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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Deletion of discussion of racism thread

43 replies

JenniferBarkley · 03/12/2022 09:11

Why on earth was this morning's thread on the discussion of racism deleted?

It wasn't a TAAT, it was a discussion of an endemic (and IMO worsening) problem across MN as a whole.

I've been astounded at the sheer volume of racist posts this week, I obviously know those views exist but to have so many posters willingly share them was genuinely shocking to me.

Why on earth was a thread discussing that taken down? The women of colour on here must be feeling like shit this morning.

OP posts:
lljkk · 03/12/2022 09:13

guess they will tell us, but my bet is on a PBP started it

lljkk · 03/12/2022 09:13

oh and sock puppeting

Squiblet · 03/12/2022 09:14

That one was a real eye-opener. So many of the replies really proved the OP's point about insidious dog-whistle racism.

Itsbeenashortyear · 03/12/2022 09:14

I would like to know why it was deleted.

I am mixed race and while I didn’t agree with everything in the thread, I really want to know why the discussion has been shut down.

NippyWoowoo · 03/12/2022 09:15

I'm sorry I missed it. Here waiting for MN response.

AutumnCrow · 03/12/2022 09:18

There were deeply offensive posts on that thread saying that concerns about children's safeguarding and women's safety etc were 'phobic' and akin to racism (ffs). So the subject of racism was yet again pushed down and away in favour of talking about bloody men's rights activists' hurtiness. So offensive.

LondonWolf · 03/12/2022 09:19

Squiblet · 03/12/2022 09:14

That one was a real eye-opener. So many of the replies really proved the OP's point about insidious dog-whistle racism.

Which ones? The ones disagreeing with the premise of the thread I take it? There's not just one way to think about these matters and if you don't think the stipulated way then you're the dreaded Big R word 😱.

Agree it shouldn't have been deleted. All of this needs constant exposure - the actual racism and the divisive race baiting. Only through discussion and sunlight can there movement to at best resolution, at worst uneasy understanding.

Itsbeenashortyear · 03/12/2022 09:21

AutumnCrow · 03/12/2022 09:18

There were deeply offensive posts on that thread saying that concerns about children's safeguarding and women's safety etc were 'phobic' and akin to racism (ffs). So the subject of racism was yet again pushed down and away in favour of talking about bloody men's rights activists' hurtiness. So offensive.

It clearly took a bad turn after I looked at it.

so many threads go that way recently

Original poster
JenniferBarkley · 03/12/2022 09:23

An early post linked the acceptance of transphobia with the proliferation of bigots. I hadn't joined the dots but it makes a lot of sense.

OP posts:
dreamingbohemian · 03/12/2022 09:26

AutumnCrow · 03/12/2022 09:18

There were deeply offensive posts on that thread saying that concerns about children's safeguarding and women's safety etc were 'phobic' and akin to racism (ffs). So the subject of racism was yet again pushed down and away in favour of talking about bloody men's rights activists' hurtiness. So offensive.

Interesting that on a thread that was full of racist sentiments you only care about transphobes being called out.

AutumnCrow · 03/12/2022 09:28

dreamingbohemian · 03/12/2022 09:26

Interesting that on a thread that was full of racist sentiments you only care about transphobes being called out.

Show quote history

No, I care that an incorrect statement deflected from a discussion of racism.

Charley50 · 03/12/2022 09:28

The 2nd or 3rd post brought on 'transphobia.' Personally I think the thread was a deliberate attempt to portray MN as a white middle-class cesspit of transphobic racists that should be discredited, or at least, dismissed. So basically a nefarious agenda. But maybe I'm just paranoid.

Threadkillacilla · 03/12/2022 09:28

dreamingbohemian · 03/12/2022 09:26

Interesting that on a thread that was full of racist sentiments you only care about transphobes being called out.

Show quote history

Isn't she saying the exact opposite? Race got pushed down?

AutumnCrow · 03/12/2022 09:29

Threadkillacilla · 03/12/2022 09:28

Isn't she saying the exact opposite? Race got pushed down?

Show quote history

Yes, precisely

Original poster
JenniferBarkley · 03/12/2022 09:29

But yes, agree that the focus should be on the acceptance of racism (as most of the thread was) and the deletion of the thread.

OP posts:
lightlypoached · 03/12/2022 09:30

I've just started a new AIBU on this topic, with a suggestion.

lljkk · 03/12/2022 09:30

AutumnCrow · 03/12/2022 09:18

There were deeply offensive posts on that thread saying that concerns about children's safeguarding and women's safety etc were 'phobic' and akin to racism (ffs). So the subject of racism was yet again pushed down and away in favour of talking about bloody men's rights activists' hurtiness. So offensive.

Although I can't see MN fora as rampantly racist, I can 100% agree the thread that was deleted/hidden was getting hijacked by people obsessed with their own (different) injustice issue. What's worse to me, I end up telling anybody I know, if MN comes up, that this place is deeply misandrist. I know it's just a noisy minority who try to twist everything to their narrow agenda, but gosh they are relentless & blinkered & obsessive.

Trumpian "Sad!"

Charley50 · 03/12/2022 09:31

@AutumnCrow - when white posters are often told not to contribute to discussions about racism, as they don't know what they are talking about, funnily enough it puts some off contributing to discussions about racism.
Plus most of the thread was still about racism.

dreamingbohemian · 03/12/2022 09:31

AutumnCrow · 03/12/2022 09:28

No, I care that an incorrect statement deflected from a discussion of racism.

Show quote history

It was not deflecting from racism, it was one explanation for an increase in racist posts.

There have been loads of articles in the news lately about the overlap in transphobic and racist groups. This is a completely valid subject of discussion.

Charley50 · 03/12/2022 09:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Charley50 · 03/12/2022 09:33

Some of...

picklemewalnuts · 03/12/2022 09:39

There needs to be a discussion on how to have the discussion.

There's no point 'winning', you have to educate. And the burden of that on minorities is relentless. Allies have to step up and explain why 'where are you from' and hair touching is not ok.

MNHQ
YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet · 03/12/2022 09:46

Hi there - it was hidden due to the volume of reports. We're going through it this morning.

Original poster
JenniferBarkley · 03/12/2022 09:52

YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet · 03/12/2022 09:46

Hi there - it was hidden due to the volume of reports. We're going through it this morning.

Becky would you be willing to share what the bulk of those reports were for? Because if they were for EnergyPanic's post and that resulted in a conversation on racism being taken down, that is troubling to say the least.

Perhaps I'm putting two and two together and getting five.

OP posts:
hairdisasterhelpneeded · 03/12/2022 09:54

@lljkk how is MN "deeply misandrist"?