LGBT Forum feedback

Chuchoter

Not really much of an excuse for attacking all the trans people on the forum by saying they'll never be real men or women. Your signature isn't helping much.

Boston

I don't believe I offered any excuses. Anyway, all horribly off topic so I won't be responding further to this line of enquiry.

anotherlostie

I haven't posted on this forum in a while. I was one of those who wasn't in favour of tacking the T onto the forum. Based on the amount of drama llama threads now, surely there's even more need for a separate forum.

The other thing I'd note is an element of treading on eggshells for the upset trans posters. If the comment directed towards Boston in this thread was made towards one of those posters, there'd be calls for bans. One rule for some, another for the rest?

Annasopra

Crayolo

Less of the comments against other posters please (If you have problems please use the report post button)

Anotherlostie

Back seat modding is not necessary (If you had a problem with crayolostereos post then report it)

Links234

Reading back through this, I found some words of wisdom that I think are extremely relevant right now:

Boston wrote: »

This forum was set up as a safe place for LGBT and LGBT friendly people to discuss LGBT issues. We can talk about the nature of homosexuality, we can talk about the moral fibre of the gay community, infact we can talk about pretty much anything (bar a few topics banned for good reason) you can think of. What isn't allowed is the promotion of homophobic agendas which are dressed up as debate.

Boston's actions have already bullied at least one person off the forum, and if I didn't think some transgender people might come to this forum to look for help and support only to be exposed to such open hostility and transphobia then I'd be out of this forum too. But I'm not going to budge because this should be as Boston himself has said a safe space.

lets not kid ourselves about Boston's intent here either, over the different threads he derailed, he has repeatedly attacked transgender people, repeatedly made statements he knew were offensive and hurtful, and even when everyone was telling him that he being offensive he wouldn't stop. even after myself and Deirdre said we needed breaks from the forum, because it was so upsetting, he still wouldn't stop or even consider that he was doing something wrong. even when he was confronted that he was factually wrong in what he was saying, he wouldn't stop attacking and invalidating trans people.

when the mods made it clear to him that he wasn't going to derail the Trans* Questions thread, what does he go and do? makes an attack on trans people in his signature, which thankfully has been removed now. but that was an incredibly low and spiteful move to make.

after he attacked us in his sig, I've no doubt that he was motivated out of prejudice or outright malice. he knew what he said was deeply offensive and causing a lot of hurt, and after being told not derail another thread, changing his signature was a calculated effort to cause as much hurt as possible. he showed he has nothing but ill intent here, and wants to cause hurt.

In the Trans* Questions thread, Boston asked:

Boston wrote: »

Are we allowed to have a discussion on the nature of gender and the biology sex?

I say yes! Absolutely, a discussion on the nature of gender and the biology of sex would be a great thing to have, and it could be a hugely interesting discussion for all involved. I'm still very open to the idea, and I still think people shouldn't be afraid to ask things about trans people, about transsexuality, as long as it's a respectful discourse.

What I am against is transphobia dressed up as a debate.

Boston isn't interested in a debate, he's arrived at a belief about transgender people, and any discussion we've tried to have, he's pretty much rejected everything we've been saying and instead, continued to bully and brow beat people and say the his position was is right and everyone else is wrong. his calls to ban anyone "with an independent thought process" was a back-handed insult to anyone who disagreed with him. That's not someone looking for a debate.

If anything about this forum should change, then lets put what Boston's previously wise position in the charter, with one small addendum :

What isn't allowed is the promotion of homophobic or transphobic agendas which are dressed up as debate.

That is a position that I think would cover quite a lot of malicious actions, and at the same time protect open discussion and discourse where people are free to engage and talk about all LGBT issues while respecting each other.

This type of bullying should not be openly tolerated.

http://i.imgur.com/s9ggj.png

liah

I reported a couple of his posts and detailed exactly what was wrong with them, I highly suggest everyone else does the same so the mods have a clearer idea of what exactly it is that's driving everyone up the wall.

Links234

anotherlostie wrote: »

The other thing I'd note is an element of treading on eggshells for the upset trans posters. If the comment directed towards Boston in this thread was made towards one of those posters, there'd be calls for bans. One rule for some, another for the rest?

I'd just like to point out that nobody was calling for bans, except for Boston who was calling for himself and others to be banned. the only thing trans people have made calls for is some basic respect and common decency from people who should honestly know better.

Annasopra

I am locking this thread for a few weeks. Requests for a reformed charter are being taken on board.

I know that people are annoyed and pissed off and personally upset and I know that a lot of what has gone on has been abusive.

I have given out some infractions over the last day or two (including to Boston)

Can I just ask for some general calmness on the forum and if a post is abusive in any way could you please report it