Please can I just say that...

[messyisthenewtidy]

...I love you crazy lot!

In RL I rarely get the chance to discuss feminist issues because the people I know are reluctant to identify with feminism (probably for reasons pointed out in BR's chat thread)
So it's an absolute life saver to be able to come here and know I'm not alone.

I don't find FWR unwelcoming, lively yes!, but not hostile to those who genuinely want to engage. Plus there are so many clever posters who are kind enough to share their time and knowledge (come back Buffy!) and I've learnt so much..

So thanks that's all.

Aw, yay!

I agree. I don't get to discuss much and when I do I get told I'm a bore

I learn a lot from mn in general but FWR has been great. I don't always agree with everything. Been some sticky situations in the past (threads wise) but on the whole it's been very educational.

Thank you everyone

I know how you feel soapbox- in RL one must never be too earnest about feminism! One must always keep it lighthearted for fear of seeming serious!

Which is why here is so relaxing.

I do try to be lighthearted, I really do but I'm a bit of a political soul. There's a little devil in me that just thinks if you can't take me seriously when I talk about something that I care deeply about then I'm going to annoy you to death instead.

I'm a bad girl

Me too! I've become so much more aware and finally have some words to express some of the thoughts I couldn't articulate previously, all thanks to the very knowledgeable and generous posters here. Thank you all.

I'm not a regular on this board but I do enjoy reading the posts. I don't agree that it is a 'hostile' place. I've always found everyone to be really friendly.

Apart from those who come here to troll, of course.

Still miss Buffy's posts. Yonic do you promise you won't leave?

It can be hostile here.

And it feels pretty hostile to read a post like that on a nice thread, binary. There's various other threads at present discussing how crap we all are - would you mind sticking to one of those? It would be appreciated.

As a man I too like this board. There is stuff on here that I'd like to discuss in real life, particularly with my wife and daughter, but neither are particularly political. FWR has brought a lot of issues to my attention that would otherwise slip under my radar.

I sometimes don't agree with the analysis on here, but it's almost always a discussion that needs to be had (from a societal point of view I mean).

Behold! A man has arrived with his... Err, perfectly reasonable post.

Dammit

Exactly Yops, people don't always have to agree! I'm not sure why feminists in particular are expected to be on the same page all the time.

Like someone said earlier it's a broad church and feminists have different ideas about what's needed and how to make that happen.

And that's ok!

0100001, if you walk into a party and announce "this is gonna be a crap party" then it's going to be a crap party!

:)

I think I've posted here once or maybe twice at a push, but just wanted to say as a silent lurker... I'm a big fan of the FWR board. It's hugely educational for me and has some cracking debates that I will one day be brave enough to join

Come to the pub, Knuts?

I'm another lurking regular who really appreciates this board. It's opened my eyes in so many ways, and I'm and about lots of my past choices. But much more reflective and braver because of you. Thank you!

Also As A Man I've found these boards an interesting and intellectually challenging, although not always comfortable, read. I suspect the latter two are what gets read as hostility.

There's a pub?

There is a pub. :)

I have learned a lot on here and use what I learned in RL too. I'm sure that makes me hugely popular.

I'll seek it out thanks

I do love an exchange on here, esp when women tell me that I am unable to do the things that I have done for the last 30 because I am a woman. And then when other women tell me not to tell other women that it can be done.

I'm intrigued Alternative as to what can and can't be done but also can't be talked about.

It sounds like a cross between Schrödinger's cat and Lord Voldamort.

... Or the cat that must not be named

Plenty of women (and men) tell me I can't do what I do the way I do it. But no one has told me not to tell anyone I can do what I do the way I do it. IYKWIM. I'm intrigued about the cat who must not be named.

I was told yesterday not to tell people that things like heavy manual work can be done by women, because it might upset the non-feminists. Because the thread was supposed to be a safe place for non feminists to chat about non feminism presumably.

Er no it was a thread for women to explain what they found so off-putting about the term "feminist" when they might even be generally in agreement with the concept of equality and non-discrimination.