Sometimes you just have to be unpopular, but right.
I have no idea why they have done this. Because, in my opinion, they have gained fuck all.
It won't be enough, it will never be enough. And the goalposts will constantly change.
In a way this works in our favour. Because those wanting to censor us will be forever chasing their tail. Justine has publicly aligned herself and this site to free speech.
There is a point at which her assertion will explode in a cloud of hypocrisy if she doesn't allow us to continue to talk, albeit with various caveats.
I do believe she is sincere in her intention and is having to navigate impossible waters.
Therefore, as transactivists up the ante, which they will, I genuinely believe there will be a line drawn and she will draw it.
You can't publicly align yourself with free speech across national newspapers, and then stop women talking. All you can do is make rules that look as though you are trying to be fair/pc.
You can still say that someone's behaviour is fucking cunty or misogynistic, unfair, inaccurate, wrong, risible, manipulative, illegal.
There is still the pub, and Shady Pines, having closed down over the season for redecoration, is now open for business. Knitting class on alternative Wednesdays has temporarily been replaced with kickboxing for raging feminists, by popular demand.
And finally I want to say something to that poster who was concerned that they would fall foul of the new rules because their autism made it difficult to understand nuance.
Firstly, the nuance is manufactured deliberately. Please know that. It's a deliberate attempt to confuse. And yes, it might confuse you first, before it does others, but believe me, confusion is the goal.
And secondly, I don't think, for one single minute, that HQ will not allow leeway in that sort of situation. They may be making unpopular decisions, but they are not heartless, or immoral.