To tell all the black mumsnetters we now have our own forum

[Marg33t]

Thanks to the fab PatricksRum for fighting against racism we've got our own board here

Look for black mumsnetters 👍🏿

@StormzyInaDCup not going to say how my posts were nasty then?

You and @OnceUponAThimble really like to hide when questioned.

[quote Havaiana]@BadBanana how am i supposed to know you're black? That post was a quote and it didn't say you are black.

Anyone can say they're anyone on the internet, so I'll rely on MNHQ's judgment that black people wanted this.[/quote]
How did MN canvas that opinion then? Only all I saw were threads from a poster suggesting it - threads containing plenty of white people telling her how marvellous it was while several black posters disagreeing with were basically told to shut up. Much like on this thread.

MN have offices. Any Black MNetters who object to the BMN board can state their objections on Site Stuff, and then literally show their faces in person to MNHQ (to verify they are who they say they are - not not, say Male, White, Racist trolls).

For now, the board is here and it's here to stay.

And there are some lovely threads on there already.

[quote Havaiana]@BadBanana how am i supposed to know you're black? That post was a quote and it didn't say you are black.

Anyone can say they're anyone on the internet, so I'll rely on MNHQ's judgment that black people wanted this.[/quote]
That might happen but so what ? You just carry on talking about the issue in the place you want to. On the education forums lots of subjects get talked about that have their own sub forums e.g SEN.

If it was any other topic she would have been removed. But hey let’s talk about white privilege 😂

"@saucery

All these people rocking up saying Well, imagine if we asked for a WHITE section on MN!

I’m imagining them crossing their arms and looking at their cat with such a look of Gotcha! triumph on their faces. But even their cat thinks they are dicks."

I can't believe you posted that! Shame on you.

@Havaiana I didn't object to it. I thought it was a good idea.

I just disagree that it creates a safe space.

Surely if you posted about your hair in style and beauty and weren't getting much advice or people who knew about your hair type, surely mentioning you might have more luck in another section would just be a suggestion, not an instruction to go elsewhere?

No it would not be harmless.

I have posted on there in the past and have received plenty of good replies about my hair. Because people would read the title/post and contribute if they knew something. Never had any problems.

But in the future, now this board exists, what are the chances of well meaning people, who don’t know anything about it, popping on to tell me I’d have more luck if I went back to my black corner (and no, they wouldn’t phrase it like that, but hell, it means that anyway),

@BadBanana

‘Ugh white people 🙄

I’m white.’

Yeah, pretty much all of you cheering on this ‘othering’ of us are.

Funny that.

Yes, there seem to be a fair few white people like this (or maybe it's just a few extra vocal ones) who enjoy starting and stirring up division and tension. I can't imagine a black person ever being stupid enough to say "ugh, black people".

@ilovemydogandMrObama

No, that would be devisive and I would want to involve every mumsnetter, not leave anyone out.

@Quaagars

I don’t want to get told to ‘try the black section’ if posting about my hair in style and beauty, or my grans recipes in feed the world

Surely if you posted about your hair in style and beauty and weren't getting much advice or people who knew about your hair type, surely mentioning you might have more luck in another section would just be a suggestion, not an instruction to go elsewhere?
You could still post wherever you like on here.

Exactly. AIBU is full of queries about any and everything. Very rarely are people told to re-post in legal/adoption/houses etc. I doubt black people with questions about black matters will be directed to BMN.

@OnceUponAThimble

But even their cat thinks they are dicks

Nice way of underhandedly calling white people dicks. Nice move.

Not all of them, just the racist ones who think they are original.

Ok I have a solution. Why don’t we go in Site Stuff and ask MN to close ALL sub forums including AIBU? We could have one MN forum where we stick everything. Maybe we should even get rid of thread titles so everything can be in one long continuous thread.

That way nobody feels left out of anything. What do you think?

because I find it offensive and backwards thinking.

But you accept that lots of other black posters didn’t feel that way, and have expressed the view that it’s helpful and welcome, right? This isn’t me protecting - that’s what some posters are saying already on that forum. It’s fine for you to disagree, but why should your view be prioritised over theirs?

If a gay person expressed the view to MN that the LGBT board is offensive and backwards thinking would you want the entire board removed to accommodate their views, or would you think it better for the board to stay and the person who didn’t approve of it to just avoid it?

I don’t want to get told to ‘try the black section’ if posting about my hair in style and beauty, or my grans recipes in feed the world.

I do understand that, but this already happens all the time on MN and it usually comes from a supportive place. Posters try to signpost each other to specific threads where they’re likely to get a more informed response. I often see people directed to the Relationships board or the Pregnancy board for example. You don’t have to follow those recommendations; you can ignore them and carry on posting where you like.

Man has always been a place where any race, and other posters race, is extremely rarely relevant to discussion.

And I feel very uncomfortable that the majority of support for this came from white people ( as stated themselves) and that dissenting black voices were all but ignored.

The thing is, if the board hadn’t been created, then the voices of the black posters asking for it would have been ignored. One ‘side’ was always going lose in that respect. And as this thread proves, plenty of white people didn’t want the board to exist either, so it’s not the case that mostly white people wanted it and mostly black people didn’t. There was never going to be perfect agreement on this but surely creating the board was the fairest solution since those who don’t want to use it can just ignore its existence...?

Race does exist and black people are different to white people and have issues that effect them specifically.. we’re all equal but not the same.

There is a generation that were taught it was the right thing to say ‘I don’t see race ‘ / all lives matter / it’s the human race and I believe these people have the best intentions but times have moved on now and we seek to understand diversity and race specific challenges so we can change them rather than pretend they don’t exist. Racism can be systemic , subtle and inbuilt prejudices we were all taught to have. It’s not racist to talk about them.

Only 3% of the U.K. is Black . listening and allowing people space doesn’t diminish your whiteness.

It is simply racist.
Having somewhere only black people should use simply because their black.

How is that different from the cafes that were around in the 60s that didn't allow black people in? That was seen as racist yet this online forum made for blacks isn't?

Some of you are saying that no one's banned anyone, yet there are posters in here who have actually said that non blacks shouldn't post in there... Because their not black.

Hmmmm.

@Havaiana I'm reading on my phone and unfortunately I didn't see your comment. I've been quite vocal from what I can see, so not sure why you think I'm hiding.

You seem to enjoy picking people out to target. Maybe people are just ignoring you because you're rude.

You're singling out one mn because they write American? Why? That's my point.

[quote BadBanana]@Sanitisethat because I find it offensive and backwards thinking.

I don’t want to get told to ‘try the black section’ if posting about my hair in style and beauty, or my grans recipes in feed the world.

Man has always been a place where any race, and other posters race, is extremely rarely relevant to discussion.

And I feel very uncomfortable that the majority of support for this came from white people ( as stated themselves) and that dissenting black voices were all but ignored.[/quote]
As the brilliant John McWhorter, among others, points out: anti-racism is the new racism. Apparently racial segregation is the new way for white people to show how woke they are. The relentless focus on race and racial difference is divisive, to say the least.

@OlympicProcrastinator

Two pages in and already full of white women’s opinions / white women asking us to explain why they are excluded / wanting us to educate them / offering unwanted ‘advice’. I knew this would happen.

There was never going to be perfect agreement on this but surely creating the board was the fairest solution since those who don’t want to use it can just ignore its existence...?

This

But you accept that lots of other black posters didn’t feel that way, and have expressed the view that it’s helpful and welcome, right?

I didn’t see lots of black posters advocating it, About as many as I’ve seen opposing it. There were far more white people tripping over each other to support it.

Pulling it back to the thread, I'm so pleased to see this and it is way overdue. I hope it's not overrun by those not in that demographic (like the stepparenting board being basically owned by non stepparents) and that it is a safe and useful space for all of you. Congratulations

I’m so glad us Black Mumsnetters finally have our own space. Threads on race on MN inevitably end in a bun fight, where many share their offensive, bigoted views which prevents many from actively engaging.

‘Honestly, if this is the level of hatred that black people feel towards white people, I'm fucking glad they'll have a separate topic to air their hatred. I don't want to be reading it.’

I thought your DH was black? Is he racist against white people including you? Is his family? Surely they would all be according to your statement above. Or were you lying about being married to a black man in order to give you some cover for your racism? I