Bloody Hobbies - they aren't outing!

[ummnamechange]

Can't we just be clear here - most hobbies aren't in any way outing.

Cycling - millions of blokes fuck off and do this at weekends.
Fishing - see above but with added lard
trainspotting
model railways
playing with space dollies (sorry action figures)
warhammer
sewing
going to the gym
swimming
running

None of these are outing as hundreds of thousands of people do em and frankly we dont give a flying fist fuck about about it.

Outing activities - would be household names...
Olympic triathlete
formation cave diving
international superspy

Cmon just tell us - if yer fella spends all saturday cycling round...

Just meant to be light hearted

There are certain words that I’ve seen so often on here, that I cannot bear the sight or sound of them any more.

Hobby is one such word.

If it’s a hobby performed while someone is hosting a picnic that’s filled with plated up portions of food, and treats and snack boxes, well, I’m afraid I just won’t be responsible for what may happen.

I’ve digressed.......

I do an even more niche equestrian sport than countrygirl and I have a small string of (mostly) very distinctive horses. It really is outing, particularly as the sport is invariably met with "you do WHAT? On a horse?!" when you tell people about it.

Horseback acrobatics?

Horseback acrobatics?

Well that is a thing - it's called vaulting (or, if you want serious crazy, cossack trick riding...). It's not what I do though - I don't suit lycra, or certain death.

Vaulting is fairly mainstream and not very outing. Trick riding not so much, in the UK anyway.

Jobs annoy me the most. people's "specialised" jobs really aren't that outing, unless you mention your location, company name and position.

Now that depends south. There are only a few hundred people in the country that are qualified to do my job, it's so rare that it doesn't appear on the list of occupations when you buy car insurance. There's one main qualification we have and a few secondary ones. A few years ago I was the only person on the entire planet with a certain combination of the primary and some of the secondary qualifications.

And due to a good proportion working for one of a few of the larger employers in our sector, we generally all know each other so it could definitely be outing to say what I did and would never post anything about my job without name changing.

I’ve been outed on here - and I’m one of those annoying ‘cryptic’ types.

A friend wrote to me and apologised if she had jumped to conclusions - but reaching out for support because she was worried about me based on what I’m posted.

Which was nice.

But I now change my user name every 2 weeks and creatively misdirect all job/hobby/family info in what I do post.

MN is a place where I can ask stuff I can’t IRL.

@DiseasesOfTheSheep tentpegging?

I always think that the hobbies are shady and that the op is ashamed; badger baiting, hare coursing or Dogging.

@imissthesouth

Jobs annoy me the most. people's "specialised" jobs really aren't that outing, unless you mention your location, company name and position.

I've worked out who people are from online forums including MN - so yes jobs can be outing.

Re jobs: I have twice been identified by colleagues on MN, and once by someone I was a university with. I have also identified a couple of people in my field via MN. I work in a very niche field - my subject id only taught at 5 UK universities, the courses rarely have more than 12-15 people on them, and of those, maybe 3 are women.

oh shit I pressed YABU by accident

My DH enters competitions through his hobby and has won quite a lot of money over 40 years.(it's not golf)
Through this hobby I've made lots of friends too.

@countrygirl99 nope, although I was involved in tentpegging a decade or so ago. Great fun!

@YouBigFool

I always think that the hobbies are shady and that the op is ashamed; badger baiting, hare coursing or Dogging.

😆

My DH is a cave diver, there aren’t many of them around and they all seem to know each other.

Still wouldn’t be worried about being identified though!

Tentpegging?
Is that a real thing?
Asking for a friend who is a female bus driver who crochets at the weekend

@MinaMurray

LARPing = live action role playing. I knew someone at university who did that, he used to dress up as an elf at weekends.

Does Sealed Knot type stuff come under LARPing?

@Diseasesofthesheep is it horse archery? Ds3 briefly fancied a go at it so I researched it. Or Polocrosse? He had a go at that but was not very good!

I love that Fishing is just Cycling with added lard

YABU

I recognised someone because of their hobby

You are missing the point of what outing is: random strangers won't have a clue one way or another. Now someone in the same club, same school, taking part in the same competition will recognise the date, set up or situation. They might even be aware of it. Add a few details and bam, people who know you will recognise you.

So having an argument about an overcooked roast diner because DH was cycling on Sunday morning is not outing in itself.
DH ranting to his cycling mates around a pint around Sunday Lunch and DW ranting on MN will be identifying if one of the mates happens to be on MN...

Poor example, but you get my point.

@Alovera

My DH is a cave diver, there aren’t many of them around and they all seem to know each other.

Still wouldn’t be worried about being identified though!

but if you had discuss bullying at work, or children struggling at school, then you might not want to be identify, that's the point.

If you rant against an employee or your boss, it's probably better if that rant stays anonymous.

I’ve never figured out who anyone is on MN!

@Alovera is he? brave man. not in formation i hope? I also know a few! I thought it was the most niche thing ever ;-)

*tentpegging?

I hope the tent consented.