Feedback requested "...bitch..."

Karoma

There's a thread title in After Hours: "Swallow bitch, its for your health!"
We have received one or two reported posts (literally) complaining about the "misogynistic" thread title.

I can understand that some will take offense at the title (and maybe the content) of the thread; that does not necessarily mean it's offensive.
To those of you offended, I ask: why didn't you report the thread?

Where do we draw the line re: language used?








No action has been taken up to this point as I don't see any malice in the OP's intentions, there has been a disproportionate number of reports to the number of views of the thread, and because I don't want a Politically Correct AH or to be accused of it, etc.
The thread has been moved to Feedback where the moderation is out of AH moderators hands.
There is an anonymous poll added - if you're going to post, please back your post/vote up with something worthwhile.

brianthebard

Not offended and think it was quite obvious that the title was ironic.

GhostInTheRuins

If people are offended by stuff like that then AH is not the place for them quite frankly

Karoma

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

If people are offended by stuff like that then AH is not the place for them quite frankly

One of the arguments so far has been that the thread title appears on the front page, and is seen by those who would otherwise ignore the thread and AH.

Caoimhín

I suppose some older lady members may be a bit put out by it. Although i never like any lady being addressed as a bitch, in the context of the post i think it is reasonable if a little crude.

But i think Karoma wont pay any heed of my opinion in light of my comments regarding a certain train trip.

4zn76tysfajdxp

This really is a non-issue, it's After Hours ffs.

Nerin

I'm not offended by it,and see it as a joke. But if people are offended i can understand why. Its hard to decide whats allowed in AH i guess,i try to steer clear of it,because some of the responses there annoy me,and i wouldn't bother reporting them,due to the type of attitude displayed by ghost in the ruins. Screw that,telling people they should keep out of Ah discussions if they don't like those types of responses is silly.

Havermeyer

I didn't find it offensive. Title is a bit tongue in cheek IMO.

No offense intended.

lordgoat

I don't post in AH but i do browse when bored. The thread prob isn't offensive to regular posters but i think the OP went for a shock value title. That said the use of bitch in such fashion would probably result in a ban on any other fora.

mikedragon32

easily shocked pc crowd wrote:

The interwebs burnses meh eyes!

It's a harmless and humorous title in the context. Some folk are just looking to be offended, imho.

Nevyn

Wow and the this thread title is not skewing the debate or feed back ?
grow up.
and there you were laughing at me saying that people don't report posts in AH due to the attitude of the mods, thank you for such a prime example.

AlmightyCushion

If the thread title had bastard in it, I'd doubt anyone would have complained.

For example I don't remember anyone complaining about the use of the word bastard in these threads.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055386291&highlight=bastard
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055381921&highlight=bastard

Used in a similar way to the way bitch was used on that thread yet no-one deemed it offensive. Double standards.

tbh

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

If the thread title had bastard in it, I'd doubt anyone would have complained.

I think Kevin Myers might have a story to tell you about a similar situation

Nerin

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

If the thread title had bastard in it, I'd doubt anyone would have complained.

For example I don't remember anyone complaining about the use of the word bastard in these threads.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055386291&highlight=bastard
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055381921&highlight=bastard

Used in a similar way to the way bitch was used on that thread yet no-one deemed it offensive. Double standards.

again? If people don't report and complain, whats ve point bringing it up. Guys weren't offended,or didn't bring it up. But when someone is offended,how can you use 'well this didn't offend,double standards etc' as an excuse?

Nevyn

Diffference in thread title and thread content.

AlmightyCushion the context of those two threads are completely different to the one that this thread is about.

tony1kenobi

If the thread title was in the animals and pet issues forum it wouldn't raise a hair. It is the title, subject and content together that makes it offensive to those offended. This means that they read some portion of the thread before reporting it. It is one of those occasions when a book should have been judged by its cover. I don't watch medical programs on tv because I don't find someone having their bits torn open entertaining....I am also a pussy. So any shows that fall into that category stay off my telly.....and I don't feel the need to complain that that I puked in my dinner at the sight of someone having fat sucked out of their stomach. I also don't watch Americas Next Top Model....but that's because it's dung.

Havermeyer

Karoma wrote: »

One of the arguments so far has been that the thread title appears on the front page, and is seen by those who would otherwise ignore the thread and AH.

There was a thread in AH recently entitled "Would you travel to peru to eat pussy". This was on the front page also.

A title like this could also offend someone not familiar with AH.

Any complaints about this? Or are people picking and choosing what they complain about?

RobertFoster

So "bitch" is a bad word again? Good to be back in primary school.

The title on its own could be seen as offensive. However, given the context of the thread and the forum itself, you can see the OP was going for humour, albeit a little crude.

"YORE MA" could be seen as offensive too, but are there many reported posts about that?

AlmightyCushion

Nerin wrote: »

again? If people don't report and complain, whats ve point bringing it up. Guys weren't offended,or didn't bring it up. But when someone is offended,how can you use 'well this didn't offend,double standards etc' as an excuse?

Karoma isn't asking about offensiveness. He's asking about where we should draw the line with regards to language used. Bastard is pretty similar a word to bitch, yet the same people who don't like the use of the word bitch don't protest the use of the word bastard.

Dudess

Wow! 19 posts and no "political correctness gone mad" comments!

Nevyn

nummnutts wrote: »

There was a thread in AH recently entitled "Would you travel to peru to eat pussy". This was on the front page also.

A title like this could also offend someone not familiar with AH.

Wow AH poster who can't tell the difference between bawdy humour with a double entendre and offensive and degoratory statement.

chalad07

Sorry i'm new to all this, but i was under the impression that After Hours was supposed to be tongue in cheek and not really meant for serious discussions.

As far as i can see if it's not taken seriously then it shouldnt be construed as offensive. It's not as if the guy who started this was being misogynistic, or trying to offend the fairer sex,

Storm in a teacup,

Nevyn

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Karoma isn't asking about offensiveness. He's asking about where we should draw the line with regards to language used. Bastard is pretty similar a word to bitch, yet the same people who don't like the use of the word bitch don't protest the use of the word bastard.

You are stripping the context and connotation of the phrase by trying to make it a simple matter of bitch vs bastard.

It is the use of the term bitch in the context of the thread title which is derogatory.

Havermeyer

Wow AH poster who can't tell the difference between bawdy humour with a double entendre and offensive and degoratory statement.

Before you go jumping to conclusions there, if you understood my post correctly, you'd see that yes I am an Ah poster. I get the joke. But regarding the argument about this thread title appearing on the front page, people who don't read AH might not get your little double entendre.

Karl Hungus

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

If people are offended by stuff like that then THE INTERNET is not the place for them quite frankly

Fixed your post.

GhostInTheRuins

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Fixed your post.

Dead on

Bob the Builder

Don't you just love the Politically-Correct Patrol...
You're dammed if you do, and if you don't, then your not informing people of important sexual health issues.

RobertFoster

Dudess wrote: »

Wow! 19 posts and no "political correctness gone mad" comments!

OMG! You're so disable-ist!

Nehaxak

Stop linking threads and titles from threads from AH on the main page then ?
You have to protect your business (boards.ie) and understand that there may well be some people who use the boards that would take offense at the thread title, without even reading the content.

I don't find the words nor the content offensive but I would understand how some others might, especially those that never ventured into AH before or those that might have a reserved or conservative view on this type of thing.

Thread could equally have been about female dogs though I know it wasn't but still. Seen plenty of other comments (mostly from trolls) in threads within AH that I have taken offense at. The word "bitch" is extremely mild when compared.

AlmightyCushion

Thaedydal wrote: »

You are stripping the context and connotation of the phrase by trying to make it a simple matter of bitch vs bastard.

It is the use of the term bitch in the context of the thread title which is derogatory.

Well as I have said numerous times before when things like this arise, if someone was to refer to men as bastards/cúnts/whatever I wouldn't remove it either.

Nehaxak

Could also change the word "bitch" to "fag" and the contents of the story within to refer to gays instead of women - bet you wouldn't get as many complaints then.

Or maybe you would...

I dunno