AIBU to use Mumsnet despite not having children and being male?

[BadgerBrush]

I've just been speaking with a friend (female), and told her that I had turned to the Mumsnet forums for an issue I had been having, and she thought it was really weird, considering that a) I don't (yet) have any children, and b) am not female.

I admit, I'm fairly new to Mumsnet - I have known about it for years, but have only recently actually gone onto the site. I can't remember how/ why I originally ended up here. I think it might have been linked from something else I was on. But I think it's a great resource for many things, whether you have children or not, or if you're male or female. My wife and I are thinking of starting a family soon, and these forums are such a great place to get some vague understanding of what we might be getting ourselves into - all the good, bad, and many, many uglies. I don't think gender is an issue at all.

I wonder how many people here also don't have children, and whether there are actually many other men on here as well?

Plenty of childless people and men are members.

Welcome

I'm a woman with children but YANBU.

Mumsnet is a great source of info and seems to have a large base of users in the UK who can give you relevant information on the little things. For example, when I was looking at areas to move to, Mumsnet was a gold mine of old posts that seemed to have the most info on local information. I think it's one of the largest UK based forums.

YANBU! I am single, female, have no children and have been using Mumsnet for some time.

YADNBU, it's not just about children/having babies. I was just reading a thread about the programme Fleabag!

Welcome!

I’m a woman with children, but can understand why someone would use the site without having kids! There’s information/talk boards about so many different topics that have nothing to do with kids or parenting! And relationships boards are relevant to everyone surely?
I don’t care what you’ve got between your legs!

Another man here with no kids. Eight years here and counting.

I a man with one child, there aren’t really male centered places to to online to discuss families etc, so there are probably quite a few members who are male.

Shatner have you name changed?! Why are you a mammoth...?

There are plenty of non-parents and non-females here - we get fairly regular threads from newish posters going "Why would anyone want to be on MN who isn't a Mum?", and they generally get handed their arse.

Men are welcome here, but if they join in threads announcing that they are a man, in the idea that their view is the correct one and must be listened to and adhered to, they too will be handed their arse.

There's loads of men on here. I've been on mn for over 10 years and only recently sussed one of the posters I see a lot and largely agree with on a lot of issues was a bloke!

See, you lot do talk sense sometimes

I always think the name of the site really doesn't do it justice, there's plenty of men and 99% of the forum section is not about children.

Welcome :)

Yeah, I've seen that it's not all about children. But when I was talking to my friend, she for some reason just thought it was really odd of me, which made me question myself.

Stranger still, my friend also uses Mumsnet, and has done for a while, so you would think she would have a better idea of the vibe than me!

@Haffiana There was a bizarre thread last week where several posters were leaping to my defence but despite seeing me around for ages didn't know what sex/gender I was and were using "She/He". I said that they should call me "They" because I now self identify as a mammoth.

And self identifying as something you're not seems to be the big thing with some men these days, usually as a woman to get into areas where women should have the right to feel totally safe. So I decided I'd follow suit but be a mammoth.

Another female poster did the same, and said they wished to be known as Mx Snagglepuff.

Then I posted a selfie of me, looking incredibly like a mammoth.

I shall no doubt self identify solely as a toupee again in a day or two.

I am a man. Joined originally to play Mornington Crescent. I find the discussions informative by and large and a useful perspective.

Cockfosters

@ShatnersWigIsActuallyAMammoth

Change to a woolly mammoth! (Although what is the difference🤔 aren’t all mammoths woolly? Mmmm...... must go google....)

Oh sorry @OP, yeah MN is for everyone, I never know who I’m talking too half the time, and don’t care what gender they are, they are just their name too me- could all be Woolley mammoths for all I know!🤷🏻‍♀️

As you surmise, the use of "woolly" would be surplus to requirements.

Here's a selfie for you to prove just how woolly I am!

Well I never- there are/were 15 different types of mammoth! Who would have thought. Every days a school day!

O my! Aren’t you Woolley!!😉

Should see the size of my trunk when it's fully on display and not curled up

The only criterion most people have for who posts here is don’t be an arsehole.

I just choked on my tea when I read that and had a coughing fit

Childless (currently) man (permanently) here. Hi

I am very fond of MN and one of my favourite things is the anonymity which frees everyone to be whomsoever they choose to be, mammoths included, gender irrelevant, parental status ditto. Further its adequately moderated so doesn't descend to the pits where heads are ripped off and spat out for fun. So welcome.