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Abuse of the gay community and minorities

  • 05-03-2021 11:19pm
    #1
    James Brown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,015 ✭✭✭✭


    Current Affairs/IMHO:
    We've had many many months of people abusing people, using their sexuality, sex and ethnicity to try score points.
    Basically if you criticise someone they'll accuse you of homophobia, misogyny, racism. It's it's own form of abuse and using marginalised groups and individuals.
    This style of commentary belittles the efforts of people genuinely looking to protect such vunerable groups. It's nasty and should be cut out IMO.
    Go look in the various threads, (Maria Bailey/Varadkar Village etc.) and you'll find many examples of this abuse.
    Using the gay community and other groups to try shut down discussion should be addressed IMO.
    Post edited by Shield on


Comments

  • #2
    EmmetSpiceland
    Registered Users Posts: 10,526 ✭✭✭✭EmmetSpiceland


    You know, when I read the first line, and thread title, I assumed it was going to be about the lads claiming to be gay, black, women or trans just to further their own far-right “agenda” and we’d be on the same side.

    But no, it’s just another whinge about “criticism” of people pointing out misogyny, and homophobia, when they see it.

    I’m sorry but this is a ridiculous complaint and one that doesn’t carry much “weight” considering your previous use of the Táinaiste’s, then Taoiseach’s, partner as your boards.ie “handle”.

    A better idea would be for you to rally the “troops” and tell them to lay off the misogyny, homophobia and the, sometimes, racism. It’s not that hard, really. There are enough politics, and policies, to criticise.

    The tide is turning…



  • #3
    Tokyo
    Politics Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,655 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tokyo


    This seems like a really weird hill to die on.

    It could also that members of a marginalized group are more informed about what is perceived as hateful unto them.


  • #4
    blanch152
    Registered Users Posts: 27,174 ✭✭✭✭blanch152


    Inadvertently, the OP has raised an important point that discussion boards do need to consider - how to deal with low-level dog-whistle examples of homophobia, racism and misogyny.

    The example given in the second post of this thread of a user adopting the Tanaiste's partner's name as his username. You wouldn't see the same being done against other politicians being criticised like say Cowen (I had to google to check whether Cowen is married, which just shows). The only justification ever proffered for the username was that it was for a bit of a laugh. I have no doubt that the poster genuinely thought it was funny. However, references to a gay partner can be considered homophobic. For example, look at this from the US election campaign:

    https://www.metroweekly.com/2020/10/lgbtq-victory-fund-condemns-homophobic-dog-whistle-attack-on-congressman-chris-pappas/

    "LGBTQ Victory Fund, which is backing Pappas in his re-election bid, claimed that Mowers’ comments were a “dog whistle” meant to highlight Pappas’ sexual orientation — a common tactic employed against LGBTQ candidates for office."

    Any study of Pappas versus Mowers would see many example of this type of homophobic dog-whistle.

    But leave aside what a poster did or didn't do. The key point is that it was thought that it was just a bit of fun, (and many other posters supported the usage) and this is a clear sign of a lack of awareness. It then turns to what a discussion board can do about it.

    One idea would be an awareness-raising campaign. Perhaps the next time they login every user could need to take a short five-minute training course with a video and some short questions to raise awareness of the issues. All of us need reminding of how words of hate have an effect. It could then be compulsory for new users (would stop the constant re-regs).

    While boards is not as big and influential as Facebook or Twitter, there has recently been a bigger focus on such issues as racism and homophobia. It would be good if boards could lead the way in addressing the issue.


  • #5
    AdrianBalboa
    Closed Accounts Posts: 475 ✭✭AdrianBalboa


    While it would be ideal to have some sort of filter on Boards.ie to prevent racists from registering or posting, it would be unworkable with how the site is at the moment.

    The reality of the situation is that Boards.ie has been in a slow death spiral for the past ten years or so because younger people don't use bulletin boards in favour of social media platforms.

    This means that the user-base is mainly comprised of an older audience who are "set in their ways" and treat any kind of progressive social issues with suspicion. The moderation team and administrators are happy to turn a blind eye towards homophobic and racist dog whistles, so long as they're not crossing arbitrarily defined lines of "civility," in order to keep the clicks and views coming in.

    Therefore a mass of posters can use coded language to refer to PC going mad or "wokies in their safe spaces" but call those same posters for what they are (racists and bigots) and you will be removed from the site for being uncivil.

    Distilled Media, the owners of Boards.ie, are happy to let the site fester and die because of all their strategies for monetising the site, for example the Talk To forums, have failed but I really believe that they are complicit through inaction with the transformation of the social forums of Boards.ie into hatefilled rightwing soapboxes for begrudged misery mongers.

    They should have a long hard think about what they're doing with boards.ie and how it will eventually reflect on the parent company when all of the people like me who stand up against the rightwing snowflakes eventually get tired of of it and the site is overrun with conspiracy nuts and crypto-fascists.

    I have a feeling this well-thought out and relevant post will be removed for some ludicrous zero tolerance rule like that I need to have forty thousand posts to comment, or whatever, so I will end it with this message for the owners of boards.ie: Get your finger out and actually get involved in what's going on with boards.ie.


  • #6
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 75,285 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    It's only a few weeks since we closed the long running Feedback thread on CA. No need for another

    If there are specific issues, start a thread in Help desk. I'm really not sure what the purpose of this thread is

    OP, report and posts you have an issue with


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