This thread and its predecessor have been illuminating. It hadn't occurred to me that the prospect of women using their own words to describe their own realities would unleash torrents of relentless antipathy. I hadn't realised how dangerous some people must feel it is to allow women free speech. Sometimes I forget about history, scold's bridles, the stocks for sluts and uppity wenches etc.
After ploughing through both threads I am even more firmly convinced of the importance of allowing women to formulate their own thoughts clearly using their own words.
The standard mumsnet rules for AIBU and the rest of the website should be reinstated, and I'd also like to see the magnificent feminists and long time site stalwarts who got banned for failure to comply with forced speech invited to return. Their contributions were valuable and they are sorely missed.
If a parliamentary committee can cope with hearing male bodied people described as such then why would a women and child oriented site like mumsnet continue to be cowed by the demands of anti-women activists?
So, that's a yes from me. Because (to reuse a brilliant simile) forced speech really is like rohypnol. It dulls our defences. It changes our inhibitions. It's meant to. We've had a lifetime’s experience learning to be alert to ‘him’ and relax to ‘her’. For good reason. This instinctive response keeps us safe. It’s not even a conscious thing. It’s like your hairs standing on end. Your subconscious brain is helping you not get eaten by the sabre tooth tiger that your eyes haven’t noticed yet.
While MAP perverts are being allowed free reign on twitter, at the same time as twitter's moderation algorithms permanently ban women for correctly sexing child rapists it is more important than ever that mumsnet remains a place where women can speak freely, raising feminist conciousness and inspiring each other to feats of resistance against the biggest threat to women and children in our lifetimes.