The departure of dittany

[Pan]

I only know that she has left, and in her post she didn't say much as to why, though some people can speculate and imagine why.

Quite a few days ago (last weekend I think) there were threads that pinpointed the lack of consideration that MNHQ has toward the sort of trolls that infest the FS section from time to time - different in nature and purpose to your average troll that infects MN from time to time.

It may well be that d. is in contact with regular posters whom she trusts. I don't know.

What I do know is that d. was a fabulous source of invigoration and illumination to a lot of posters, myself included, though we didn't always agree with her.

I would like a review from MNHQ of their current "talk guidlines" policy, in order that the FS is provided with a consideration that recognises the particular vulnerability that it experiences.

D. left for her own reasons - but this presents itself as a sort of 'test case' for MN to respond sensitively.

Would anyone agree and post here in support of this?

Beachcomber, you are talking like I haven't read the section, I have and I do

You are reading a very different board to me, I have seen some horrid things but I have also seen some horrible stuff dished out

What would you suggest is done about the 'horrid things' you've seen, though, MsC? They don't get deleted, and they (I think we can agree) can't just be ignored because they're not innocuous. So what do we do?

Isn't this discussion about the feminist section? And excuse my spelling mistake, I have dyslexia - I don't get it right all the time but I do try

Eh? Sorry MsC, I don't follow and I didn't notice any spelling mistake.

Your report and challenge, just like everywhere else on MN

But sometimes, just sometimes things are read differently to how others see them. Taking the Edd and his rape 'joke'. I saw a poster list a number of things that men get away with and have. I've seen many regulars post the same list - Edd's was taken that he was making a nasty joke - Is he an arsehole, quite possibly but why was his list taken differently?

And with Bob, he was ripped to shreds for openly asking another poster if they minded if he sent a pm, a poster going through a similar situation as him. Why was that attacked? He asked, he didn't just do it. I haven't seen anything from Bob that is antifeminist - I have seen him get frustrated with feminists for being rude and nasty and accusing him of some rotten stuff

There is tone on this section and while the premise and the idea is a fantastic resource, many many posters are feeling unwelcome and unwanted - can't people see that there must be some truth in their feelings?

so the brackets around 'realize' weren't to point out my mistake then?

It's the American spelling of realise.

You've had a problem with this section long before Bob turned up though.

I don't think you made a mistake? No, I was saying an thing without a mind of its own (like a section on a website, which is just a space) can't 'realize' or or 'udnerstand' anything.

If you say you want 'the feminism section' to realize something, it sounds as if you're saying you want all the posters in that section to agree with you. That's not really going to happen - we're all different people with different views. Why should we?

I follow that we all see things differently, so obviously when we report and challenge, there'll be differences. IMO, though, as beach says, some things are unacceptable, like rape jokes or those posts about underage girls.

KRI - I cross posted, but ok, that makes sense. MsC, I just spelt the word differnetly from you, and my spellcheck didn't pick it up, so I didn't notice. Sorry for the confusion. Being dyslexic myself, it's not the sort of thing I notice.

I haven't had a problem at all, I've wanted to engage and learn and I have.

I don't like the way things are done sometimes, the Bob/Edd things are the 'this week things' that I have noticed

I am a feminist and proud to say it. I am also raising sons and daughters to be feminist (and any of their friends that come my way too!)

I would love to point them to this section and say 'go read all this fabulous women/men, look at what they're saying' but I can't right now, I wouldn't want them to read this section at all, not the way it has been and that's sad

I steer clear of the men trolling on the FS also. I agree justabout and Aitch.

That's what I mean that this section has a different feel and demographic. maybe pan was right to call someone a wankstain - (though it was against the guidelines as an ad hominum attack), cos that is what the FS means to me - a font of unpleasantness from trolls and soapbox muppets.

the FS needs a moderator if we are to have men on it - they post a different way to women, and are not sensitive to the self regulating processes we have on other more female-style dominated sections. That's why we need a moderator here kerry - the men who troll here don't give a rat's ass about hurting and spreading their smeggy muppetry around and they need to be banned, and that needs to be official from MNHQ.

I think it's a bit cynical from MNHQ not to have mods actually.

Meh. Doesn't matter how many times I apologise or defend myself for that "rape joke" (btw most of you didn't even read what was put, you are just exagerating it) it always gets brought up later in threads like these

Sorry posted too soon - it's a bit cynical of MNHQ not to have mods on the FS section as they know in it's such a battle ground and there are trolls parachuting in from other sites with targets mind.

I know MN is huge, and a few posters leaving isn't too much of a bother to them, but I do think that posters on this section need to be protected from these attacks and invasions with more robust measures besides self regulation and reporting.

That post wasn't addressed to you MsC, it was to the previous poster. We X-posted.

I know you read the section because I have come across your posts quite a lot.

I don't really understand your point of view though. You seem to be defending women being called liars, insane, scum, emotionally damaged, etc, but I hope I have misunderstood you.

'the FS needs a moderator if we are to have men on it - they post a different way to women, and are not sensitive to the self regulating processes we have on other more female-style dominated sections. '

I don't agree.

Ok LRD.

It's proven that men are different in their communication styles to women. There are many research papers written on it, and popular books too, and we have evidence of men here posting in a way that is inflammatory and troll-like with even measured and Dude-like male posters making ad hominum attacks.

Are you going to ignore this evidence and disagree still?

No it doesn't matter how much you apologise. I was on the thread when you made that joke (I reported it). That joke and your comments describing young girls as 'legal' or 'not legal', have coloured my opinion of you to the extent that I have no time for you or your views whatsoever. And I never will.

You have made it clear to us what sort of poster you are - you only have yourself to blame if your posts are viewed as irritating at best and offensive and sinister at worst.

LOL Beach, you had time to read what I wrote and misinterpret it that's for sure

I'll also add if these "trolls" are really trolls, how come they post in other sections of MN?

Dorje - no, I don't believe it is 'proven'. You don't 'prove' in science, you demonstrate or hypothesize. I am pretty sure that such men as have different communication styles, have these because of nurture, not nature. There's no 'male brain' that causes men to fail to communicate properly, or to communicate differently.

Where's this offensive post of edds?

edd, would mind putting a link the the thread so we can judge for ourselves?

There are, btw, many research articles and popular books written exploding the idea of 'male brain', too.

Sure if I can find it

I am surprised reading this that people are saying "oh just ignore the trolls" and " just because someone disagrees with you doesn't make them a troll".

We have had

Cyber-stalking
Offensive PMs
A website set up to show up threads (mainly this section) to troll
People on other sites organising to troll here
Sock puppets
People who are banned repeatedly coming back under different names

And so on and so on.

This isn't just about a couple of people being annoying.