - I just googled Nunsnet and got pages and pages of links to what appear to be porn sites - including naughty nuns. I am going to have to clear my search history before MIL comes to use my computer! :D

:(

Disappointed.

Well, I didn't think it would attract anyone who wasn't a mum - I wouldn't bother looking at 'dadsnet' or 'childless net' because that's not my situation but it doesn't bother me either way.

if you can't imagine why men or childless people might want to come on MN, you must only read a very small and boring subset of threads

THIS ^^

This site came up in a search I did a few years ago and I was amazed at the breadth of topics on here.

I have also learnt an awful lot from it - never a bad thing!

Just thought I'd chip in and say it is nice to feel welcomed by the majority of posters, especially on a site that is so overwhelmingly female - it would be understandable for many to say "look this is our shed, why don't you go and watch football or something?"

Bass's view I think I can understand, however. If I'd had an x pursue me onto a predominantly male site, I think that would taint my experience and probably colour my view too. But MB is quite happy with the kind of man who spends (some) time on MN, she finds it amusing, and has not left me yet! But then her poison is FB not my cup of tea at all.

I think Bflat is right - MN is good for equality. If you're a man on here, and you're reading seriously, how can it be anything other than an eye-opener?

I think it's interesting to have a mix of people - men/women/parents/people without kids and so on... You get a lot of different opinions. I've seen a few threads looking for a man/woman's point of view on something, we couldn't have that on a female-only site.
Plus I'm sure there's a Dadsnet section on here, so even if MNHQ hadn't clarified, it's obviously a forum which includes everyone. :)

So, to nail the OP's original point, does anyone have any experience on MN, of a man posting something that they found creepy? Is there a problem at all?

AAAHHH THERE ARE EVEN MEN ON THIS THREAD

^^

Yup.

But see how I've carefully avoided other stereotypes to preserve sensibilities?

Integration, innit?

I chose a name so it is clear I'm a man, just to avoid confusion.

As others have said, men are parents to and we have the same issues and concerns over bringing kids up. Besides what is wrong with trying to understand a bit more about women's views on things?

I first came on the site when I suggested taking a gf to the Oxo tower and she and her mate dissolved into hopeless fits of laughter. Having read that and a few other threads I realised that there was more to it than I might have guessed, plenty of interesting and intelligent discussions and I've learnt alot.

Some way back in the thread someone made a point about it being called Mumsnet and would this put men off? I think the answer is yes to that. I was directed to a MN thread after searching for some parenting advice and general kids things but would never ever have thought to come here first. But maybe that is just me..

After realizing that the huge number of threads are witty, informative and have input from people of many backgrounds I couldn't stay away.

I did, however, change my normal internet pseudonym to something that made it clear I was male. I'm not sure i should have done that in hindsight.

DaddyBeer Nicely done!

There are certain areas of this site that are so wonderfully batshit - that's what I stay for! And YY, the Oxo Tower thread was fabulous!

HopesDaddy Of course you should have a name that indicates your gender - how else would we know that you are... ^^ a MAN

Perhaps the posts from male posts should be highlighted in blue, and the ladies can have pink ones - that way we know whether there are any men on a thread. Not sure what to do about AntiCyclone though - not sure what is an appropriate colour for a dog

To reply to DadDadDad - it's only really a problem on the FWR sub-board, where we seem to attract a lot of internet trolls, but MNHQ is very good at wielding the ban hammer. (We also have some regular male contributors to FWR who are perfectly nice, ordinary blokes who just want to get involved - because they genuinely care). And there have been a couple of occasions where embittered ex partners have stalked their former partners on the relationships board. But basically most of the men on here are like most of the women on here - posting for genuine motives and with the same varied opinions and backgrounds as you'd get in the general population.

I've posted on the Dadsnet section in the past because I wanted opinions on a men's health issue from men, and everyone there was extremely helpful to me.

What a surprise goady ( put your insult here) never came back

I don't know about the other blokes on this thread but I only posted on it because if I see a thread title saying. "as a man " or something similar, I think," oh, here we go "
As as been said previously though,there's only a limited number of sections on this site where a man could or should comment.

HAS been. Not as.

neil I know what you mean - as a childfree woman, I cannot and would not talk to people about many of the subjects on here esp the ones asking for advice about DC. I have however learnt a shitload through reading some threads. But there are plenty of subjects I can weigh in about.

Thanks Livia, do my best.

Hopes I think on balance it's best to be obvious if you're a man on MN. The assumption will be that you're female, so if your name is ambiguous it's kind of unfair. That's how I see it, anyway. Perhaps it shouldn't matter, but I think the truth is that is does.

Hello, another male here.

I'm a 26 year old, single childless man.

I probably don't fit the typical demographic for MN.

I discovered this site when I was working at my last job at a PR agency. I was tasked with researching parenting websites for an awareness campaign we were running, about internet safety I think it was.

I quickly became quite absorbed - particularly with AIBU and the eBay threads, and learnt quite a bit too about a whole range of topics.

I have directed several other men (and women) to this site, for laughs, advice and different perspectives. It's a wealth of support and information which should be open to anyone in my opinion. I applaud MN and its members for being, on the whole, so very inclusive and accepting.

I agree with DaddyBeer's last comment.

On reflection, I have a residual feeling of being an outsider here because it is called MUMSnet, but in practice I've always felt welcome here. Anyway, I don't like football (or any other sport really), so where else am I meant to go?

(What is it with all these posters with Dad in their name: we obviously are simultaneously self-conscious about showing we are not female and that we are parents so have every "right" to be here? I'm so unoriginal, my name is entirely made up of the word Dad! ).

I like it when the Dad's have Dad in their names, but hate it when the Mum's have Mum in their names

I think it's good that the men make it known they are men. I think the more who do, the more welcoming it seems to other men & show there is more of a balance than one might at first assume.

it also stops me making the assumption they're female and saying something inappropriate

DaddyBeer your post at 13.24 is how I feel, but it sounds better coming from a man :)

Maybe we should all have 0+ or 0-> (sorry, the best I could do!) by our names :)