I just cannot believe the self-centredness of this gay girl in damascus hoaxer

[HerBeX]

story here

When I heard it on PM, I assumed he was about 18 or 19 because obviously, only a child would be that self-obsessed that he would do something as irresponsible and egotistical as this, use someone else's photo without her permission, put other people's lives at risk... But no, he is a grown up 40 ish man with a wife, if you please.

I felt it deserved a feminist respons...

Mumsnet represents a multitude of (predominately female but not all) voices. Some things here are absolute truths, some are half truths...others are lies or fantasies...yet it in all Mumsnet manages to present a fairly accurate reflection womans lives (mainly in the UK) with which women can engage in as trivial or fundamentally as they want.

The idea that a few men pretending to be women, could fundamentally alter that is a very masculine 'auteur' view of the world, which assumes that a few (male) voices have the power to fundamentally change the shape of Mumsnet....which I would disagree with, and as such would regard them as irrelevant in that context...and if they were generating conversation that was of relevance or interest to women, why would I care?

snowmama
your first paragraph i agree with totaly.
in reference to your second paragraph the idea that a few male voices could fundementaly change mumsnet isnt my idea.
the gender-benders are not trying to be themselves as much as acting a role of what they consider to be a feminine outlook, this will not fundementaly change the mumsnet message either but it will have some effect.

Well anyone who 'does' feminine or masculine is acting a socially constructed role and performance, so still struggling with why that is an issue in that context. Either way not sure how equivalent it is to appropriating a voice and position of a marginalised people and claiming to speak for them.

Either way I'm out, sunshine to enjoy.