Why does MN allow such sexist language?

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I've just read the Cherie Blair thread and I'm shocked at some of the sexist language.

Ugly pig. Sanctimonious bitch. Evil cow.

Why is this ok?

Why can we not use the 'n' word here on MN, but posters can use outright sexist langauage? And why do posters ignore it, just because it supports their case?

As a feminist I think there are bigger fish to fry...

I for one don't appreciate being told what feminists should be focussing on Aboutlastnight. It is a silencing tactic.

We are also perfectly capable of focussing on more than one area of feminism.

And I do think that this is important. MN is a small representation of society, mainly women at that. Attitudes on here are reflective of society in general. Sexist, misogynistic comments are prevalent and unchallenged, just like society. Somebody up thread said wankstain had been posted 34 times since January. I wonder how many times bitch or cow or vindictive, manipulative, bossy, precious, ugly, high maintenance, hysterical and other words used to almost exclusively describe women and their actions/appearance are uttered in the same time period.

I'm just expressing an opinion - if you are silenced by it well that's up to you really.

If you are concerned, take it up on the thread.

Do you really want all content moderated in this way in case you might be shock, horror - offended?

No. Well I don't.

I don't want to read racist slurs, misogynistic insults, homophobic language, etc because they are wrong. They feed stereotypes, lower the lowest common denominator and are discriminatory.

The world is a nicer, better, fairer and richer place without them.

So you would like someone's post top be deleted it they use a word like bitch or twat or twunt...

...or yummy mummy, hysterical, slutty etc

If you don't want to read this sort of thing, take it up on the thread.

Don't believe I said anything about deletion.

I would just like people not to use discriminatory language, because they don't want to, because they see that it is unpleasant and unnecessary.

I probably would take it up on the thread, but I will talk about it wherever I please. I don't believe anyone made you moderator Aboutlastnight.

I'm looking at it from a practical point of view -

"But sexist language is different. For me it is in the smae category as rascist language or homophobic langauge."

• racism and homophobia are deleted, are they not....should it be the same for sexist language, if op is classing them as giving the same level of offence, perpetuating the same sort of prejudice?

That is why it should be taken up on the thread. deletions are just nonsense.

OP here.

At no point have I said anyhting about deletions etc. I have not even mentioned reporting to HQ.

What I'm shocked about is that MN ie us, mostly women, mostly educated, mostly intelligent allow this stuff to go on. More than that, why do supposedly intelligent, educated women use such sexist language?

The same women would not dream of using rascist or homophobic language. And they would be and will be mortified when someone launches that language at their daughter.

Well yes indeed. I have no idea.

There are plenty of blokes who get called wankers, knobheads, etc on MN.

What about 50 posts saying Oh fuck off you twat?

That might do it

Isn't twat sexist?

sexist schmexist

I think the language used on MN is fairly equally rude/sexist/discrimanatory/whatever fairly equally towards men and women

I think there are bigger things to worry about than the words people may occasionally use.

If MN was completely stripped of all the words that 'might' offend someone it would be a seriously boring place.

I suppose you could call someone a muppet

thread the thing is its not remotely occasionally.

Imagine if on any thread about an Asian person someone always popped up ad said 'filthy pakki'...

It's unthinkable.

And yet, if there is a thread about a woman, there will be posts calling her sexist names. And no one bats an eyelid. Least of all those who disagree with what said woman has said. They seem to forgive any sexist crap just because they've got someone who agrees with them.

But equally if its a thread about a man the thread is full of comments about him/males too yes

So tis all fair imho.

Sanitize MN of everything that may offend someone and it will be a seriously boring place (and now Im sounding boring because I said that in my previous post!)

Not that I think language that offends is ok.
And I dont conciously use language that is sexist, racist, disablist or whatever.

I think its important to be considerate to the feelings of others but not to the degree where MN threads are littered with deleted posts - which is the result if posts get deleted because someone has complained.

I guess the answer is for people not to use offensive language in the first place but that is a big ask if that is what a huge percentage (in your opinion?) are doing. I try to let too many things that bother me annoy me too much (as there are plenty of things that annoy me and bother me more!)

And as I said in my earlier post I think sexist language is used just as much toward men on MN as it is women.