The MNHQ Moderation Team: Thread 2

[BarrackerBarmer]

Follow on thread regarding the data breach situation:
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Dear MNHQ

I'm very grateful for the commitment to free speech you've publicly taken, and for Justine's courage this week.

A former disgruntled employee of MN is writing on Twitter about the 'transphobia' of MN staff, and calling you TERFs. She is showing a great deal of bias and intolerance towards women with feminist views, this may well be her honest opinion, which is no big deal I suppose, since she is no longer an employee.

At least, it isn't an issue until she calls a shout out to her
'friends who still work at MN' to report and take down posts by 'transphobic scum', by which she appears to be referring to any poster objecting to being called TERF by her friend.

Regardless of the personal views of the MNHQ staff, who should be as free to hold their own views as I am mine, I am disturbed that there may be a small contingent of employees who are invested in unfair moderation and will not be applying fair-handed principles, at least if the claims of this ex-employee are credible.

Can you please give posters some reassurance that the difficult job of fair-handed moderation isn't being abused by the 'friends' of ex-employees who are 'reporting it all' and taking down posts because any gender criticism means the poster is 'transphobic scum'?

Thank you.

Emma wasn't labouring for women. She got her tits out for the boys.

It's depressing. I feel that the women's movement is regressing by the day.

The only 'positive' of this shitshower is that (hopefully) EH will never be in a position to damage women again. The way things are these days though I'm not even sure that will be the case. Shameful.

No. I can't go along with trying to shame her, or doxx her, or whatever. The video is fine for its contemporary moment and its limited purpose. I'm not happy about raking through her life - there's way to much of that done to women for me to be comfortable.

What I worry about is what this suggests to me about the state of politics right now. And about the incredible force of the erasure of the knowledge of women's political work - in the past and right now in this cultural moment.

And I genuinely am incredibly disturbed by a seeming contempt for mothers in this. I've long thought that many women - even self-identifying feminist women - have a real blind spot when it comes to 'mothers'. And they shouldn't. Because every woman, even if she is never going to become a mother, or has done with mothering, or doesn't even give a thought to becoming a mother, is judged by patriarchy as a potential breeder. And socio-economic disadvantages kick in hard with motherhood (which group is amongst the top when it comes to being on the hard, receiving end of 'austerity' cuts?). So motherhood is a huge political issue.

To regard mothers with such contempt ... it's worrying.

Pure contempt for mothers. Because mothers - and anyone on this site is, clearly, part of that lumpy, porridge-like group - are just a big, grey mass, whose sole purpose and point on this planet is to make your dinner, nag you about keeping your room clean, are fun-sponges, and have no actual intellectual or political contribution, whatsoever, worth listening to.

I read an article online written by Emma which I think may throw some light on this, actually.

Funny though, how speculating about that feels wrong, as if I owe her something, some protection, despite her actions having caused me anxiety about my own safety and that of my small DC.

I wouldn't worry too much about this affecting EH's future job prospects. She just has to apply to Google under right to be forgotten rules and all will be a honey and clean again.

I'm really uncomfortable about posting information and images of MsIntern.

I'm going to make an argument against it. I'm aware others may disagree.

I think it's a debate we are going to have, for a while, as we come to terms with social media and its impact on women, so I might as well start thinking about it here.

I really think that we have to be mindful in how we handle political differences as women. I'm not saying we have to be pure sweetness and light, or to dismiss harm but

As women, living in a a misogynist culture, I - personally - believe very strongly that the fact of woman-hatred has to have an impact on how we engage with, and handle differences, with other women, especially political differences. I don't think I, personally, can ignore the fact that our political differences necessarily take place within a wider sphere of woman-hatred.

Thecat, I think the attention is being put on MsIntern (perfect btw :o) because of the data breach rather than political differences alone.

People are pissed off because she attacked us and potentially made our space here vulnerable for her own self-interest. Woman or not that is going to fuck people off.

It is going a little far now, though. Targeting people and relentlessly trying to ruin them is something I see often with TRA's and it's not something I want MN to be associated with.

TGLWGH is getting a little bit tired now but I think we are above wanting someone's head on a plate?

The mod teams efforts to respect the free speech rights of trolls and misogynists who are harassing women on the threads is having the usual result. That of preventing discussion in any meaningful way.

Has something happened, Bewilderness?

Are things being deleted? I'm probably missing shite again.

It has been going on for a few days now and it is getting worse. Things that should be deleted are not being deleted because women always have to rise above it.

A vote for E is a vote for equality - according to her video - unless you're a woman

What I'm struck by is that, according to the attendees at We Need To Talk Bristol, the masked and intimidatory protesters were young women and men, who when challenged to get out of the way and stop preventing the speakers access (where were the police?) replied "eh I didn't think I can do that" in posh accents.

Really these privileged kids need to be made to work and live independently - away from mummy and daddy's money. Imagine if they were conscripted into fighting a war - what would they do, cry about their uniform? Grow the fuck up

I've asked on the threads how to go about having every post of mine under old and current usernames deleted but haven't seen a reply yet. I've also asked by email on that contact us email given on the site stuff thread and hadn't had a reply, even to acknowledge the email has arived but a proper reply will be send shortly

Is it possible to have that done in light of the former employee using personal information she gained while in her role with you?

And can you let me know what is being done to find out what other information she may have copied, other than asking her and taking her word for it that she hasn't.

Also, how is personal information for MN users being protected now?

And have you advised the three people we know this woman outed of what possible steps they can take now to both make official complaints and to protect themselves from the TRA's she has exposed them to?

And why is everything 'buried' in site stuff and the feminist boards? Why is this not pinned at the top of Chat and AIBU as the two areas with the most footfall?

thecat

Totally agree

Oh wow, that video. I am so glad that my embarrassing adolescence predated the internet.

There were Police in Bristol. There just weren't many protesters there either. And 'protesters' looked early 20s, 'quirky' Uni students.

I read the linked article, pamish, and thought the article complete rubbish. There are some thoughtful points to be made but the author made none of them. There was a lot of personal abuse and unfounded speculation, though.

And I say that as someone who is definitely not a fan of Emma Healey.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43841175

This is what camera are up to, which is interesting.

Just caught up. Standing ovation for thecatfromjapan.

according to the attendees at We Need To Talk Bristol, the masked and intimidatory protesters were [young and privileged]

Rather like Emma's diversity video which is notably lacking in diversity. An acquaintance of mine win a women's group down that way reported exactly the same thing - constant harassment by people who on the face of it were young, white and privileged.

I agree entirely with @thecatfromjapan. For me the privilege aspect is a very big one. MN offering properly paid internships is great. An already privileged young woman abusing that is not.

These good internships are not common, it would be good to see more outreach to less privileged communities to find future interns - maybe from backgrounds where mummy and daddy can't bank roll them if they don't get a paid job.

Sisters Uncut Bristol are patting themselves on the back for the masked & intimidating protests. www.facebook.com/sistersuncutbristol/

Red the Google right to be forgotten, I think public interest is one of the reasons they can give for not deleting stuff. So there is still some hope in that regard.

@Melamin

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43841175

Oh god there's a really good joke in there if only I could think of it!

Oh good grief, that Wordpress article linked earlier is a shoddy piece of work.

They spell EH's name incorrectly, having spelled it correctly just a few sentences earlier. They claim she was a moderator when she wasn't. They use the word 'women' when they mean 'woman', 'tears' when they mean 'years'. I could go on but I'm sure you get the gist.

The protesters really weren't very intimidating. Unless you're intimidated by the LGBTQ club at UWE.