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?

I have never posted in this section before, but often read it, and looked out for dittany's posts which I found very thought-provoking. So sorry to see her go.

I think a whole sit wide review needs to happen- there are otehr very vulnerable areas affected too, even if by a different type of troll, and it is very distressing for the people on the end. this week I ahve lost MN friends going through traumatic times as they adjust to their child's newly diagnosed disability, and that is immensely sad they cannot use the support.

MN has the guidelines about face: they protect the individuals and ignore the group yet the Hate Speech alws does the opposite. I have suggested elsewhere that MNHQ would benefit from training on this aspect of law.

As is true for many others, I'm sure, dittany was the single most influential poster in my MN life. She has altered how I think. So if she's reading, thank you for everything, dittany.

The best system I have seen for managing stupidity and maliciousness is the kind of community moderation that slashdot has. Being slashdot, the rate of idiotic attempts to derail, troll etc is way higher than even the feminist board, yet it's still possible to read good thread, due to the moderation.

How does Slashdot work Slhilly?

thanks, forkful

A hide poster button.
I'm a staunch new convert.

That way, Dittany can come back and everyone who thinks she's...you know...a bit much really...can hide her.

I know it's late, but it would be really jolly if MNHQ could provide some comment to this thread, other than the usual "we are reading this and will respond later" sort of thing.

I do like MN a lot, for all the obv reasons, but a site 'matures' and it's time this one did.

Though I will say, if someone can't handle a bit of free speech on a forum, perhaps the internet isn't for them

(except that blatant troll yesterday who could somehow write perfectly, that was just euuugh!)

Like I said, sites need to mature.

there is no mnhq conspiracy against feminism topic and its conspiratorial to assert so. people come and go for their own reasons. the feminist topics are as mnhq confirmed topics where feminism is discussed, not a feminist board

if you seek a safe feminist space and designated feminist area then mn is not the place.

So bullying is acceptable under freedom of speech, is it, edd?

We're not talking about it being a "safe space", scottishmummy. We're talking about the trolls and bullies who find it acceptable to over run these boards and drive the legitimate posters away

I agree that a hide poster button would be a great feature.

I think (just mo) that part of the problem is MN has courted a lot of publicity (which is not necessarily a bad thing of course) which has had great benefits but also bought in a lot of what I would call 'negative attention'.

edd, your presence on this thread is somewhat jarring

SM who's calling conspiracy? the most I see is posters wanting misogyny to be as unacceptable as racism on the boards, which at present is not the case. Calling it conspiracy is a bit belittling & sneery.

And i read that MNHQ statement saying the section is about feminism, not for them. That was only last week, iirc. What was the remit when it was set up, I wonder

but the discussion with mnhq got to why dont you protect feminist topic as safe space from trolls

yes Scottishmummy - the debate has gone on about whether it's a board for feminists, or about feminism. That isn';t new. What is relevant here is whether MNHQ are willing to tolerate specifically-focussed trolls disrupting any decent flow of of an educative/learning sort with exactly that agenda.

in my v. recent experience Bob and edd are exactly those - but not trolls in the accepted www experience.

So it's ahppening on step aprentinga s well?

Well seems to me that until teh feminsim board talks to the Sn board ad they talk to the step aprenting board then little will change; it's numbers we need.

Peachy (hope you don't mind me asking you this), what duties do you think MN has under hate speech laws? From a quick google, all the equalities stuff is incumbent only on public bodies, and I don't think MN qualifies under that. Other hate speech stuff seems to be specifically about ethnicity or religion, I haven't been able to find anything about women.

it was alluded to that failure to protect feminist topics was wilful by mnhq

that is a conspiracy theory to suggest mn purposefully turn blind eye

Never said that DCMFD. I've seen other poster bully her, even from threads 2 months ago and it is unacceptable. Objecting to someone isn't wrong though

Picture this:

Person A: Blue is my favourite colour
Person B: I prefer red
Person A: OMFG STFU and GTFO loooooooser I hate you blue is better LALALALALALA can't hear you

Anything wrong with objecting to what someone said? I thought not

Hear hear Pan.

there is some very insidious trolling happening within the Fem section, and in others too I think.

MNHQ really needs to take this seriously.

Mumsnet as a whole is losing face / reputation / credibility by allowing this to continue :(