Swearing, nicknames etc

[JustineMumsnet]

Afternoon Mumsnetters,

There's been a bit of discussion about offensive nicknames. We do allow swearing on MN, as you know - it's a site for grown-ups, not for children - but as our overriding aim is to make folks' lives easier and many Mumsnetters object to the use of the c-word, in particular, we think it would be best if folks didn't use it in their nicknames. Using it as a nickname effectively means you are using it not for effect but for every post. We all recognise the need to say cunting sainsburys every now and then but all the time is a bit much, we think.

As we say in our Talk Rules and Netiquette:

"It's not our policy to delete swearwords but we do draw the line at obscenity, so, if you're not sure which side of the line your swearword of choice may fall, it might be best not to use it."

Cheers.

anyfucker and queenoffuckingeverything don't offend me. i use the word fuck, although i tend to use it very little on here as i just don't feel appropriate using it unless dire circs. same as i would not say fuck in front of a bunch of people i'd only just met, before i knew if they would be offended or not

Well I would hope not, QS, 'cos I wouldn't want to see you go, but I'm just trying to point out that's not as easy at it might seem.

I am a regular and only changed my name as I can't resist a good spoonerism and this popped into my head.

But am interested to know would my temporary alias be deemed offensive? It doesn't actually contain a swear word after all.

From Slubberdegullion -
"What I find most offensive is this 'fuck you' attitude: I like it and you can all shove off to netmums if you don't. Not a very pleasant attitude is it?" -

I completely agree. And this attitude seems to pervade through life in general.

Also from Slubber -
"And quite apart from that it makes the posters look, quite frankly, moronic."

Quite.

Well, as MP suggests, I'm off to take up a nice hobby. Crochet perhaps, or cardmaking, or scrapbooking?

Fanjolina that is a technicality. That was the gist of what was said against those of us who disagreed. I dont have time and inclination to go back and pick out exactly who said what. I provided the threads for people to read for themselves. If you disagree with my assessment of it, you are free to do so. But getting into a discussion about that, is getting off from the subject.

Should people be mature and self moderate and have the sense to not use offensive swear words as posting name, or?

Biwi, and the only reason why it is not as easy as it seem, is that a frighteningly high number of posters cling to the right to be offensive, because "off you fuck if you dont like it".

Yes, people absolutely should be mature and self moderate. No issue with that at all - either here on MN or in RL.

But the point is that what one person finds offensive someone else doesn't. So we will need to work out, if we're going to ask people not to use offensive words as part of their nicknames, what those offensive words are.

If people were mature enough to reconsider a name when they realized that others were in fact taking offence, there would be no need for censorship.

But I keep saying the same and going around in circles.

I shall go make some coffee.

Fancy a latte, biwi?

Yes please. With a large brandy to deal with this horrible cold!

I agree with Seeker and Amuminscotland. If most of us think that 'cunt' really is the dizzying height of absolute disgusting, vile language then we should all surely be ashamed of what we have between our legs!

Fuck that. I am proud of my cunt and won't have a bad word said about it. It is far from vile or offensive and dp will vouch for that i am sure .

Lets be bold and reclaim the word cunt!

i have a vagina, not a cunt.

i have no interest in reclaiming the word

Quite agree Lulu.

I guess some could trot off to the doc to discuss their 'cunt' - I couldn't.

Thank you!

See no need for the really foul screenames... it's not big, and certainly not clever!

Hate the C word and it disturbs me to think society is being desensitised to it.

sites love threads discussing themselves dont they

Reading through here I do agree with mamazon and others.

I'm not against a good swear. Sometimes it's the only thing that hits the spot. So why dilute it with over gratuitous use for no reason?

This thread makes me feel so pleased to be me. I did not previously realise how liberal I actually am. I wear lots of Boden too lol....

No it ISN'T censored.

I'm not going to be the first one to bring out the d word, really I'm not, but you are being IT.

boring boring boring
coem and talk on my relationsip hypothetical prob

fanjo and cunt are not the same in the offensive stakes,. that's the whole point!!

if a midwife referred to a foofoo or fanjo, i'd probably have a giggle, if she called a vagina a cunt, i'd probably make a complaint !!

not every word in the dictionary is or should be accceptable, there are lots of others that you can use

Am loosing you there, you seem to have gone off on a personal little tirade.

oh coem adn talk relashunships