I'dM like to actually be a contributing member to a board that is more supportive to the women here and nice people who are not problem makers.
Originally Posted by SweetElizabeth
Me too.
There seem to be a fair number of people on this site who make it their job to be mean and demeaning. I imagine that's how they get their kicks. So be it. Nobody can change them or stop them. They are who they are, and an open forum like this depends on its capacity to handle ALL positions and people.
But I'm not sure silence is the right response to harassment and bullying. Silence is implicit agreement. Silence says you don't mind people treating other people like crap. Silence says let this victim be and please go on to the next victim in the next thread.
I do mind. I don't want to be silent. So, when I see people being jerks, I try to say something.
We are all human beings - even the people I think are jerks. We are all part of this underground, counter-culture community exploring ourselves and each other. We are here to have relatively safe, out-of-the-ordinary fun in what can often be a dangerous and unfun environment. We are all here to satisfy our own unique needs and, at the same time, share and learn from each other's experiences and knowledge.
There is no doubt about it. We are all different. I know for a fact that I am looking for different things in a provider than many other people in the community, but that doesn't mean I can't learn from a different voice or a different perspective.
That's what I think people forget. So often on this board, people attack, criticize and ridicule the different instead of learning from it and celebrating it as a unique part of our diverse island of misfit toys.
Let's face it. At its heart, this board is designed for people in the hobby to help each other out, and silence doesn't help anyone.