To think most women are on Mumsnet?

[Hipflask08]

I often wonder how many people I know are on here. I’ve been on here 7 years now but have never told anyone. When I first joined, I thought it probably wasn’t that popular and I could easily post without anyone recognising me however now I often see and hear it mentioned in the media, even endorsements on food packaging.

I think the majority of people have issues and problems with their lives and whilst talking to friends about these issues is okay, it’s not always impartial and if you have a real dilemma of a sensitive nature for instance, a good canvas of impartial opinions is surely valuable.

Also, sometimes you just need a bitch/ moan about friends and family members and to know whether you’re being unreasonable and it’s nice to know that you can anonymously vent!

AIBU to think that due to all the above, and the fact that there’s so much parenting, lifestyle, health, beauty advice etc that MOST women must be on here, browsing these forums?

I know my sister is on here because she recognised me once. Luckily I name change frequently so she didn’t find anything I’d written about her. I know one other person who lurks, no one else has ever mentioned it.

@Autumnsloth

Tbf this is a forum where people name change whenever they have a slightly embarrassing or outing story, so I well believe they have loads of new accounts a month... Whether they are new users though is another question.

I name change a lot, at least once a month or so but that doesn’t mean I start a new account, I just change the name on this account that I’ve had for a few years.

I would never have thought about coming on here before becoming a mum.

I treat it as if everyone I know is. Just in case. But I don't think I know anyone who does use it. I do send links to the funny posts to a few of my friends though.

Also - Same as a poster further up.

The ages/number and gender of my MN family change somewhat to prevent outing. As does my rough location (although have moved recently anyway) and if I am going to post anything I worry may be outing then I use that moment for a new username.

Interesting to see that there are quite a few of us who give a few inaccurate details to remain anonymous

I am a frequent name changer as well, and it's made me wonder - if you change your username, can someone else have your old one?? I feel guilty when I look at my list of all the names I've "used up"... With so many users, surely there will come a point where there are no sensible ones left!!

@SofaSurfette

Interesting to see that there are quite a few of us who give a few inaccurate details to remain anonymous

I am a frequent name changer as well, and it's made me wonder - if you change your username, can someone else have your old one?? I feel guilty when I look at my list of all the names I've "used up"... With so many users, surely there will come a point where there are no sensible ones left!!

I don't think anyone can use your username once you've used it, no. I have used soooooo many and yet, I always find more, even if some of my first choices aren't available, so think it's fine.

Sometimes I have to switch back and forth, if I'm on long running threads but don't want to use that name on AIBU or whatever, so I wouldn't like my old usernames to become available.

Name changing does not affect the number of accounts/unique registrations. I have about 20 names but 1 account. De-registering and then re-registering does mean you get a new account number.

And, no, once an account name has gone it's gone forever.

Oh I did not know you could name change like that! Thought you had to create a whole new account. Brilliant, people's enthusiasm for it makes more sense now.

I stumbled across MN and have now become a bit addicted. I have mentioned it to my all female work colleagues, all are parents and none of them are on it. Or so they say.

Or so they say.

Personally I always play dumb if anyone mentions Mumsnet.

"Oh what's that then? A vlog or something?"

IF someone was to look for me on here they would likely find me or more than one of my usernames and they would also question a few they're not sure of. I frequent AIBU and Feminism mostly so I'm more controversially inclined online. And when I bitch about things in my real life, I sure as hell don't want my real life seeing it.

No idea how many of friends and colleagues are on here and I admittedly don't advertise that I am. Dp knows but he just rolls his eyes a lot

Having said that a learner that I was working with unintentionally outed herself to me by describing a situation (not her....she used the "friend" thing) a situation that had been posted word for word almost on mumsnet the day before.

Fair enough she didn't want to admit it nor did I want to out her or myself but she did it a few times (or I noticed more) during our zooms in lockdown and it always made me smile. I think several people maybe with their views on things as they are very MN views but it could just be coincidence

I don't tell people as MN is light relief for me , a way to interact without actually interacting in real life , I don't really want my real life to invade it. (No chance of DP coming on I think it scares him a bit )