To wonder why there’s suddenly an influx of American posters?

[Wonderwomam]

It seems every other thread I open is from an American poster. It’s all well, the more the merrier, but there’s some advice being given on some threads that just wouldn’t work here and vice versa. I can’t pin point each thing I’ve read as there’s so many. One example is about school problems; how can we advise someone living in another country how to sort school issues? The system is completely different.

I’m wondering was there some kind of big story like the bloody beaker that’s seen an influx of people from the US, or is MN just getting bigger and bigger?!

[BettyUnderswoob]

American baby showers sound eminently more reasonable, sensible and less grabby than the British ones... I think we should import them!

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

I’ve seen a few posters being called out as Americans for using the work “mom” when in fact they are from the Midlands 😂

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

*word

[justasking111]

I thought the arguments about Trump v Clinton were absolutely crazy and solely American, but then along came Brexit. I then realised we were also bat shit crazy about politics suddenly.

[Seaseasea]

I did read the thread. My statement is completely correct, there’s no need to be rude.

A loud voice in the UK feminism scene went to America, met with Alt - Right conservative trump supporting anti-abortionist organisations becuase they also agreed with the ‘trans woman aren’t woman’ stance to discuss the dangers of transgenderism.

This caused uproar from some, lots of support on mumsnet - This could well have been a reason more American players learnt of mumsnet.

[userlotsanumbers]

That's....that's such a BRITISH thread to start.

[Seaseasea]

• American posters

[TaimaandRanyasBestFriend]

you don't host a shower for yourself, you don't make the guests pay for their food, you don't serve alcohol, you don't give another present when the baby is born, and did I mention the most important one, you don't host one for yourself.

There was just a thread on here this week featuring a pay-for-yourself baby shower in a pub with a gift registry and the mum-to-be also expecting another gift after the baby arrives with a litany of comments about its all being a 'grabby American custom' and I'm sat there thinking, 'This shower of shit would never happen in America' (my sister lives there).

[ShartGoblin]

*Not leaping to any conclusion just going off responses right here in this very thread Worra. Like I said, not all but some are definitely giving a vibe of ‘what are they doing here anyway?

‘maybe they should ask other Americans’ ‘
‘we should split topics by region’ *

Oh for goodness sake. I said we should split topics by region because rules vary by region not because I'm anti-American ffs. Quite a rude assumption.

[SMCR65]

I am Irish living in the USA and I love this site.

Hope I welcome too

[Ereshkigal]

A loud voice in the UK feminism scene went to America, met with Alt - Right conservative trump supporting anti-abortionist organisations becuase they also agreed with the ‘trans woman aren’t woman’ stance to discuss the dangers of transgenderism.

She went to meet (with two other feminists) with lots of different people over the course of a week, most of them left wing feminists and people who are pro choice. On one occasion she attended a meeting about the proposed US "Equality Act" being pushed by the left which will strip American women of sex based rights. This was hosted by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Christian Right thinktank. Most left wing organisations are blindly pro trans so no possibility of them hosting or challenging this women's rights land grab.

[Rtmhwales]

I'm American (and Canadian) but came across it when I was married to a Brit and living in the UK. I've found it helpful so I've stayed even after I moved back to North America.

Plus it's nice to help when people ask for advice about moving to the US or if their child is considering a US education or university.

Tbh I see way more Australian posters on here than American. But I do see a lot of American bashing (especially for names and the like), though I got that experience in person living in the UK as well unfortunately. The vast majority are great though and I love their perspective on any issues I have posted

[AcrossthePond55]

And on the baby shower importation, based on MN threads, when y'all imported the concept, you left out most of the etiquette that goes with it, the main one being, you don't host a shower for yourself, you don't make the guests pay for their food, you don't serve alcohol, you don't give another present when the baby is born, and did I mention the most important one, you don't host one for yourself

Sing it, Sister Seneca! I have to admit to getting a few giggles on the UK baby shower threads (and bridal, as the same rules apply). Can you just imagine someone in the US doing the things we've read? But I expect it's the same wry amusement as a UK native gets from me 'eating wrong' (the knife/fork conundrum), spelling words 'wrong', or the million other things I do that would raise a British eyebrow.

As they say "Horses for courses", no?

[TalkingintheDark]

On one occasion she attended a meeting about the proposed US "Equality Act" being pushed by the left which will strip American women of sex based rights.

That’s a much more accurate account of what Posie Parker did, Ereshkigal, I agree.

It scares me how the left in America is, as you say, almost exclusively “blindly pro trans”. Or pro transactivist “TWAW” ideology, to be more specific.

But that’s another thread.

I think there could be something in the idea that the articles appearing in the US press about the “hotbed of transphobia that is mumsnet” have actually raised MN’s profile across the pond and brought more of our US cousins here.

And I’m amazed to hear that MN has made it onto American talk shows now, Tinkety! Quite the reach.

[deadliftgirl]

I really do not see what the problem is?

I never really realised that American women were users on MN but if any are reading this they will most likely feel unwelcome! Which is a shame because why can't they post and contribute? The website doesn't block people outside the UK from viewing and accessing it and if they can make a profile account and contribute towards discussion then they are just as eligible for doing so than any other user from the UK.

Even in the Uk school systems and health issues may be slightly different between NHS Scotland and England. Health and Education in Scotland is controlled by the Scottish Government and would have some differences I would imagine to the rest of the UK. Most likely not the same kind of differences with the US? If you do not like someones advice then do not take it, theres a lot of advice on here which is crap and it can also come from a UK user.

To all American users, welcome from me and please do not be put off you have every right to be here just as the next person!

[SenecaFalls]

Waves to Across

I did in fact come for feminism, but I stayed for AIBU and Chat. I have not posted on the feminism boards for a very long time because they seldom talk about the things I want to talk about these days, but I do dip in there for a read from time to time. I do sometimes feel the impulse to tell them, and please trust me on this, the right wing, and especially the religious right, in the US is not a friend to women, and the potential unintended negative consequences of making common cause with them on any issue affecting women is great.

[OlennasWimple]

Yes, there is huge anti-US sentiment on MN (baby names, baby showers, weddings, "help me plan a visit to the US" threads rarely go for more than a few posts without a snide or outright rude comment)

But then I also think that many MNers forget that not everyone lives in England, particularly in the SE. Solutions that get thrown around like confetti - get a cleaner / move house, you must have enough equity after living there for six years to get a bigger house / find another job / make your teen get the bus to work instead of you driving him etc etc ) often only work if you are living in the SE

[OlennasWimple]

PS - Seneca - I would love to understand more about American feminism and the right wing. Do please post on FWR about it

[WarpedGalaxy]

It scares me how the left in America is, as you say, almost exclusively “blindly pro trans”. Or pro transactivist “TWAW” ideology, to be more specific.

It scares you? You want to know what scares me? Being a woman in the USA under the current administration. You want to know why women on the left and center in the USA don't appear to be too concerned with TRAs and their encroachment on women's spaces? It's because right now we face a far bigger threat to our healthcare, educational and workplace rights from people like the Heritage Foundation who have the ear and the support of the current incumbent of the White House and his ilk.

TRAs may be your biggest issue but they're not ours - you're all blithely ignoring that small fact. Our biggest issues are being caused by the very people Posey Parker was lending credibility to. She didn't do American women any favours while she was here, so, maybe she should just stay in her lane and let us deal with our own shit in future?

[SenecaFalls]

Maybe I will Olenna if I can spare time from my current preoccupation with the Style and Beauty royal fashion threads.

But just one quick example: one of the Heritage Foundation's positions is to defund the grant programs of the federal Violence Against Women Act. VAWA funding supports domestic violence and sexual assault resources all over the US. For me, violence against women is the core issue of feminism.

[justasking111]

My Welsh friend emigrated to USA first living in Rochester Minnesotta. The mums she said were early to bed early to rise, there was no boozing now for a Welsh lass who loved her wine that was hard, she was frowned at when she took colleagues out to dinner one Friday night and proceeded to get merry. They were all very republican so she emulated their politics to get by. Now she has lived in NY for many years she is a devout democrat. She makes me giggle at the changes the USA has wrought on her personality. She no longer drinks and frowns on anyone who does.

When I heard this Jack Whitehall joke I thought of her.

" The biggest difference, I realize, between us and our American cousins, when I went to California, was the attitude to drinking. Completely different. I heard sentences in California that I’ve never heard before. Like this: “Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Did you see Larry? Larry had four glasses of wine with dinner. I think Larry… may be an alcoholic.” Yes, I know. Four glasses of wine with dinner in America: you’re an alcoholic. Four glasses of wine with dinner in Britain: you’re the designated driver. "

[SenecaFalls]

Yes, having lived in the UK (Scotland), I can attest that the attitude to drinking is a bit more puritanical here in the US.

I did have a bit of a chuckle at a recent thread by a woman who was planning on a holiday in the US with her 20 year old son, but was re-thinking it because he would be under the legal drinking age. She wondered if in restaurants wait staff would just be less vigilant and not ask for ID. Ha! Expect to be "carded" up to about age 35 responded a chorus of US-based Mumsnetters.

[Goldenbear]

There are cultural differences though, it's not just that the set up is different and so it makes it hard to comment. I've just been watching the Secret Life of 5 year olds with my 7 year old DD, the U.S.A version came on automatically after the British version had finished and she asked me to switch it off as she wasn't interested, presumably because it's not as culturally relatable.

[Goldenbear]

That's not an insult but it comes back to the fact that advice on here is based on a relatable, true understanding of the sotuation, including cultural context.

[Monday55]

maybe MNHQ should now enable flag emojis alongside people's username so we know who is posting from where.. The majority of posters are obviously from UK.

I have seen someone getting sound advice only for them to mention something to do with their social security number & all of a sudden the advice became irrelevant.