How about a campaign where the users get MNHQ staff to take diversity training?

[Ghostofasmile]

MNHQ themselves have displayed ignorance (at best) over the last few months and prejudice / discrimination at worst when dealing with certain situations.
For example Justine, the sites owner herself over the last few days has made some very ignorant and damaging comments about diabetes.
We have seen the same with many times with Racism too as well as low level disablism.

Unless you are white, middle class and able bodied HQ isn't a nice place to be.

Post here if you would like this to take place. HQ need training and they need it fast.

I agree with thisisjustinno and other previous posters - It's a well run site on the whole and I think they do their best.

I think MNHQ do get it mostly right, `and Justine did apologise but the thread did get very personal which was uncalled for.

No one gets everything right, all the time.

What "influence" does Justine have ? confused

Roberts was named in the Media Guardian's 2010 power 100.[1] Along with Mumsnet co-founder Carrie Longton she was voted number 7 in BBC Woman's Hour's "Power List 2013" of the most powerful women in the UK

( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justine_Roberts )

Quite a lot, apparently

I think MNHQ do get it mostly right, `and Justine did apologise but the thread did get very personal which was uncalled for.

The thread has got extremely personal and it is still there. They haven't deleted it, which they could have done.

I'd have thought that there's at least a possibility that MNHQers might positively welcome something along the lines of diversity training.

MN Towers has had to formulate a series of policies on how to handle a succession of different sticky subjects, often in response to stormy nights/weeks on the boards.

They do try hard (and clearly work hard) but sometimes there are inconsistencies or blind spots. There's a glaring one around disablism at the moment.

Blind spots are what diversity training is designed to tackle.

But the arguments that some posters are proffering that MN is just a small private gathering just don't cut it; It's a large profitable media organisation with responsibilities to all its stakeholders.

Stakeholders ?

What are you talking about ?

All large commercial organisations have stakeholders AF.

I don't quite understand what it is that you don't understand.

We are not stakeholders. We are the product.
We don't have to be the product, as has been pointed out.

No one thinks it's a small private gathering.

Well okay then.

So it's a public media org with a large readership/membership, advertisers and so on. There's nothing really so weird about that idea that they might use diversity training.

It's a website.
Was a small one tis now big.
It used to be about allowing us to talk and learn from each other, robust debate.

It was better than lots because they don't police us.

They aren't our Mum we aren't here for instruction.

We are not stakeholders. We are the product.
We don't have to be the product, as has been pointed out.

Just about to say the same.

It's not weird to think they might choose to do diversity training, it is weird that the people who use their chat forum demand they do it.

They aren't our Mum we aren't here for instruction.

That's not really what diversity training is for.

Well I only briefly saw the diabetes thread early on so while I can see that there's been upset, I must admit I'm not completely au fait with the details of that particular debacle.

But despite things clearly being a bit fraught ATM, I don't understand why the suggestion is getting such an extremely hostile response.

Fuck sake, can we please call an end to these ridiculous threads aimed at MNHQ for their supposed failings?

OP and those that have jumped on the bandwagon:
You are a user of MN, you are not an owner, a director, a shareholder or anyone with any authority whatsoever. If you don't like the stance that MNHQ have taken on an issue, then de-register. If you do not like the personal opinions of those employed by MNHQ, then de-register. If you take issue with the ethos of the site or its owners, then de-register.

No one is forcing you to be here. You may think that you are being brave and calling out MNHQ for their "failings" but you are not. This bullshit is tiresome and pointless.

Oh don't be so dramatic Annie.

MNHQ are usually pretty receptive to a bit of discussion. They can respond or not. Nobody's being 'brave' or issuing orders

I am not being dramatic Manumission but thank you ever so much for your suggestion.

Sometimes I think there's an awful lot of posters who seem hell bent on getting MN shut down.

I'm afraid I'm also of the opinion that if you don't like it here, deregister.

Manumision I read it exactly as though some posters are issuing orders to MNHQ. And agree with Annie

Did you? I read it that posters involved in the diabetes thing were upset.

I find these threads embarrassing. No matter what stance mn take on any issue, they'll piss somebody off. They can't do right for doing wrong. They do a bloody good job with the vast range of priorities demanded of them. They don't charge us and the moderate us very lightly.

I think they do a bloody good job.

Oh for an edit function though.

Bastards