Can we have an Asian and ethnic minorities board please?

[KenAdams]

I thought we were included on the Black board but I've been told in no uncertain terms its not for us so could we have an Asian and ethnic minority board please? Global majority is also fine. No one is excluded, everyone can post on it but it will be easier to note those posts that have a particular cultural element to them.

Nothing wrong with a separate board - but please don’t hide there

Why do you assume people would hide there?
They could go to the new section for tailored advice and general chat, and still mingle and post in the main boards, just like Scottish MNers do on Scotsnet.

I like the ide of a (b)ame board.

I very much supported the idea for the black section and it was clearly stated at the time that it was for issue and perspectives and experiences of black users of the site and that was what they were asking for but if others wanted a space they should ask for one as they were supportive of it but they were asking for something else.

So mnhq someone has asked for a section that covers other minority's

can you help mnhq?

Hold on, in what context were you told that it's "not for you"?

I was aware that the Black board was being created, but that sounds a bit harsh towards the OP does it not? Should this not be looked into a bit more? OP, could you have misunderstood?

One thing this recent BLM matter movement has highlighted are different experiences of minority ethnic groups, with a focus on anti blackness in particular. This is a wide ranging issue that is played out in all areas of civic life including education, healthcare, economics and socially. Whilst every community faces racism, the data points to anti blackness being a particular issue which manifests almost everywhere.

For this, it is important that black people have their own board as the hostility they face isnt just down to their minority status. There is a specific anti-blacness which can be found in all communities, possibly in a way you wouldn't find from a South Asian community to a Chinese, or a Chinese to a Jewish for example.

A great example is a current board with a mixed raced (Black) family wanting to find a town to move to outside of London. As with most boards like this, it will have white voices saying that an area is diverse and because of that there is no racism that 'they' know of. Other times you get people talking about a large Chinese or Jewish community assuming that automatically translate to welcoming for a Black family, or even Muslim. At other times, you may get a South Asian person talking about a lack of racism from their lived perspective without understanding/respecting or being honest enough to acknowledge that the 'minority' experience isn't unilateral. Again, specifically on the issue of anti-blackness.

However, I can completely understand the want and need for all minorities to have safe spaces because of their own individual identities and experience. LGBTQ, Trans, Muslim, Jewish etc. Especially those minorities that regularly face outward hostility because of their identities.

It is not hard for Mumsnet to make a board and I'm sure almost all posters will continue to post on other boards, so I would advocate for whatever board you want to feel safe and seen, as it wont take away from Mumsnet or the majority in any way. In 2020, we should all be recognising the need to see and respect differences.

OP, what did you want to post that you felt you couldn't, or can't? Maybe you could speak to that to foster more understanding of your perspective.

Of course, all of this going on the proviso that the Black mums board isn't something you too see an issue with.

I would think that having a south Asian and an East Asian board would be a good starting point if there's demand others but unless there's sufficient traffic it won't really work. Ex pat mums is another thing that would have been helpful to me

@KenAdams

I thought we were included on the Black board but I've been told in no uncertain terms its not for us so could we have an Asian and ethnic minority board please? Global majority is also fine. No one is excluded, everyone can post on it but it will be easier to note those posts that have a particular cultural element to them.

This is unacceptable, the exclusion not the request. Mumsnet is going down a slippery slope with all this.

Sorry picklemewalnuts, I quoted you for my first paet of my post, the rest if what I said wasn't directed at you just the posters objecting.

@IDontMindMarmite

White people, listen please. BAME people aren't segregating themselves within MN, but they're creating an extra space to discuss specific issues. Like with Telly Addicts, gardening, home decor, feminism, children with SEN topics etc etc.

White people

Is this how we're talking to people nowadays?

If people want separate boards to have discussions where they can share their similar experiences, great.

I do wonder if the many threads about these boards will be busier than the board themselves but only time will tell.

Everyone involved also clearly stated that no one was excluded as long as you used the board for the reasons it was intended.

Just like you wouldn't go on the fish board and start talking about your child's exams so the same logic applies to black mumsnetters board.

I'm white and took a wild guess that the frothers (who have since had their posts deleted) were white, so I was addressing them.

@AriettyHomily

Why not keep going:

India
Thailand
Pakistan
Australia
France
China
USA

You get my drift, be comes rather unmanageable surely?

Well if you went for every country in the world it obviously might 🙄

But considering Indian people are the largest minority in the U.K. it would make sense for there to be an Indian mumsnetters board.

Maybe for the likes of Thai, Japanese, Malaysian people ect for which the demographic is smaller there could be a SE Asian mumsnetters section as these countries are culturally similar.

But Indian and Thailand for example have very little in common so to group us into once Asian category would be counter productive.

It's all about recognising nuance and engaging your brain to realise what sections would be useful and experience high traffic.

Only supplying a black board and all other ethnics lumped together??

That is raciest!

Where is the Chinese board?

@Quickchange5

I’m white and sad too that we all seem to be being separated . I fully appreciate that someone from the BAME community may well have concerns about issues I know nothing about.

As a human race though we face the biggest challenges we’ve ever faced - for the good of all our children - we need to talk and act together . Different perspectives are often useful.

Nothing wrong with a separate board - but please don’t hide there

I'm sorry this makes you sad. But, I don't want to make you feel better. I want to feel better. I doubt it will happen though.

@Quaagars

White people, listen please. BAME people aren't segregating themselves within MN, but they're creating an extra space to discuss specific issues. Like with Telly Addicts, gardening, home decor, feminism, children with SEN topics etc etc

Exactly, it's not hard to understand, its just like Scotsnet for example.
(I say this as someone who's white)

Yes but I would be welcomed if I popped onto Scotsnet to ask or discuss something. Would the same happen on the black board. The forums themselves are fine, the exclusivity is not.

This is unacceptable, the exclusion not the request.
Mumsnet is going down a slippery slope with all this.

This ^

Why couldn’t they do a minority section with topics. For example

Black matters
SE Asia matters
FE Asia matters
Etc.

I’m right behind you Op x

@HunkyPunk

I'm only too happy to see B and AME boards, not before time, but saying that certain people can't post on them is a bit, well....racist, isn't it? If someone posts on one of the boards, it's going to show up in active conversations, isn't it? If it's a topic which interests you, are we really saying you can only post if you are of the correct ethnicity? What about white people whose partners are BAME? Sorry, but that sounds divisive to me.

No ones saying you can't post there. It's more that if it has no significance to you why would you post there?

You're not part of the community so wouldn't be posting any relevant questions that wouldn't be better suited to another area of MN. Nor have you (most likely) experiences issues related to being part of the community so you wouldn't be able to answer questions or offer advice to posters starting threads there.

Just like no one has banned me from the SEN children section but it relates to my life in no way so I have no reason to use it. Now if my friend has a child with SEN I may go over there to seek advice on how best to support her and Im sure I'd be welcomed. But whilst I have nothing to add I really have no reason to be there.

I think an AME board would be a great idea.

I also think MNHQ has to provide or create new guidelines to deal with the influx of angry, new posters demanding people state their race before they're allowed an opinion or to post on a section. It's a dangerous surge into right-wing identity politics and as a member of a minority group and whose DH is from a different BAME community, I find it very concerning.

Regardless of how naive or well-intentioned the posters are who are pushing in that direction ultimately it erodes anonymity, puts BAME at risk and emboldens racists imo.

I truly.do hate the Asian label. "Asia" encompasses so many different people. Its quite insulting to just label an entire swathe of people's "asian".

Maybe for the likes of Thai, Japanese, Malaysian people ect for which the demographic is smaller there could be a SE Asian mumsnetters section as these countries are culturally similar

They're completely different

@IDontMindMarmite

White people, listen please. BAME people aren't segregating themselves within MN, but they're creating an extra space to discuss specific issues. Like with Telly Addicts, gardening, home decor, feminism, children with SEN topics etc etc.

And that's fine if that is what people want, but stop calling me "white". Not only does that assume that I am part of some homogenous group and that you therefore know something about me, but I am not and have never been "white".

@Redcups64
Where is the Chinese board?

Why don't you campaign for one if you want one?
Don't ask, don't get

Scotsnet is a good idea though . The Government has devolved powers so our laws , taxes , health system and education are different from the rest of the UK areas.

@KenAdams I knew this was going to happen and I feel really sad. Not sad that you’ve asked, I want to make that abundantly clear. Sad that once one minority group has asked for something and (possibly) been approved, everyone wants it. This is segregation and I thought that, as a society, we had spent years trying to move away from this. It’s like a step backwards rather than forwards.

I don't understand why separate boards are a good idea?

If people want a society where we all can understand each other and get along then divisions won't help.

WHy not a working class board? or a social housing board?

@KenAdams

I thought we were included on the Black board but I've been told in no uncertain terms its not for us so could we have an Asian and ethnic minority board please? Global majority is also fine

I am so upset by this but I am certainly not surprised. For me the BAME is just a cover for one group. I saw Anthony Mackie ( Falcon), that after getting more diverse actors in the Marvel films they need to be a concentration in the production side. I was like, is it diverse though, How many Asian or gay characters are there? I cant think of one.
This same argument has been used in other fields including TV and Sports. Asians are missing in numbers from all of these fields but their involvement doesn't seem to be of any worth .
If you think its every group for them selves, how can you then complain that not enough other ppl are thinking about your group.