Disclaimer: I started this account to make this post, but have no intention of trolling. I'm a mum of three and a programmer, and haven't posted on mumsnet since about 2011.
So...StackOverflow is question and answer site for programmers. It's the market leader, and is a top 50 website. Most programmers in the world use it regularly. Until recently, it was the sort of grown up site that many people used under their real names, and used it to advance their careers.
StackOverflow is part of a group called StackExchange, which includes question and answer sites on a variety of topics, some of which are technical and others aren't. The technical sites are OK, but the non-technical ones mostly consist of groups of self-appointed experts giving replies that are supposed to be factual but are mostly opinion-based (it's cathartic to say what I really think about them!).
Recently, StackExchange fired a volunteer from moderator duties, and apparently briefed the press negatively about her (according to what I have read on various SE sites). She posted under her real name, and this did her damage in the real world.
Apparently, they wanted to bring in a new code of conduct, and she had argued a bit too much about some parts of it (mostly grammatical, I believe).
Normally things like codes of conduct are discussed by active users, so she would have had an expectation that it was up for discussion.
The code of conduct covered trans issues. When published (meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334900/official-faq-on-gender-pronouns-and-code-of-conduct-changes?cb=1), it has proven to be VERY contentious on the site.
I'm making this post, because what I wrote on SE Meta (official discussion forum for SE sites) was deleted. I don't believe that I said anything nasty. My only "crime" was to suggest that StackExchange could look at the mumsnet CoC on trans issues, because I believe it is more balanced and appropriate than the one they have written.
Also, I politely asked people not to use the offensive terms "cis" and "TERF".
My post was called "abhorrent" (!) and deleted.
Why is the StackExchange CoC worrying?
Well, when Justine wrote the mumsnet CoC, I believe that her main concern was to prevent flame wars. That is a position that I respect and understand, and it's what I would expect from a mature, grown up company.
Everyone should be allowed to post on equal terms, and everyone must accept that they will not always get their way.
However, the SE CoC is rather different.
Firstly, it mandates gender neutral language if you haven't explicitly been told which pronoun someone prefesr:
("“Use stated pronouns (when known).”
“Prefer gender-neutral language when uncertain.”"
This means that if a user is called William, and has not specified which are this user's preferred pronouns, you must use "they" as William's pronoun, eg "William said that they use Linux"
This is not grammatically correct English, but SE explicitly says that you must use ungrammatical English rather than risk misgendering someone.
Secondly, they say
"Q12: Does this mean I’m required to use pronouns when I normally wouldn’t?
We are asking everyone to use all stated pronouns as you would naturally write. "
However, they also say
Q11: If I’m uncomfortable with a particular pronoun, can I just avoid using it?
We are asking everyone to use all stated pronouns as you would naturally write. Explicitly avoiding using someone’s pronouns because you are uncomfortable is a way of refusing to recognize their identity and is a violation of the Code of Conduct. (my bold type)
Now, this last point means that if you formulate a sentence without using pronouns, you will be in violation of the SE Code of Conduct.
This is a VERY worrying principle.
If translated to law, it would mean that people could be taken to court and fined or even imprisoned, for using sentences without pronouns.
It means that there is no space for conscientious objectors who don't want to call someone by an unwanted pronoun, but also don't want to be coerced to use language that they believe is wrong.
People may not accept a pronoun because
- they have religious reservations
- they have reservations based on scientific evidence
- they have reservations based on observational evidence
Whether you or I agree with any of these reasons, it is unacceptable to cut off the possibility of conscientious objection for any of the above reasons.
I am a child of the European Enlightenment, and there is not a snowball's chance in Hell that I will EVER accept such limits on free speech.
Because SE put in these 2 sentences that contradict each other (the one suggests that you can just write normal sentences, the other suggests you will be punished for not explicitly using preferred pronouns), the defenders of the SE CoC are brushing off all ideas that people will be forced to use pronouns by pointing to the first sentence.
However, if this is the case, then why do they need to say "Explicitly avoiding using someone’s pronouns ...is a violation of the Code of Conduct" at all?
It is pretty obvious that this is bigger than StackExchange, and the aim is to shut off those conscientious objectors who currently formulate sentences without using pronouns. In real life, this includes anyone who deals with the public; teachers; medical staff; family and colleagues of trans people and others.
If this were translated to law, it would criminalise a lot of people.
There is a lot of disquiet on SE about this new Code of Conduct, which has been fuelled by the twitter outpourings of one of their employees, which basically said, anyone who doesn't accept the CoC is the problem and they won't care if these people leave.
So, the aim of the SE CoC appears to be to please trans activists, rather than mumsnet's aim of preventing flame wars. I know which I prefer.
Bear in mind, SE is an internet top 50 site, and the market leader in programming knowledge. They must have investors, who are apparently perfectly happy for them to upset the users who have contributed their expertise for free in order to make the sites what they are today. They also must be incredibly certain of their market-leading position to jeopardise it like this. They are behaving with complete contempt towards the majority of their users.
As a former ordinary user, I will never contribute my technical knowledge ever again on their site. Sure, I'll browse it, because it's useful, but I'll never put anything back into a site that disrespects and despises ordinary users to the extent that SE does. And I'd anyway never risk posting on a site that threw a moderator under the bus who has given them many hours of her time for free.
If you've reached the end of this essay, thank you for reading, and thank you mumsnet for providing a platform where I can post this, hopefully without it being deleted.