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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

RACIST POSTS ABOUT MEGAN MARKLE

174 replies

CrazyDuchess · 15/03/2019 21:18

Time and time again this argument on Mumsnet about why you allow racist threads to stand for so long and take little action?

You assured us before that "lessons have been learnt" and all that rubbish but yet again here I am arguing with some other posters and your staff about whether a thread is racist??

OP posts:
CrazyDuchess · 15/03/2019 21:50

Yes.

OP posts:
continuallychargingmyphone · 15/03/2019 22:01

Just a bit Hmm

Sunonthepatio · 16/03/2019 09:31

I think those disliking Meghan M threads are closet racist, at least. They don't dare to come out and say it but I can't help feeling that the real issue is that she is black. And worse, a woman with opinions. Certainly their views are based on no actual knowledge of the woman, so what else could it be? Not in the spirit of MN at all. And bloody endless. Week in, week out. They're on a mission, aren't they?

continuallychargingmyphone · 16/03/2019 09:45

I do think there’s an issue surrounding the deletion of racist posts.

Jinglejanglefish · 16/03/2019 09:50

I agree with op, and the responses on this thread again show people don't give a shit about racism on MN. the Hmm faces and saying you sound unhinged.

I have nearly flounced several times due to racism on MN. A little while ago a thread was deleted because op used the term 'old lady's in the first post and sent people crazy over ageism. Not long before there had been a thread about 'blacking up' and posters saying it was fine and no different from painting yourself blue as a smurf! That was allowed to stand.

Jinglejanglefish · 16/03/2019 09:51

'old lady' sorry

continuallychargingmyphone · 16/03/2019 09:54

It’s very upsetting.

I remember a black lady asking advice on hair care and being advised away from MN Sad

CircleofWillis · 16/03/2019 09:59

The Linford Christie thread earlier this week was very... interesting. It was very confused and messy but there were some worrying stereotypes and racially tinged assumptions made.

WellThisIsShit · 16/03/2019 10:32

There is an issue around the level of tolerance mumsnet have around prejudice and discrimination in many forms: racism, disablism, ageism.

I suspect the issue is that the moderation reflects the values of those who run the site. Hold up a mirror, as it were.

It’s very easy to laud this great British value of tolerance, to want to conspicuous display it. Especially as it fits with the values of an online community, allowing everyone to have their voice etc etc etc, and giving those voices ‘equal’ weight, regardless of what they say.

See, I’ve managed to build a straw man where tolerance and equality of a sort, are at the heart of all that this site does.

And ‘tolerance’ is easy to bestow from a position of superiority, when you are not the one being marginalised, being alienated, being devalued and put down.

Tolerance is not to be admired when it becomes a breeding ground for others to be INtolerant... I guess it depends what you want to be tolerant about:

  • Are you tolerant of racism? Of prejudice that may dress up as something else but you scratch it and that distain shows itself to be, skin deep.
  • Are you tolerant of inequality and exclusion of disabled people from society?
  • Are you tolerant of devaluing older people? Of judging them disproportionately?

Personally, I believe that applying indiscriminate tolerance in this way is not a positive value at all. And ‘equalness’ by way of leaving people unprotected, and prejudice to flourish is no kind of equality at all, but an insidious way of giving power to inequality and hate.

Sunonthepatio · 16/03/2019 11:41

Well said.

DonaldTwain · 16/03/2019 11:45

I sympathise op, I have nearly exploded in frustration before at MNHQ’s lax approach to disabilist and anti Semitic posts. There was one thread recently when I reported a clearly anti Semitic post, then my list saying it was disgusting or similar was the one deleted.

YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet · 16/03/2019 12:16

Hello everyone

Thanks for your comments - we’re carefully considering everything you’re saying here and we apologise the thread was left to stand for as long as it did - we fully acknowledge that it wasn't started with good intentions and we should've been on to that sooner. We take every report of racism very seriously and ask that you please continue to report your concerns to us.

We have no issue with MNers wanting to discuss someone in the public eye - and a valuable aspect of the site is the freedom to discuss most things - but we won’t allow such discussions to become a vehicle for under-the-radar racism.

We're always interested in what our members feel we could do better - so do get in touch if you've any comments or suggestions about our moderation.

Thanks.

CrazyDuchess · 16/03/2019 12:42

To the posters - Thank you for the support :)

Becky - I have almost a similar email from 2016 about exactly this issue. Same "apology" and requests to learn?

I am not sure what the moderators was thinking last night but you guys really need to take a hard look at yourselves and what you allow to be posted and shared.

There is still no explaination as to why the posts I reported was allowed to stand for so long yet at the same time a Madeline McCann post was removed in 8 minutes flat.

You say there is a zero tolerance policy on racism- but clearly that's is not the case? So I'd like to know what level of racism is enough to get a post deleted?

If you was serious about making positive change, doing things better, how about taking your posters seriously when they report in good faith a discriminatory post?
We shouldn't have to argue, or debate semantics, or try to understand what the OP is saying - just delete!

Will the posters and the moderators that took part in the events last night be spoken to? Or will we just have to wait for another post where they can spout more casual racism and be supported by the moderators?

OP posts:
YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet · 16/03/2019 13:48

Becky - I have almost a similar email from 2016 about exactly this issue. Same "apology" and requests to learn?

Well it's fair to say we are always looking for ways to improve and learn and many of our current moderation policies have developed from user suggestions - so this has pretty much always been our thinking.

There is still no explaination as to why the posts I reported was allowed to stand for so long yet at the same time a Madeline McCann post was removed in 8 minutes flat.

There were a high number of reports for the MMC thread - it was brought to our attention pretty quickly once it became toxic. But we do acknowledge the other thread - though it didn't receive the same deluge of reports - should have come down sooner. As we said, for that we can only apologise.

You say there is a zero tolerance policy on racism- but clearly that's is not the case? So I'd like to know what level of racism is enough to get a post deleted?

Any level of racism will be deleted.

If you was serious about making positive change, doing things better, how about taking your posters seriously when they report in good faith a discriminatory post? We shouldn't have to argue, or debate semantics, or try to understand what the OP is saying - just delete!

We absolutely take the reports seriously - and we're really grateful that users take the time to explain why something is problematic. We promise we'll look again at how we've handled this.

Will the posters and the moderators that took part in the events last night be spoken to? Or will we just have to wait for another post where they can spout more casual racism and be supported by the moderators?

We'll discuss all the points raised here in detail during the coming week at MNHQ. We tend not to discuss our contact with individual posters off the boards but users who repeatedly break TGs will hear from us and may well be banned from the site. We look at each case individually.

Aridane · 16/03/2019 13:58

There is still no explaination as to why the posts I reported was allowed to stand for so long yet at the same time a Madeline McCann post was removed in 8 minutes flat

McCanns are litigious...

areyoubeingserviced · 16/03/2019 14:05

Op, I am glad that you pointed it out
I was becoming uncomfortable with the veiled racism on that thread and others regarding the DOS.
Mumsnet HQ need to move more quickly as it was obvious what the OP on that thread was trying to do

SenecaFalls · 16/03/2019 14:11

I think that part of the problem is that some MNHQ monitors may not be fully knowledgeable about some coded racist language and dog-whistling as a lot of it has American origins. It's obvious that quite a few UK posters are fully cognizant on how to use it, however. I have to say that MNHQ have responded well when I have reported posts.

CallaLilli · 16/03/2019 20:31

While we are on the topic of MNHQ's lack of action on racism, I have to say that some of the comments on this other thread are a disgrace.

Canibearsedtogototheshops · 16/03/2019 20:42

Strongly agree with this thread and thank you to the OP for posting it. The amount of thinly - if at all - veiled racism on here at the moment is making me very uncomfortable, and that's me speaking as a white woman. I wouldn't in a million years recommend Mumsnet to those of my friends who are POC because I honestly think they'd find it a hostile environment.

Canibearsedtogototheshops · 16/03/2019 20:49

Also, I'm going to name change as soon as I leave this thread because the hostility/ dog-piling that I've seen on here towards anyone who puts their head above the parapet regarding racism makes me a bit nervous, to be honest.

continuallychargingmyphone · 16/03/2019 22:31

That is because once you see something you cannot unsee it.

Imissgmichael · 16/03/2019 22:40

I’m going to agree with this . I reported some one who admitted to be a member of an illegal organisation. Nothing happened but I was threatened with suspension for being rude.

GucciDay · 17/03/2019 16:05

'The stupid "duchess of Sussex doesn't get the royal family " or some rubbish like that'

The problem is we don't all define racism in the same way. You seem to thing any negative opinion on Meghan Markle is racist, when that isn't true.

Racism both covert and overt of course exist. However a negative opnion on someone isn't necessarily racist. Are people only allowed to be critical of white people?

Ime mnhq delete fairly swiftly the more reports they receive.

VladmirsPoutine · 17/03/2019 16:17

@GucciDay Stop your apologism. Your sort of comment is actually why racism is allowed to run freely over Mumsnet.

ColeHawlins · 17/03/2019 16:24

I'm getting confused about which side I'm on now.

I realise there's dog whistle stuff that some of us don't always spot but @VladmirsPoutine are you actually saying that ANY & ALL criticism of Meghan Markle is racist?

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