You don't have to be feminist to post here, but it helps...

[MrsReasonable]

I've noticed that whenever a 'non-feminist' view is brought up, there are occasionally some posts along the lines of 'this is a feminist board, why come here if you aren't...', etc.

Genuine question - is this a feminist board, or a board about feminism? Obviously the majority of posters are feminist, but I'm not sure whether that is because feminists (surprise surprise) like discussing feminism, or because it is seen as a feminist 'safe haven'?

I like what you posted, MrsC: a light pink feminist doesn't deserve to be told to go elsewhere and leave.

If I may say, the topic title here is "Feminism/women's rights" - that was probably designed with some thought. That one does not directly and unequivocably mean exactly the same as the other one, to all people who may wish to post on this topic. That gives space for people who don't self-identify themselves as 'feminist' to post here. Non-feminists are not excluded.

soo that sort of answers some of your own questions then dittany? 'why are you bothering with this section if you are not a feminist?', somewhere just above.
which leads back to MrsR's OP.

Tyr wrote:

I would hate to think that there is any paritsan policy on the part of MNHQ as to deleting posts and banning individual posters.

Hello Tyr,

I'm sorry to have to break it to you, but there is definitely a gender discrimination thing going on here. You'll have noticed that I have been repeatedly accused of being anti-feminist, that I have repeatedly been accused of being that sad little prick from facebook. That I have been called various names. You've probably also noticed that I haven't broken a single rule, I've not personally called any member a name, or posted anything nasty towards any individual. But I've now had two accounts banned, I've had posts deleted. I've had an entire thread deleted, because I dared to create a post calling into question whether this site is operating a gender discriminationj policy towards men.

You'll note the published policy about trolls:
Unfortunately, it's not always immediately obvious whether a poster is, in fact, a troll. We all tend to be a bit suspicious of new folks posting things of a sensitive or inflammatory nature, but we would rather Mumsnet erred on the side of giving folks the benefit of the doubt and risked being made to look a bit foolish than pounce on someone who turns out to be genuinely in need of help. We hope you agree.

I'm afraid that's not true, in reality the women can go around making all sorts of nasty personal remarks about the men, but even if a man (such as me) stays within the rules, and doesn't make nasty personal remarks he will be banned should he dare to say something the women object to.

I am living proof of this.

I have been banned twice without the administrators of this site having a single piece of evidence to support their claims of me being a troll. You've seen me repeatedly ask the women making that accusation against me to show some evidence from any one of my post that in anyway demonstrates me behaving like a troll on this board. They have completely failed to do so. I have asked via email, and only received a response which basically says that because I stated that I didn't care about what any women thinks or feels... in direct response to a woman breaking the rules and making yet another unfounded allegation against me, that the administrators 'feel' I 'might' be a troll.

That's their reason for banning me... despite there being nothing in any post of mine which constitutes trolling behaviour towards any other member of this board.

Expect this post to be deleted completely, in line with their attempts to hide away from the membership the truth of how they are operating gender based discrimination on this site.

yep i agree with you MsCellophane[19.29]
but the trouble is....i think theres double standards going on.
i think that patticcally the rad fems are getting it in the neck and this has been happening for a while.
i havent got anything against light pink feminism at all but i am really fed up of us having to appologise/stand our corner all the time.
it works both ways.
we cant keep getting kicked and when we defend ourselves-get kicked again.
hardly anyone says anything to me-unlesss its to tell me i cant write.
when sakura posts i sit back and wait for the fight.
when dittany says anything-i know there is going to be a thousand posts arguing with her.
when saf posts...along they all trot to argue with her.
theres two sides and it works both ways.
everyones on about the people who come along and how nasty we are to them....but no one is reconising the other side of it.
the other side of it is.....we are being made to feel guilty for our oppinions and shut up.we are spending so much time having to defend ourselves that we are not talking about other things[sometimes]and some of us dont even feel like posting much anymore[well i dont]

Dittany[19.28]......i dunno dittany..i wish i could answer you.i was thinking the same earlier on.

manic - sometimes the world is a cruel and harsh place, isn't it? BUT, on being banned twice, I'd take the hint, yes? There are lots of other places on the www to discuss these things.

Accepted, however I'm afarid I can't let disgraceful behaviour towards a man go from a site which claims to represent parents. I'm a parent, yet I'm to be banned because someone 'feels' I 'might' be a troll, yet despite having plenty of posts to find evidence in they can't provide a single piece.

I damned sure wouldn't accept a woman being treated like this on any single discussion board I own...

Well, you're nursing a particular greivance which isn't doing you much good - you're already banned so I'll stop posting with you.

eh?[manicgeek]....are you the guy from mumsnetsucks for idiots?
because ifso...setting up a page especially to spout off youre discontentment for this section of mumsnet....is actually trolling.
if youre not the guy....i appologise for my mistake.

Manicgeek, are you the poster who started a thread about why you think this should be called parentsnet and be more man-friendly? On the same day that the "little prick from that facebook group" vowed to do just that? Can't you see why that is obviously suspicious? Or am I mixing you up with somebody else? If I'm not, then I think it's understandable that you've been banned.

I think another point to make is that basically this is a club, and if the owners don't like the cut of your jib for whatever reason, they can chuck you out. This is not a violation of human rights- just a bit of a bummer. And if you don't like the way a site operates, you can really only vote with your feet rather than demand everything changes to suit you.

Manicgeek,

I don't know you and an unaware of the contents of your posts but repeat what I said earlier.
I'm inclined to think that there is not a partisan policy; rather that it is the case that a few members have a strategy of reporting the posts of those they don't like and MNHQ taking the path of least resistance.
As I also said, I think it would help if MNHQ participated in one of these contentious threads and explained the reasoning behind any deletions or bannings (which, again, I am totally opposed to)
I have had posts of mine deleted while others saying worse about me were left standing. The reason was that some reported mine while I refuse to report others. Again, that is not the result of a partisan policy per se.
I think the term "troll" is without value. The worst type are best ignored; others may stimulate debate.
The degree of importance some attach to "trolls" reminds me of McCarthy era "reds under the bed" paranoia.
Lastly, I believe that everyone deserves a fair hearing and a chance to argue their case so, if you asked MNHQ for an explanation and were refused or given one that was patently inadequate, that is unacceptable in my view and should be addressed. I would also suggest that those who take it upon themselves to report others take a step back and consider where censorship ultimately leads.
There are fine examples of the end result on other forums.

Ummm nope, I've never been here before last night when I followed a link sent to me on another board.

I agree with you about the man running his sad little facebook campaign, I'm not him... and I don't support his sad little page. If has problems with what is said here he should be here addressing those things with reasoned arguments. Not spouting off crap somewhere else.

Referernce it being a club, all message boards are. It doesn't change discrimination being discrimination though... and given what Mumsnet is supposed to be about... well I expected better TBH.

so it wasn't you who called some feminists 'rabid' on another thread today then, ManicGeek?

manicgeek you sound slightly thick actually.

If you can't understand why a declaration that you don't care what any woman thinks, on a discussion board mainly peopled and run by women, might be considered trolling, then you're simply not that bright. If I went on a site for footballers and said I didn't care remotely about football, the other posters would wonder why I was there - perfectly reasonably.

I hope this helps you understand why mumsnet deleted two of your accounts, but I fear that you have trouble understanding anything a woman says, so I'm not holding out too much hope. However, I wish you well, you're obviously a very troubled man and I hope you find the peace you so clearly need.

Pan wrote:

Well, you're nursing a particular greivance which isn't doing you much good - you're already banned so I'll stop posting with you.

Funny that, most men I tell that I won't have women in my life assume it's because I have a grievance against women too. It's not, unfortunately it's a reasoned decision given my history of making dreafully bad judgements about which women I can trust... it's all about me. Not about any woman. I don't even hold any grudges against the womam who did the last job on me... life is too short to bother with crap like that.

Have you considered counselling to deal with your issues manic?

That might actually be more help to you than trolling on parenting sites.

HereBeBolloX wrote:

manicgeek you sound slightly thick actually.

Gee thanks.

If you can't understand why a declaration that you don't care what any woman thinks, on a discussion board mainly peopled and run by women, might be considered trolling, then you're simply not that bright.

I can understand that many of you took that as a general statement about women, instead of a specific response to an attacking post.

dittany, you are mixing the two separate questions:

• if you aren't a feminist, why are you bothering with this section?

and

• why should non-feminists dictate how this section is governed?

answer?

• Non-feminists may post, as we have established. And,

-no-one dictates how the section is governed, other than MNHQ and within posting rules. Some may express a firm opinion. Doesn't equate to dictating.

HereBeBolloX wrote:

Have you considered counselling to deal with your issues manic?

What particular issues do you think I should seek help for?

That might actually be more help to you than trolling on parenting sites.

And again it comes back... yet still I haven't broken a single rule, or posted anything which could be considered trolling against another member.