[Closed] Would it be good if STW was a more welcoming place for ladies?

lgb - Do you think that any of the [url= http://www.mlehworld.com/mleh3/index.php ]mlehworld[/url] ladies feel belittled or threatened, despite the general tone of that forum? Or that any have left because of it?

Do you feel more welcome over here or over there?

Ok.. Clarification'ist..

Your Sex is irrelevant..(herumph)

Your Attitude is..(cough, cough, pointy finger wag, pointy finger wag)

I'm happily married and consider my sex is irrelevant to you Sir..(ta dahh)

TandemJeremy - Member
littlegirlbunny

[u]I think a part of the issue is that many folk on here do not like to be challenged[/u] so will not accept that the sexism exists on here so see no need to change.

personally I think the sexism will be less tolerated now - at least for a while

Posted 1 minute ago #

I do hope you include yourself in the same category

kinda interested in a response to onions question ^

other than that, this is just another thread begging to be turned into a 400 000 words/post naval gazing bitch fest occupied by the usual suspects - for that reason im out.

I have no issue with being challenged at all bikepawl

And so, another thread descends in to the sort of thing that's really offputting about this place at times.

I do find it sad, however, that two of the regular female posters have gone

I think most people do - hence the enormous thread discussing it and examining if attitudes needed to change.

The consensus (before it disintegrated into nonsense) seemed to be that a little self-moderation might be in order. All healthy stuff I think.

TandemJeremy - Member

I think a part of the issue is that many folk on here do not like to be challenged..

[img] [/img]

Didn't look like that yesterday, in fact you claimed I was being offensive. Maybe that was down to "being offended" was in vogue.

I think part of the issue is that many folk on here think that every post requires their input

Bikepawl - it was the wrong place to explore that issue as this is. You had a basic misunderstanding of the situation you referred to.

You want to explore that email me.

I am quite happy to be challenged however I do find being called a liar repetitively very offensive.

I've forgotten the options.

Yes, it's nice that women use the site. I don't know whether it's welcoming or not. I'd say it is.

I think the biggest turn off, probably more so for women, is how agumentative some of the most regular posters are... personally that style of thread bores me more than work does.

I encounter various levels of sexism towards myself almost daily in real life, it's very seldom meant in malace but there none the less. Generally I will challenge it with the use of humour and/or intelligent reply.

funny thing is... there actually are cycling/mtb forums with Women's sections, as far as I'm aware there are no cycling forums with Male only sections.

would def be better here without pointless polls and endless listing threads. but. 1, 3 & 4 (if I must! but surely it's a no brainer)

TJ my dad's bigger than yours

The Southern Yeti

I think the biggest turn off, probably more so for women, is how agumentative some of the most regular posters are

That's not true!

Prove it!

GW - Member
funny thing is... there actually are cycling/mtb forums with Women's sections, as far as I'm aware there are no cycling forums with Male only sections.

It will never change, as sure as night is day.

Mountain biking attracts a laddish set who are into kit, beer and swearing, and come here with the intent of winding folk up.

This forum attracts all sorts of people, including some middleclass middle aged women, who like my dear mother are prety easily offended.

The final ingredient is the old salwarts and self appointed police of the forum make so much noise about a potential storm in a tea cup that its blown completely out of proportion.

Removing any one of these groups will help, especially the last one.

Maybe if the chat was split into 3

Lads lounge
Ladies lounge
The rest could **** off to the guardian messageboard

This forum represents the sport, which is largely populated by blokes. Blokes together get a bit macho and egotistical. So much so that I stopped riding with certain people because their egos and testosterone controlled their riding. It is a bit 'chicken and egg' because if it were more welcoming to women, more women would be in the sport, therefore the forum would be more balanced.

Sock it to me, Sock it to me, Sock it to me, Sock it to me,

Sock it to me, Sock it to me, Sock it to me, Sock it to me,

Mmm.

Just a little bit...

Wasn't there a whole women-only forum somewhere before it died due to lack of interest?

Prove it!

9/10 women that I work with have just said they don't like arguing.

That's a real life, conclusive, FACT right there.

It needs to be much more welcoming, imo.

I still need contacts in a wider variety of the UK to fill my boots with.

Plenty of love to go around still.

Wanted lady cyclists in Wales, Yorkshire, Norfolk, Surrey and Shropshire. 😀

Ooh baby, just a little bit.

Mark - Resident Grumpy

I think part of the issue is that many folk on here think that every post requires their input

The Landlord's Dilemma: the regulars keep the place going and go some way to defining the likeable character of the pub; but many of them are loud alcoholics and can sometimes put people off coming in.

1

The Southern Yeti - Member

Prove it!

9/10 women that I work with have just said they don't like arguing.

That's a real life, conclusive, FACT right there.

You work with 10 women.

Why are they not at home with babies? 😉

Yes, it's nice that women use the site. I don't know whether it's welcoming or not. I'd say it is.

I'd hope it is.

Why are they not at home with babies?

Give me another 10 months and they will be 🙂

I'd hope it is.

I used to make extra special effort to be as welcoming as possible to anyone that could possibly be female.

9/10 women that I've just asked are still arguing.

The Southern Yeti - Banned

Tiger6791 - Banned

littlegirlbunny - I'd still like an answer to my question 🙂

Tiger - that's ridiculous. Women have a sense of humour too!

The Southern Yeti - Member

I think the biggest turn off, probably more so for women, is how agumentative some of the most regular posters are... personally that style of thread bores me more than work does.

yep.

I think we could do with a lolcatz thread, myself, just to lighten the atmosphere.

but many of them are loud alcoholics and can sometimes put people off coming in.

😆

Yooorrr my bessht mate, you arrre...

(Vomits all down Graham's front. Falls over)

Ooh baby, just a little bit.

I'm liking your work, Wopster. 😉

druidh - Member
littlegirlbunny - I'd still like an answer to my question

TandemJeremy - Member
Bikepawl - it was the wrong place to explore that issue as this is. You had a basic misunderstanding of the situation you referred to.

You want to explore that email me.

I am quite happy to be challenged however I do find being called a liar repetitively very offensive.

Posted 23 minutes ago #

I think we could do with a lolcatz thread

Please God, no. I'd rather chew my own arm off.

Hmm, I get the feeling that we're starting to disappear up our own arses on this one.

GW - Member
druidh - Member
littlegirlbunny - I'd still like an answer to my question
To be fair your question was diercted at "lgb" whoever that is
I'd also be interested in lbg's reply tho.

Oh teh ironing

I think the biggest turn off, probably more so for women, is how agumentative some of the most regular posters are

At the danger of being argumentative or one of the "folk on here think that every post requires their input", I can't imagine anything duller than this forum being full of people agreeing with each other.

Different points of view, opinions, debates and discussion is the main reason I have been coming here for all these years and is why I treasure this little community so much.

think it's perfectly welcoming. however, I don't know any women who are 1. vaguely interested in bikes 2. enough of a geek to ever consider joining stw

The Southern Yeti - Member
I think we could do with a lolcatz thread
Please God, no. I'd rather chew my own arm off.

Too late, although as with all my threads, it's disappearing without a trace.... 😥

miaowing_kat - Member
think it's perfectly welcoming. however, I don't know any women who are 1. vaguely interested in bikes 2. enough of a geek to ever consider joining stw

BINGO......

As I said on page 1, I think there’s nothing wrong with the STW forum(s). And for the record, I’m not male with a girly username, I really am a girl with a girly username for easy identification 😉 ) Some people on here have such a great sense of humour, there are plenty of threads that have me in absolute stitches. If I’m reading a thread that descends into more of an “argument” (if that’s the right word), I just skip the argumentative posts and read the ones that stay on topic – simple! I have also never been offended by reading rude comments about famous women/women in general/men/news stories, and I don’t feel intimidated by any of the “regulars”. Whenever I’ve had a question, I got perfectly friendly and helpful answers. (hehe, guess next time I ask something I’ll get a reply involving my doors 😛 )

Having worked both in a mainly male and then mainly female environment, I can honestly say I preferred the male dominated teams. In my experience women (especially in groups) can be incredibly nasty and backstabbing, I much prefer a rude man telling me things straight, having an argument and sorting out whatever the issue is, than a two-faced woman being all sweet to my face and bitching about me as soon as I’m out of earshot and the actual problem never gets sorted.

End of sermon 😀

PS sharki, whereabouts in Wales do you want to ride 😉 ?

^^^^ am I allowed to swoon.......(genuinely too, not in the usual sarcastic manner on here)

incidentally, I have never really considered the word 'swoon'. It's a great word.

3 - It's a reflection of society which is largely not sexist with some oddities that are stupid and it's largely welcoming of anyone and everything. Jesus, we have people on here with 29" wheels and no gears for christ's sake.

I think a part of the issue is that many folk on here do not like to be challenged so will not accept that the sexism exists on here so see no need to change.

As a non-sexist person I don't find very much of it here. But then I'm not painfully careful not to offend everyone either so maybe I don't notice it.

Please God, no. I'd rather chew my own arm off.

You could just, y'know, not read it? Look,

I just skip the argumentative posts and read the ones that stay on topic – simple!

So simple even a WOMAN can do it!