Could Mumsnet clarify the purpose of the sex and gender forum?

[Lexibletheflexible]

Can we get some clarification on the actual "purpose" of the sex and gender forum, please?

Many members on there seem to allude to it being for GC people rather than to discuss issues related to gender and sex. They make posts like this one:

"and the overall purpose of the sub forum."

What is this "overall purpose" that some members seem to be privy to and isn't outlined in the group title?

I can show various other posts by regular members who seem sure of the same thing. I think it would help all of us if we understood what the site/staff intended its purpose to be.

I can only imagine the level of eye rolling that is going on at HQ.

Which was in response to you telling her she was “disruptive” as you admitted

It was set up because of people whining about ‘transphobia’ (aka biological awareness) on the main board. I suspect you know that though

Most people on MN lean more GC than TRA, whether they self define that way or not. This reflects the wider population. Other sites reflect a certain left leaning “progressive” right thinking bubble. It’s often a shock when those people encounter relatively free speech.

What is your issue exactly? There are loads of boards on here. Everyone knows that the posters on there are incredibly erudite people who are vehement in their defence of women and children. It’s fine if that isn’t to your taste but running to HQ to whine complain about them (and presumably try to shut them up) rather illustrates the requirement of a specific board,

It isn't. It is a board to discuss sex and gender issues. It happens to have a large number of posters who are well informed about sex and gender issues, and who engage in discussion about it.

If people want more balance on the board, they need to find a way of discussing gender that doesn't descend to 'you lot are meanies'.

The challenge is that the gender critical stance is centred on biological reality, which means that all gender critical people are starting from the same point. They may vary in their views on how that reality is advocated for in society (e.g. some may be happy to use pronouns that don't accord with biological sex but would not be happy to allow biological men in the female toilets. Others may not be happy to use pronouns in that way), but they have a common point of agreement.

Advocates for gender over sex tend to have a less cohesive rationale for their views, which can't easily be evidenced.

Disruptive. The spirit of my convent school Head Nun and Chief Inquisitor returns to haunt us! Standing by for uniform inspection, checks for signs of mascara and awaiting ruler measurement of my skirt length. Also, no eating Tunnocks in the street and wear your school hat at all times you pesky GC wims!

Also if there really are personal attacks, report them.

Personally I am reassured that there are people out there not drinking the KoolAid who genuinely care about feminism and the protection of the hard-fought rights of women and children.

Ooh Tunnocks! Tea cakes or caramel wafers though?

To be fair, I think it was set up because of the reason you state, and that some posters wanted an easy way to hide the discussion altogether but keep other aspects of feminism talk. I still can't quite fathom how people can discuss anything in feminism without agreeing on what a female is, though. It's baffling. If women are females but also the males that want to be female, there's nothing to discuss about women's rights, is there?

Well said. It's either to tell tales and try and shut FWR up, or try and figure out exactly how far they can go with attacks on GC views. Given that they compared such views to racial segregation (and wasn't deleted for it) I'd say you can go pretty far OP, if that's what you want.

There's also the let it stand so we can see the nastiness thing that does happen on FWR, operation let them speak. Hence the apartheid posts not being reported.

That's so true - the sheer misogyny in being happy to conflate women's need and right to have places away from men with apartheid!

It's also obscenely insulting to those who suffered under apartheid and segregation. Like trans identifying men have anything beyond chromosomes in common with Steven Biko and Nelson Mandela, FFS.

No absolutely, I think it's often best these things are exposed to sunlight.

It's quite interesting how, of the two sides, the "RSOH" are the most censorious. Something even as calm and impersonal as "AMABs shouldn't be in women's rugby" would cop you a deletion and sub ban in r/trans.

@Lexibletheflexible would I be wrong in thinking that this thread has not gone the way that you hoped it would?

5 pages of one woman being berated by many for asking a question to someone else.

5 pages of a woman trying to shut other women down for daring to have pro women views on a feminist subforum.

Many women trying to shut one down actually.

Because she is stamping her foot about a subforum she disagrees with. It is a discussion board and she is not being shut down as she has a right to contribute on the threads she has issues with.

However instead of doing that, she ran to HQ to protest and presumably try to shut down the women who are actually trying to fight a much bigger issue to protect anyone biologically female.

Still at it.

I'm still waiting for the staff to respond. If I wanted to speak to users about this, I'd have posted on a different board. I'm waiting for their official clarification on the purpose of the board.

I havent tried to shut anyone down. I've asked for the purpose of the board that users keep alluding to and to ask if it is "for GC people".

Its really not hard to figure out.

The purpose from mn pov is exactly what they have put in the description.

That doesnt mean posters cant use it however they want, as long as posts dont break talk guidelines.

Using a board in a way different from its description is not in itself against talk guidelines and mn arent going to delete posts if someone waa-waas to them that the description says x but this thread is y.

Try email

site stuff board is still a discussion board, other posters are allowed to comment and disagree