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 👍🏿

[froggygoneacourting]

HOORAY!!

Huge congrats and well done on all your amazing hard work and dedication against what often feels like a tidal wave of racism here.

[AnonymousSauces]

@Waveysnail

Eh why wouldnt there be a BAME board. Makes sense as sadly skin colour has an impact on peoples lives

It's not a BAME board. It's for black people only. I assume that rules out anyone mixed race too, does it?

[DoubleDolphin]

"Dolphin, why is it racist for black people to have a board where they can talk to other black people about their own individual experiences?
We've all see the pile on on Patrick's other threads, why can't they have a space where white people wont be routinely interrupting them and trying to talk over them?"

Firstly how do you know what race people are? And secondly it just feels a bit like apartheid, ie blacks only and whites only and segregation, which of course was frowned upon massively, but now it's ok? . And thirdly, what about all the other races. It just feels a bit racist. Noone of any other race can join in? No other race can have their own area?

[Arthersleep]

Aha, so read a bit of the other threads now. An area for general discussion on hair, beauty, parenting, cooking etc. I support this (not that you need my support in any way of course), but I see no difference between this and groups for SAHMs, home schoolers, ex pat's etc. So, good luck and happy bonding!

[Todaythiscouldbe]

So is it solely for black people? And - a genuine question - how do you know who anybody is on an anonymous forum?

[TheQueef]

Congratulations
What shall I bring to the Topic Warming?

[Sexnotgender]

Firstly how do you know what race people are? And secondly it just feels a bit like apartheid, ie blacks only and whites only and segregation, which of course was frowned upon massively, but now it's ok? . And thirdly, what about all the other races. It just feels a bit racist. Noone of any other race can join in? No other race can have their own area?

Apartheid? Are you for real?

Yes we’re forcing the black people on here into their own section and controlling what they do.

I’m off to build a township this afternoon for them too.

[TeenPlusTwenties]

Oh for heaven's sake.

It's not segregation, it is a reserved space where Mnetters will know they can post and draw the attention of Black Mnetters.

Just like adopters have our own board but can also post elsewhere if we prefer.

If other races want/need their own area, they can ask MN for their own board.

[purpleboy]

Bear as has been explained on Patrick's threads, white is the default position. If a black person wants to get advice on whether a school with low number of black students that is good against a school that has high number of black students but isn't as good, is better for her child, they will get many responses from white people who don't fully understand the question they are answering, same about black hair, talking to their children about dealing with police and many other issues relating specifically to black people. These are all things many white people have no intimate knowledge of but have an opinion on, many black Mumsnet terms have requested a space where they can bring up these topics and not have them derailed by people who don't know what they're talking about.

Dolphin see above!

[DoubleDolphin]

Sexnotgender....I didnt mean it like that, I meant white people being segregated out, and not allowed in. Feels the same as apartheid, ie black only areas.

[MyOldBeansy]

Well done PatricksRum - I hope the board is a great source of support, help and some laughs.

[Arthersleep]

Sorry to comment further as I really don't want to interrupt this space (am guilty as a white middle class woman of interrupting and taking over 😁) but I just want to add that, perhaps, instead of people seeing this as segregation or a race issue, they simply see it as a group of mums seeking a place to bond and find commonality on different topics that are relevant to them, in the same way as any other mum seeks out the company of those with similar experiences etc (whether PND, step families, kids at private schools etc). Why shouldn't there be a place where black mums can discuss issues that are of more relevance to the their lives too. For example, hair and beauty, job promotions etc). I shall step away now.

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

[applepineapple]

Get over yourself @DoubleDolphin it's comments like this that make black mumsnetters want their own space. Frankly, I don't blame them. Congrats @PatricksRum

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Goody, another place for this video:

I'll drop off a card and a spider plant to the house warming. Then leave, because it's great for Black MNers to have the space if they asked for it.

[Southernsoftie76]

To be honest I’ve seen a fair few middle class white women on here trying oh so hard to show just how not racist they are, a little bit too try hard.

[DoubleDolphin]

"I see no difference between this and groups for SAHMs, home schoolers, ex pat's etc"

I guess for me, the difference is that we are not told we cant go on these threads, whereas we are being told if you are not black, you cant go on the black only forum.

[Bearbehind]

I totally agree it’s good for all groups of people who have something in common to have a place to get together

What I find I uncomfortable is the talk of ‘banning’ all posters outside of that specific group.

[Bearbehind]

X post doubledolphin - totally agree

[Sanitisethat]

Firstly how do you know what race people are? And secondly it just feels a bit like apartheid, ie blacks only and whites only and segregation, which of course was frowned upon massively, but now it's ok?

Are you genuinely unable to tell the difference between black people being excluded from public spaces by white people who view them as inferior, and black people creating their own spaces to share their own experiences? Is that a hard distinction for you to grasp?

[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.

[canthisbeoveralready]

👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

[OhReallyThen]

As someone 'BAME not Black' I have no problem with there being a Black Mnetters board. However I wish @MNHQ had the common sense to create boards for other minority race communities too (Think Indian, SE Asian, Eastern European, Latin American ect). We have struggles that are unique to our race as well. And the inclusion of only a Black board and nothing for any other race just perpetuates the recent problem of racism being framed as a black/white narrative and white people congratulating themselves on being 'anti-racist' by reading a few black authors and going to one BLM march whilst they're racist to other minorities. There's all this talk of 'educate yourself' but so many white people only seem to want to be educated on black issues and when i try to bring up an issue of racism i've experienced they genuinley don't care. I was called a 'paki' at a BLM protest by someone so proud of themselves for being anti-racist and there's still all the 'go back to where you came from' and anti-muslim rhetoric that always resurfaces around 9/11.

The board for black MNetters is great and i fully support it. But @MNHQ can you please look into starting boards for other ethnic minorities you have large numbers of? We'd like a safe space too.

[Legallyblondeee]

@DoubleDolphin you do realise that no one is going to stop you from going over to that board if you really want too. It’s not segregated. It’s a better safer space for black people to discuss black topics. Traditions. Culture etc. Maybe if white people want to learn about black history and values it may be a good space to read and learn exactly why black people want their own space.

[nevermorelenore]

This forum is one of the biggest advocates for women-only spaces, yet so many posters can't see why black women might want their own forum.