There are 2 backstories that are interlinked.
Back in the day, FWR attracted some real trolls who conducted a real hate campaign against the posters then. Spilled over into real life.
It created an atmosphere and hostility with regulars not able to distinguish between trolls and other posters. FWR gained a reputation for being a closed shop.
Years afterwards, posters who once got a hard time remember and continue to talk about the FWR board as it was. Despite the fact that very few of us from that time still post here. Despite the real effort that FWR posters go to, they are berated for something that no longer exists.
Running parallel is the fact that throughout, FWR continues to attract trolls and MRAs who can be vicious to posters. Posters from MN pop in briefly and see the response to these trolls and assume that it's just like days gone by.
MNHQ are better at zapping trolls but seem powerless to deal with the constant goading that still goes on.
So we have a board which is trolled, which some other posters pop on just to wind up "the feminists" and which, as a consequence is very protective and possibly a little too defensive on occasion.
What non regulars don't see is the number of threads that get deleted or posts that get deleted. There have been umpteen olive branches offered but it just takes one thread like the one you're talking about, for everyone to roll their eyes at FWR kicking off again.
Contrary to popular opinion, there isn't a feminist klaxon that calls us all to a thread but we can't get away from that accusation.
Which is why I got frustrated because it's been the same old, same old for years. I've looked to myself as have others but it doesn't matter. The irony is that MN has become more feminist as a result of the effort that posters go to on here but heaven forbid that anyone recognises the effort, intellect and support that goes on in FWR to make that possible.