Thread: What do you lot think?

I start this thread more to find out what others think than anything else. I know what my reaction was to the thread. And after some thought my feeling has not drastically changed. Allow me to explain.

I clicked on a thread recently entitled 'Women on the forum'. The link for it can be found here;

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showt...980#post198980

The basic jist is that Don seems to be looking for how many female lurkers and members we have and whether there is an opening for a female section. What got me in his first post was the (not idle as you will see) threat that posts by males will be deleted. You cant miss it, its in the first post in BIG HUGE BLACK LETTERS

Now my knee-jerk reaction to this was 'Hang on a minute thats grossly unfair'. Why would we start having ladies only threads? Despite Dons threat I did reply with the following post....

Posted:

I'm well aware that this post will be deleted but I feel I should point out anyone the unfairness of the nature of the thread. I see the purpose of it but what you wish it to do Don there are other ways to go about it. And to the ladies who read this thread before Don deletes it I have to ask- how would you feel if you clicked on a thread where the first post said 'Ladies dont post as your entries will just be deleted'?

Comment over. Feel free to delete this post Don. I'll speak to some of the other mods about it anyway.

Ciao.


End Post:

You wont find the post there. It has since been deleted by another mod. After this I went to flashchat where I met and spoke to said mod- Doc.

Doc read the thread and as expected deleted my post. He offered a range of comments- some more helpful than others (ranging from 'sometimes people need a place of their own' to 'do you wine about the ladies having their own restroom?')

Now I will offer you both sides of the argument as I see them. Firstly I can see that yes there will be ladies out there timid and not wanting to speak. I have spoken through PM to some ladies who have been members for months before plucking up courage to chat. I can see how this might be a difficult subject for them.

I also however see other arguments here. Its something about freedom of speech. A case of discrimination and equality. We wouldnt start threads where the first post restricted only men to post there? Or would we?

IMHO the beauty of a forum is that is inclusive and accepting. This is of course a gentlemans forum so you'd hope we would be accepting and welcoming! I spoke with doc and gugi about this and both seemed to not care (correct me if i'm wrong guys) but to me this seems an important issue.

I start this thread not to pick a fight or have an argument. I simply want to find out how others of you feel. I'd like to know how other mods feel about this issue. I would also be particularly interested to find out what the women of the forum think. And I think I can guarantee that your posts wont be deleted

It also came up that this might be a good opportunity to introduce private forums? Or thread restrictions? Perhaps thread limitations.... like you have to be a male/female to read/post in thread 'x'. Or you have to be a member for 'x' time before you can read post in the thread.....

Just some issues for you to think about. Let me know your opinions.

Segregation is not the way I would go - inclusive integration every time. I think the ladies feel that way from what I read too? This could lead down a variety of paths that don't need to be trod as you suggest Sandy. This is not a mens club that needs to make concessions for todays world with a little area set aside for women. It is an inclusive club for all - don't make them feel strange. Nothing wrong with a gender forum but everybody certainly can access - strange if the guys are only voyeurs. I see what is trying to be achieved here but it needs careful attention to avoid grief and counter production IMHO.

Sydney, my first thoughts were exactly the same as yours. I can see what Don is trying to do and appreciate that it must be hell on earth, there is no easy answer. Stuck between a rock and a hard place and both of them wielding a straight razor !
I refrained from posting due to said warning but I felt that, especially when Don made suggestions about how to go about starting off a ladies forum, that the restriction on men posting became somehow wrong.

As far as post restrictions I could see a good use for "you must have been a member for x months and have posted at least y times" before you can start a thread in B/S/T, or perhaps you could make it so that you can only start a thread in B/S/T if you've made a donation. Other than that private conversations are what "Private Messages" are for I'm not sure I see a place for limited access groups or threads here

Barney

I guess as far as thread restrictions go i'm still with Makar. 100% inclusion, no exceptions or rules. I joined SRP agreeing to the conditions at the time. If the goal posts are to be moved perhaps everyone has the right to know this- perhaps a PM to everyone if changes are to be made......?

IMHO this is silly. Why must we have this discussion about another thread in this thread?

Looks like Scots have little to do on a Sunday morning - ahem - back to the assignment...

Was just thinking - with Barney, Garry, yourself Sandy (there are a few others too from up here) - there is almost enough folk for a wee summer meet somewhere central beltish. Doing home study as well as frequenting here - my life is just too virtual right now. Need to talk to real people...

Hehe, I'm happy enough that they are going to create a womens only forum.

If the chicas want to chat to us hunks, they can do so in the other 99% 'men dominant' forums. Sometimes they just wanna have a girly chat.

You ever been at a friends house where you just grab a beer and have a bevvy with the other husband/partner in another room or outside... just so the girls can have a girly chat? (hell, it's just an excuse to have a man 2 man chin wag really, but it's good to play along)

I guess that's just what they're tryna create here.

Just my 2c. YYMV.

Originally Posted by Makar

Looks like Scots have little to do on a Sunday morning - ahem - back to the assignment...

Was just thinking - with Barney, Garry, yourself Sandy (there are a few others too from up here) - there is almost enough folk for a wee summer meet somewhere central beltish. Doing home study as well as frequenting here - my life is just too virtual right now. Need to talk to real people...

Could be an idea.

Listen, the intent is not so much to create a forum where only ladies can post.

The thread you are getting upset about is to get the women of this forum -including any possible lurkers- to come out and introduce themselves / talk about what they think about a ladies corner that deals specifically with female issues (lets not get into specifics right now)

The reason Don is asking the males not to post is that we want to hear from the ladies. If Don didn't ask, it would probably end up looking like the project coochie razor thread, with 200 posts of males and a handful posts of ladies who'd rather not post in a thread with half a dozen guys asking for pic of the areas to be shaved.

The reason for Don's thread is specifically to get the ladies perspective on creating a ladies corner.

Originally Posted by poona

Hehe, I'm happy enough that they are going to create a womens only forum.

If the chicas want to chat to us hunks, they can do so in the other 99% 'men dominant' forums. Sometimes they just wanna have a girly chat.

You ever been at a friends house where you just grab a beer and have a bevvy with the other husband/partner in another room or outside... just so the girls can have a girly chat? (hell, it's just an excuse to have a man 2 man chin wag really, but it's good to play along)

I guess that's just what they're tryna create here.

Just my 2c. YYMV.

I don't disagree in principle, but haven't you ever spent some time just chinwagging with several ladies ... can definitely be fun for both genders.

[

Originally Posted by Bruno

Listen, the intent is not so much to create a forum where only ladies can post.

The thread you are getting upset about is to get the women of this forum -including any possible lurkers- to come out and introduce themselves / talk about what they think about a ladies corner that deals specifically with female issues (lets not get into specifics right now)

The reason Don is asking the males not to post is that we want to hear from the ladies. If Don didn't ask, it would probably end up looking like the project coochie razor thread, with 200 posts of males and a handful posts of ladies who'd rather not post in a thread with half a dozen guys asking for pic of the areas to be shaved.

The reason for Don's thread is specifically to get the ladies perspective on creating a ladies corner.

I don't think anyone is upset or getting their nickers in a twist over it just having some healthy debate, besides it's Sunday morning an the wife and kids have been away for the last week and a half and I'm bored.

It is good that the ladies be included and have somewhere to chat that is more focused to their needs. As you said we wouldn't want it to be like the project coochie thread or even the calling all women thread that Viola started, in which I even posted reminding the guys posting to keep it on track but which seems to have gone slightly off topic, a process in which I also took part in to my embarrassment (though the topic drift has as much to do with the ladies posting as the guys).
The important thing is the ladies feel like they are welcomed.

Barney

Originally Posted by barneycg

I don't disagree in principle, but haven't you ever spent some time just chinwagging with several ladies ... can definitely be fun for both genders.

Of course I have. I'm not some neanderthal. haha

You're right about the 'fun' part of having a chat with the opposite sex for sure.

My point was just that with regard to the forum, it's ok to let women have a chat amongst themselves on occasions. And perhaps creating a section/forum (call it as you wish) might just be a good idea to let them have a yarn without male intrusion.

Unless you're really paranoid they're talking about you!!!