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.

And many people have replied. It is a board for everyone, anyone can post there, no exceptions.
However, the 'GC' posters (including myself) may seem to be the majority because for a long time it was one of the (very) few places GC opinions were allowed to be aired.
If you engage in good faith you might find it interesting.

For me it’s the only safe place online I can raise concerns about gender identity without having my job put under threat.

Some posters do refer to GC views as an illness. Frequently.

With respect, you're started posting on FWR very recently. You seem to be drawing conclusions on a very narrow experience. I'm not even sure if you've been reading current threads other than the ones you are posting on, let alone ones from before you arrived.

Sure but I dont have to respond to them and it doesnt stop staff replying to the thread like they do various others

I'm pretty sure that if anyone said someone with GC views is suffering from an illness, it would be deleted.

Well if your job takes issue with your views, and they find out you're posting them here, you'll still be in trouble at work. You're only safe because they don't know you're here. Same with people who post racism on the internet under anonymous names. Theyre only safe until their anonymity is compromised.

I am asking staff, not other users. The other users are basically interfering and trying to dominate the thread which shows more about their character and the way GC views are endorsed here than anything else..staff still havent responded.

All this drama because one person said one thing.

This IS QUEER THEORY in a nutshell.

Hmm. Force teaming feminists with racists, might be a flaw in that plan.

You seem to have a bee in your bonnet about
the Sex & Gender board.

Agree it would be good if someone from MN could come along and put this pointless discussion to bed.

Racist views aren't protected characteristics in the way GC views are. Do better.

Is OP going to the head mistress’s office to try and stop their class mates disagreeing with them? I’ve not been on FWR much recently.

It does have a certain "running to teacher" flavour about it!

And how will they know what I am posting on an anonymous forum? I name change several times a week.

Even if there was some data breach I highly doubt I would be sacked because I’m not trying to ‘platform’ my views, I’m not identifying my employer. Whereas if I did it on my social media it would be more arguable I am representing them, and if I did it where I really wanted to ( the “women’s” network at work overran by arrogant men who think they’re entitled to be there) I’d be accused of bullying.

So as always, I’m the marginalised woman, and the men can bulldoze their way through life.

It was fun seeing them all cry about the new departmental policy recently though telling them they’re not allowed in the women’s toilets, I couldn’t react of course, but it made me feel warm on the inside

So you want what exactly? For someone from Mumsnet to come and post that the board is to discuss the topic of sex and gender in feminism for either everyone, or only GC people?

For what purpose do you need this? And how will it benefit Mumsnet and the discussions on the board if they indulge your request?

Its purpose isn’t to endorse GC views. But the reality is that GC views are the logical norm and therefore that’s what you will find on there.

It’s like a flat earther asking if the purpose of a geography forum is to prove that the earth is round.

In that case why didn’t you email MNHQ rather than asking the question on the forum? You’ve started a public thread about it. You can’t complain when people respond.

Well they can, but it may come across as petulant.

[email protected]

Thats the email.

If all you want is an answer from mumsnet without any posters saying anything then that's how to get one.

Can't speak for MN but my guess is that the feminism board was overrun with GC threads and the subject needs its own board. Nothing sinister.

Hi @Lexibletheflexible thanks for posting. The board is there to discuss sex and gender in the context of feminism and women’s rights. People with a wide range of views are welcome to contribute, including those who disagree with the prevailing view on a particular thread. There’s no requirement to be gender critical, or to subscribe to any other position, to take part and we have many users on both sides of the debate who regularly contribute.

The intention has always been to make room for discussion between people with different perspectives, and that includes questioning and challenging each other’s arguments.

We introduced the separate board following requests from many users who wanted more room to discuss other aspects of feminism alongside the discussions about sex and gender.

The Talk guidelines apply to everyone, whatever their views. Beyond that, agreement is entirely optional! Hope that clears things up.

There's a really interesting thread on F chat right now about how Patriachy developed (title includes "Y Bottleneck").

Obviously the thread is very much based in the biological consequences of sex and how those have shaped women's roles over time, but the poster who started it clearly felt chat was the right place.

While actively anti-Gender Critical Feminism women think sex can be divorced from social outcomes to the degree it's simply not significant to being a "woman", many others assume it's all a storm in a teacup because whatever the law or institutions may pretend to think about trans people the significance of sex is so obvious it will always be understood that the generalisation of women is female, and so perhaps see FWR as purely a place to discuss how Genderism impacts women and Feminism not a place to discuss how sex and gender generally impact women and Feminism.

Anyway, it's a good thread. Recommended.

Well yeah, if the question is basically "Do you agree those other people are wrong?" and is asked in public in front of said people it's fair enough said people will have a view about that. Especially if it's also misrepresenting what was said in the first place.

So disingenuous the way a small group of people who hate FWR existing jump on any threads they can to slag it off then cry victim when the slagees object.

I very much doubt it’d even be reported even though it sounds as though you’re using illness pejoratively.

E.G., this is you on this very thread telling someone that their GC views are akin to racism and that they’d get in trouble at work if they were ‘found out’ but no one seems to have reported it for deletion:

You're only safe because they don't know you're here. Same with people who post racism on the internet under anonymous names. Theyre only safe until their anonymity is compromised

You are wrong. Illness, obsession, "have you tried therapy?", we get it all the time.

FFS, one of the regular Genderist posters' actual username is a reference to the nasty meme that JKR's Gender Critical Feminism is a result of her brain being affected by mould in her house, and even that is left to stand.

MN moderation as a whole relies on reports. Posts are usually only deleted if someone complains. On FWR unless it's shockingly defaming usually we try to leave unhinged posts to tell their own story.

Again with respect, if you'd spent more time on FWR before jumping to conclusions you would know this.