Acess to the women's forum

[availpunk9]

Can I please get access to the women's forum. I just purchased my wife a TREK WSD and need input on saddle recommendations.

[East Hill]

Your wife can get access, but unfortunately, you cannot :( .

Perhaps I can help?

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/My%20bikes/IMG_2345-1-1.jpg

Send me a PM!

East Hill

[donnamb]

If she would like to join Bike Forums and have access, she is welcome to send me a PM.

[blonduathlongrl]

Can I please get access to the women's forum. I just purchased my wife a TREK WSD and need input on saddle recommendations.

it's hard to pick a saddle of choice for your wife since that will have to be determined by her and her own experience on one.
You can also post your question in the road forum, that gets ask quite often. I myself love the terry butterfly and it has gotten great reviews by many. There are woman who frequent the road forum as well and have different opinions about what saddle works best for them.
doesnt hurt to ask in the road forum and if you do a search you will see that this topic has been covered in there and find other opinions
.
good luck and happy riding with your wife!

[Catweazle]

Serious questions here.

Firstly, why is it necessary to even have a 'Women's forum'? If it's misogyny being countered then surely the creation of a 'women only zone' is little other than an exercise in back-handedly endorsing the misogyny, rather than addressing and combatting it? There's no suggestion, far as I can see, to have 'exclusive' zones for ethnic, religious or other sub-groups within the forum community. Prejudice and negativity of that nature is considered undesirable behaviour, as it should be, and I'd have thought misogyny would be subject to the same sort of principles in the way it was addressed.

Secondly, even if it's deemed appropriate to have a 'Women's section' why would it be relevent to place 'Which saddle should my wife use?" questions there? Should we perhaps also have a 'Men's section', so the consideration of saddles can be hidden from view in case they slip into being discussion of the comfort of one's 'private parts'? Such topics often do, on this board, and I've not seen any indication that it's undesirable for them to so so.



As said, serious question. I don't think that the presence and maintenance of a 'Women's section' is necessarily a 'good thing', and I'm not a bloke who is ignorant of the issues, concerns and considerations of women in today's world. I'd love to hear more of the reasoning and purpose seen in relation to it here.

[East Hill]

As said, serious question. I don't think that the presence and maintenance of a 'Women's section' is necessarily a 'good thing', and I'm not a bloke who is ignorant of the issues, concerns and considerations of women in today's world. I'd love to hear more of the reasoning and purpose seen in relation to it here.

If you saw some of the topics we discuss, you would know why a Women's section exists. There are many women who would really rather not discuss extremely private matters in public. The forum exists for them.

East Hill

[Catweazle]

heh heh....

Not trying to deny that there could be good reason for it, East Hill, but that's not what I'm getting at here.

It took a member to explain that the topic could be posted in general sections of the forum, after the query was posted. Your own post and donnamb's post seemed to suggest that the bloke should be getting his wife to ask the question. Not intentionally, of course - the error is in the omission.

donnamb's comment wasn't:

"If your wife wants to discuss the matter in a manner not really intended for mixed company she can sign up and get access!"

[donnamb]

Short answer: because some women post about cycling topics that they desperately need to learn more about but are completely irrelevant to men, or embarrass the heck out of them. The same subjects also seem to bring out the absolute worst in men who otherwise are perfectly well-behaved members. Why this is so I cannot tell you, but I have seen it happen on the general forums more than once and it's really not a pleasant experience for anyone. Rather than see lots of women defect en masse to a competing internet cycling forum that shall remain nameless, we have the Women's Forum. Some women never post there, while others use it when they need to. A very, very small number will not post any place else.

There are periodic discussions about a Men's Forum. Strangely enough, every single male moderator and administrator flat out refuses to have anything to do with such a forum. I have no idea why, though I'm sure they have their reasons.

[donnamb]

Incidentally, whenever a female moderator comes across a guy looking for information on women's stuff, we create a link to the Women's Forum so that as many women as possible see it to post replies.

[Catweazle]

That's good and well, but it doesn't address the failure to point out to the bloke posting that the topic and question could be put in a general section and would be appropriate to have there.

[East Hill]

That's good and well, but it doesn't address the failure to point out to the bloke posting that the topic and question could be put in a general section and would be appropriate to have there.


Generally when a woman asks about saddles, she would like to hear from WOMEN who have ridden the saddles. Even when a male significant other is asking, he wants to hear from WOMEN. True, the General Cycling forum would generate some answers, but even when the OP has specifically asked that WOMEN only answer, men chime in. Sometimes the chiming is rude, sometimes it's even been quite offensive.

The above is not necessarily true in all cases, but it happens often enough that a decision was made to have a Women's Cycling forum.

When every man here does his part in unconditionally welcoming women to experience the joys of cycling, without harassment, then the Women's Cycling forum will no longer serve a purpose.

You can help by recognising misogyny when you see it, and perhaps even gently nudge the poster into a more helpful, welcoming attitude.


East Hill

[Catweazle]

When every man here does his part in unconditionally welcoming women to experience the joys of cycling, without harassment, then the Women's Cycling forum will no longer serve a purpose.

You can help by recognising misogyny when you see it, and perhaps even gently nudge the poster into a more helpful, welcoming attitude.


East Hill


Ain't going to happen, and it isn't realistic to expect that it ever would. Doesn't matter if it's misogyny or any other such 'unacceptable' behaviour. You're not going to change everybody's outlook, and you'll always strike people who step over the line of acceptability.

If it's not wanted here then don't tolerate it here. I, for one, am a bloke who doesn't think it really matters that the rest of a person's postings show "who otherwise are perfectly well-behaved members". That particular content - harrassment/prejudice etc toward women - is intolerable. Start addressing it head-on and I'll be happy to flag any such content I come across, but please don't suggest that it's all and only my responsibility to address the matter, because I'm a 'man'. That's unfair and it's also unrealistic.

It's a board supervision issue I'm seeing here, and what comes across as a failure to thus far confront it directly. I'd suspect there are quite a few other blokes around here who would think similarly, and who like me do not like seeing misogyny, racism or any other such intolerance, and who like me would be more than happy to flag unsavoury content in the event that genuine effort to eradicate it was made.


None of that, by the way, is an exercise in suggesting that a 'Women's section' would be or is unnecessary. It's all just saying that such a thing isn't the best way to address harrassment of women on the board. Fair enough to have a section for 'women only' discussion, but if it's a section which women perceive that they need to run to in order to avoid harrassment then that's surely an indication that not enough is being done to confront the harrassment occurring.

:D

[Mr. Smashy]

There are periodic discussions about a Men's Forum. Strangely enough, every single male moderator and administrator flat out refuses to have anything to do with such a forum. I have no idea why, though I'm sure they have their reasons.

Nothing cycling related would be discussed in a Men's forum here.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

and it would turn into a major "Sausagefest" and this would become unmanageable without strong sanctions being issued, and in the long run, that would be bad for the community as a whole.

[Sixty Fiver]

I can understand why there is a women's only forum... there is stuff we don't need to know and don't want to know.

availpunk - Unless you are a woman you aren't getting a key, but your wife can have one.

[East Hill]

If it's not wanted here then don't tolerate it here. I, for one, am a bloke who doesn't think it really matters that the rest of a person's postings show "who otherwise are perfectly well-behaved members". That particular content - harrassment/prejudice etc toward women - is intolerable. Start addressing it head-on and I'll be happy to flag any such content I come across, but please don't suggest that it's all and only my responsibility to address the matter, because I'm a 'man'. That's unfair and it's also unrealistic.

It's a board supervision issue I'm seeing here, and what comes across as a failure to thus far confront it directly. I'd suspect there are quite a few other blokes around here who would think similarly, and who like me do not like seeing misogyny, racism or any other such intolerance, and who like me would be more than happy to flag unsavoury content in the event that genuine effort to eradicate it was made.




The responsibility is not solely on your shoulders, but your assistance in helping is invaluable. Feel free to hit the 'report this post' at any time.

I am puzzled as to why would you think that there is not an interest in eradicating this type of behaviour?

Once again, any time you see behaviour which strikes you as unsavoury, please speak up on behalf of our community. It benefits all of us when someone takes the time, and makes the effort to take a stand.

East Hill

[Catweazle]

I am puzzled as to why would you think that there is not an interest in eradicating this type of behaviour?

Please don't get me wrong, East Hill. That's not really what I've been saying. I was trying to draw out comment indicating whether or not the provision of a 'women's section' is seen as (in part at least) a mechanism for protecting women against prejudice, harrassment and negativity on this board, and if so trying to point out that it's an approach which skirts around the issue rather than confronts it.

That's all. We're pointed at the same station here. We're just sitting in different trains! :D

[Little Darwin]

I don't usually come down into the News & Suggestions section.

I agree that a men's only forum would be an area I wouldn't even bother with... there is too much testosterone rich content in some of the forums already. I also have no conceptual problem with a women's only area, although I must admit to being curious at times and would like to venture in just to see what is happening in there... I do agree that it is somewhat shameful that some women do feel unsafe in the general areas. But, on a positive note, I do think, whether just my perception or reality, that I see a few more females in the general population now than when I first joined... Not enough, but a little better.

However, my real curiosity is...

What would the moderators' view be in general to general disrespect being flagged by users? I am not talking about obvious name calling...

Frankly, to take just the first three that come to mind... if one were to flag every post in certain forums that had misogynistic, homophobic or racist comments, the moderators could be quickly overwhelmed.

Of course, I would assume that a certain number of posts reported would lead to no action, but they would still take a small amount of a moderator's time.

In thinking about it as I type this message, I must admit, I feel that I haven't done my job as a forum member in flagging messages I have found offensive.

But, sometimes I can get carried away... If I start flagging messages, can I count on a moderator gently pulling me to the side and letting me know if I go overboard? I am definitely not a prude, nor into thought control, but I do agree that some of what is discussed (or how it is discuessed) in these forums is not productive to cycling.

[Peedtm]

LD,
Those reports are said to be anonymous so no, no one will check you.

edit: hehe. Never mind. I thought I remembered the report box having a message saying your report will remain anonymous (that msg is changed or never was,) but I suppose all that means is that your reports will not be made public.

[donnamb]

But, sometimes I can get carried away... If I start flagging messages, can I count on a moderator gently pulling me to the side and letting me know if I go overboard?
Absolutely.