Thank you MNHQ

[Blistory]

I don't post much on here anymore but just wanted to take a moment today to thank Mumsnet @MNHQ and Justine in particular for standing strong over a considerable number of years.

I fully appreciate that not all Mumsnet members or employees held the same beliefs but in the fury of doxing, banning, and insults, MNHQ held the line to enable this space where women were able to have a discussion.

I know the arguments and concerns over the years but the fact is that this was the only public space for a considerable number of years where a conversation was allowed about what came to be known as gender critical concerns.

This was where women came to gather, to discuss, to learn, to be heard, to form new spaces, to support and to stand strong. It wasn't always a pleasant place to be but it was always a place that was allowed to exist. It stood against the pressure groups, the hate, the doxxing, the pressure of advertisers, Stonewall law and it did so by simply being allowed to exist. The women on here and in the wider world did the rest. It's easy to forget just how difficult it was for MNHQ to hold the line especially when being attacked by all sides.

Thank you.

A thank you from me too

I was directed to the Break It Down For Me thread from another forum. Took me a while to get my head around it all, but so grateful there was a site where facts could be assembled and sensible debate take place. It must have felt like a lonely position running the place at times.

Unless forum rules have been broken, dissenting voices have been allowed to post in a way that is not possible on the likes of Reddit.

A site run by mums for mums was always going to be good at patiently repeating the obvious, dealing with tantrums, not rising to deliberate provocation and clearing up shit.

Heartily agree.

Appreciative for you MNHQ.

@MNHQ

@MNHQ, thank you from me also.

Big thanks from me too.

Thank you MNHQ

Thank you too

I've definitely learned a lot on here so thank you @MNHQ 💐

Thank you

Thank you from me too.

🥂💐MNHQ

Thanks Mumsnet. You didn't always get it right but you held the line. I hope you feel enormous pride that you gave women a voice when nowhere else would

Adding thanks for the bravery in keeping this space open. I haven't contributed much to discussion but read a lot over the years and it helped hugely when I was isolated in these beliefs in my personal life to know there were others out there who were as bemused, frustrated and outraged as I felt.

I was thinking the same thing OP. As a freelance worker in a captured industry I am not able to speak out publicly so MN has been my only means of participating in this debate and keeping up with developments. I know lots of us are in the same boat, and I wonder if today's ruling would have happened without MN providing this platform for thousands of women to read and research; to find out about petitions and consultations and issues to lobby their MPs on, and for the word to spread quietly, from one sofa/kitchen table/woman killing time at football practice or school pick up to another.

As a woman-centred discussion forum it's powerful and pretty unique. Today I read a post in which the poster said 'as a man' and I felt a moment of surprise as it's my default assumption that MN users are female. What a luxury that is, in a world where the default male dominates.

Thank you MNHQ.

I agree! I was kicked out of US groups in early 2020 and came to MN...what a breath of fresh air! You've helped women across the pond with arguments, stamina and the general sense we were not alone.

Another thank you MNHQ, it's hard to be the people swimming against the tide.

Indeed. Some skirmishes were pretty ugly, but overall the space was held open for discussion.

Heartfelt thanks 💐

Mumsnet has given me the confidence to speak, which has, in turn, given others the confidence to do the same. I cannot stress how important that has been within my role at work.

Thank you. This site has provided an invaluable discussion space.

💐 for MNHQ from me too.

Hear hear! Have learned so much from the women in this space who have been allowed to unapologetically talk, discuss, debate, highlight and support. It’s given me the words, logic and facts that have helped me to articulate my own position.

Thank you MNHQ🌻

Five years ago I came here (different account, different name, I lost the ability to access my original one due to an IT glitch a few months ago) for an unrelated reason and was surprised and delighted to find a big cluster of women openly saying, "We're being force-fed a pack of lies about a fundamental aspect of reality and we're not going to stand for it," and being allowed to get on with it subject to a degree of moderation which appears to have loosened up over time. It wasn't just me after all! I have learned so much. I don't have a useful voice of my own but I've been signposted to those who do and shown how best to support them.

A brave corporate decision, and a right one.

Thank you MN for your bravery in standing with women and allowing them to speak - even with restrictions and even when there was impact on you in extra work and threats to ad funding. Thanks to all the women here who have opened my eyes too.

Thank-you from me too.

And a huge thankyou to the women of MN who opened my eyes. And a certain Ms McKinnon, and the ladies who pointed him out.