# "I'm really a girl" (April 1st prank PM) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 1, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519 "2015-04-01T17:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/181 "2015-04-03T01:24:02Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > Why am I supposed to feel and remark positively toward someone who thinks lying to others is inherently fun? Only I don’t think that. It was an April Fools prank. > [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > On facebook people are either your friends or are followers, they have seen your photos, some of them even know who you are in real life, they understand your sense of humour, so when you post something that says: > > It is obvious it is a joke: as everybody knows exactly who you are. If they didn’t know who you were, they wouldn’t have made friends with you. > > But on the Straight Dope most people don’t have a clue who you are. To most people you are a moderator first. And while you may be the recipient of hundreds of private messages I’ve only had about fifteen since I signed up to the dope. So a private message from an authority figure sent on April 2nd (because we don’t all live in the same time zone as you) about an extremely personal thing would be perceived very differently to a facebook post read by your family and friends. You’re right, which is why I already pointed it out and admitted it earlier [in this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18258333&postcount=256) (last part) ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/182 "2015-04-03T01:28:51Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Only I don’t think that. It was an April Fools prank. So it wasn’t fun, or you weren’t lying to people? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/183 "2015-04-03T01:32:49Z")
Her post seemed to imply I have a hobby of lying to people for fun or do it regularly, which is untrue. It’s a specific thing that I only reserve for April first. So if you want to be technical, yeah, I did lie on that date, for that reason. I thought that was kind of the point of April first…to put one over on people sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/184 "2015-04-03T01:41:39Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > You’re right, which is why I already pointed it out and admitted it earlier [in this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18258333&postcount=256) (last part) …that post and my post really bear no relation at all. That post you linked to explains why you thought your post was funny. It wasn’t an acknowledgement of any of the things I talked about in my post. People received a personal “confession” from an authority figure, virtually and literally a stranger, then their private responses were posted here without their permission. The worst thing is you even had an idea that some people might not have wanted their thoughts and words posted here in this thread (as the ATMB got posted first), but you posted this thread anyway. And as you posted as a poster and not a moderator: if someone requests that their private message gets deleted there is no way you can honour that request. > [@](#): > > I thought that was kind of the point of April first…to put one over on people sometimes. It wasn’t April First for many people at all. For many it as the evening or even the very next day. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/185 "2015-04-03T01:57:12Z")
Star date 2647.1 ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/186 "2015-04-03T01:59:56Z")
I don’t think there is a better board to do a prank like this. The fallout from this is just classic. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/187 "2015-04-03T02:00:55Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Despite the phrasing of this post, I am assuming you don’t actually believe that your only choices were to either feel and remark positively, or to respond with nastiness. I may be mistaken. Why shouldn’t I express my thoughts on the topic? This is a message board. It would be even more boring if we all just kept our thoughts to ourselves. There isn’t some weird rule here that I have to compliment or shut up, is there? > [@kayT](#): > > He never said that; he said from the very beginning that it was whoever was on line at the time. How does it make you feel to call someone a liar who is just doing a prank to make people smile? Superior? > > ETA this is for AnaMan Nope, he said otherwise in a message to me. This wasn’t a prank to “make people smile.” It was, at best, thoughtlessly mean-spirited. We message recipients are actual people, not fodder for amusement of others. Laughing at people for trusting and believing you is something I think should be discouraged. I do not feel “superior” when I point out the truth, but yes, I do think it is a poor choice to lie in this manner. > [@cochrane](#): > > Isn’t lying to people for fun the point of April Fool’s Day? The only thing obvious to me is that you seem to lack a sense of humor. I feel sorry for you that you seem to be so deeply offended by it on such a personal level. There was no malice intended in the prank. I didn’t think it was that epic, but all I did was roll my eyes and go about with the rest of my day. Lighten up, Francis. I have an actual sense of humor that is only triggered by things that are funny. I don’t just laugh at random garbage because someone else labelled it as comedy – there has to be actual comedy involved. I’m not “deeply offended” on any level about a lame attempt at a prank that wasn’t amusing. What a dumb accusation. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/188 "2015-04-03T02:05:50Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I can see someone receiving the PM and being in a delicate situation themself, and possibly opening up a little to IT. If that did happen (and maybe IT did not include their reply - points to you if that’s what you did), that person might be feeling a little humiliated right about now. > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > It did…a few times; and those ones I not only did not include, but also messaged the people back to immediately say it was a joke and that I felt kind of bad now. That’s cool you did that, good on ya. Hopefully you aren’t feeling too badly. I don’t think you should. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/189 "2015-04-03T02:07:07Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …that post and my post really bear no relation at all. That post you linked to explains why you thought your post was funny. It wasn’t an acknowledgement of any of the things I talked about in my post. People received a personal “confession” from an authority figure, virtually and literally a stranger, then their private responses were posted here without their permission. The worst thing is you even had an idea that some people might not have wanted their thoughts and words posted here in this thread (as the ATMB got posted first), but you posted this thread anyway. And as you posted as a poster and not a moderator: if someone requests that their private message gets deleted there is no way you can honour that request. > > It wasn’t April First for many people at all. For many it as the evening or even the very next day. The responses are all anonymous, nobody knows who was asked (save for the person themselves). In my opinion, this makes them still fairly private, but YMMV. I do understand your overall point, however. As I’ve already said, I’m not going to be doing anything like this again The evening of April 1st is still April 1st, right? If you really want to split hairs on the times, I sent the first PM at 9am my time. That would have been 12pm at the latest for anyone in the US, 5pm for people in the UK, 6pm for people in a country as far East as France, and only a new day (midnight exactly) for anyone in a country as far East as China/Russia. I don’t really know why it’s considered only the morning time of April first that is allowed to have tricks pulled on it. Is that written somewhere? Only people living in Australia would it have been deep into the next day…but what does that mean? US people aren’t allowed to play April first pranks on people living in Australia? They better avoid some sites such as Google or Youtube, then, which usually run April first pranks all day long, or else they might become confused at what’s going on. “What the heck? Why are they still doing this? It’s April 2nd!” I like to think most people in Australia will understand what’s going on and will be fairly understanding about pranks pulled even though they have moved on, in time, earlier than the rest of the world. After all, i still wish people who live in Australia a Happy Birthday even though it’s sometimes 10am my time, on their birthday and yet their birthday is over for them. _ **TL:DR version:** _ I think all of April 1st is okay for pranks and that Australia/New Zealand people will still get the jist of one. Anyway, I’m going to mostly just read this thread from here on. Forgive me for not posting to it much after this post, because I really don’t know what more I can say to people who don’t understand why it may have been funny or amusing to me. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/190 "2015-04-03T02:10:55Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > Nope, he said otherwise in a message to me. This is untrue. What I said was that most of the people I had sent the prank to (the ones who randomly wound up getting them) I really do like/enjoy the posts of and that that part of the prank message was true. You apparently took/read that to mean that I only sent it to people whose posts I liked, which is not correct. It was random who got it. Whoever was online at the time, basically. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/191 "2015-04-03T02:13:59Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Personally, I hate “he’s a \_\_\_\_\_\_ Nazi” (like grammar Nazi) because of family history it makes my skin crawl. But people use it in a more innocent way than it affects me and even though I’m not wrong, I’m not “right enough” to demand people stop using it. Thank you for mentioning this. I have started using the “I’m an XXXXX Nazi” phrase, not a lot, but I have started using it when referring to me being strict about something. I will stop saying that. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/192 "2015-04-03T02:23:44Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > This is untrue. What I said was that most of the people I had sent the prank to (the ones who randomly wound up getting them) I really do like/enjoy the posts of and that that part of the prank message was true. > > You apparently took/read that to mean that I only sent it to people whose posts I liked, which is not correct. It was random who got it. Whoever was online at the time, basically. Well, you end many sentences with “haha,” so discerning your actual meaning is a bit tricky. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/193 "2015-04-03T02:24:33Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > As I suggested – a suggestion that seems to have been swallowed by a bout of convenient amnesia – this is a facile assumption. My own post was unattributed by you, but\*\* contained internal wording that pointed at me\*\*. Only to you though, Bricker. Only to you. No one else recognized it. (my bold) > [@AnaMen](#): > > I have an actual sense of humor that is only triggered by things that are funny. I don’t just laugh at random garbage because someone else labelled it as comedy – there has to be actual comedy involved. I’m not “deeply offended” on any level about a lame attempt at a prank that wasn’t amusing. What a dumb accusation. Ok, but if you weren’t offended and simply saw this as not being funny, why did you feel the need to respond with nastiness? You certainly come across as being pretty offended. It doesn’t strike me as a dumb accusation at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/194 "2015-04-03T02:32:03Z")
People need to back off. There are a lot of overboard, beyond reasonable replies here. Sheesh, give it a break will ya? I think the points have been made, but in (older) football this would be a 15 yard penalty for “piling on”. Some posters write as if they themselves have never made a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/195 "2015-04-03T02:33:07Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > Why shouldn’t I express my thoughts on the topic? This is a message board. It would be even more boring if we all just kept our thoughts to ourselves. There isn’t some weird rule here that I have to compliment or shut up, is there? There is no such rule, to my knowledge. I’m also not aware of having suggested any such thing. Let’s try again. > [@AnaMen](#): > > While I hardly think the “prank” was horrendously cruel, it was’t even mildly funny. Even a robot could easily compose a more humorous prank. It’s just a pathetic plea for attention by someone who had nothing to say but “look at me”. > [@CheshireKat](#): > > IMO it was a harmless prank; no big surprise on April Fool’s Day. On the other hand, the intentional nastiness toward the OP that has been displayed on some of these posts (like the one above) just astounds me. > [@AnaMen](#): > > Why am I supposed to feel and remark positively toward someone who thinks lying to others is inherently fun? There should be nothing “astounding” about someone pointing out something so obvious. If a joke has no punchline, no twist of the unexpected, and isn’t funny, is it even a joke? > [@Asimovian](#): > > Despite the phrasing of this post, I am assuming you don’t actually believe that your only choices were to either feel and remark positively, or to respond with nastiness. I may be mistaken. So, referring to the quoted posts above, you made a nasty remark, **CheshireKat** mentioned being surprised that you made a nasty remark, and you responded by suggesting that you had no obligation to be positive. I agree that you had no obligation to be positive, but **CheshireKat** made no such suggestion. A number of posters have expressed disagreement and even unhappiness without being nasty. I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/196 "2015-04-03T02:34:29Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > Well, you end many sentences with “haha,” so discerning your actual meaning is a bit tricky. Fair point. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/197 "2015-04-03T02:40:13Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > The responses are all anonymous, nobody knows who was asked (save for the person themselves). In my opinion, this makes them still fairly private, but YMMV. **I do understand your overall point, however.** As I’ve already said, I’m not going to be doing anything like this again …I still don’t think you do, because if you did you wouldn’t have posted this thread after the ATMB one where people said that they didn’t think it was good idea. “Fairly private” is not “actually private.” > [@](#): > > The evening of April 1st is still April 1st, right? …well no it technically isn’t: not for any of the former and present members of the commonwealth any way. April Fools Day ends at midday: and if you prank after midday then “you are the fool.” This has been the way it has always been where I live as long as I’ve known. > **[April Fools' Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools%27_Day)** > > April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is an annual custom on 1 April consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting "April Fools!" at the recipient. Mass media can be involved with these pranks, which may be revealed as such the following day. The custom of setting aside a day for playing harmless pranks upon one's neighbour has been relatively common in the world historically. > Although many theories have been proposed, the exact origin of April Fools' ... > [@](#): > > If you really want to split hairs on the times, I sent the first PM at 9am my time. That would have been 12pm at the latest for anyone in the US, 5pm for people in the UK, 6pm for people in a country as far East as France, and only a new day (midnight exactly) for anyone in a country as far East as China/Russia. > I don’t really know why it’s considered only the morning time of April first that is allowed to have tricks pulled on it. Is that written somewhere? So yep, it wasn’t April Fools Day for nearly everyone that you would have sent that message too. And that misses my point entirely anyway. The point was just because it was obvious to you that this was an April Fools prank because of the date: that doesn’t mean that it was obvious to everyone else. > [@](#): > > Only people living in Australia would it have been deep into the next day…but what does that mean? US people aren’t allowed to play April first pranks on people living in Australia? They better avoid some sites such as Google or Youtube, then, which usually run April first pranks all day long, or else they might become confused at what’s going on. “What the heck? Why are they still doing this? It’s April 2nd!” I live in NZ. I’m simply pointing out to you that the date is irrelevant. You can play whatever jokes you like. But this joke was exceptionally lame, and hard to recognize as an actual joke if people didn’t know you in person. And the punchline was the publishing of people’s private responses to you: which really isn’t very funny at all. > [@](#): > > I like to think most people in Australia will understand what’s going on and will be fairly understanding about pranks pulled even though they have moved on, in time, earlier than the rest of the world. After all, i still wish people who live in Australia a Happy Birthday even though it’s sometimes 10am my time, on their birthday and yet their birthday is over for them. Again this misses the point. I’m not saying don’t pull pranks. I’m saying your “joke” wasn’t obviously a joke just because of the date you sent it. And it is even less obviously a joke to those who live on the other side of the world. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/198 "2015-04-03T02:41:46Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Ok, but if you weren’t offended and simply saw this as not being funny, why did you feel the need to respond with nastiness? You certainly come across as being pretty offended. It doesn’t strike me as a dumb accusation at all. I chose to respond with my actual thoughts. You don’t have to like them. I dislike it when people are randomly mean to others for amusement and I comment on it because my opinion is as valid as anyone else’s, so why shouldn’t I add it? Someone out there might read this and agree with me, so now they know they are not the only one to think so. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/199 "2015-04-03T02:52:03Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > So, referring to the quoted posts above, you made a nasty remark, **CheshireKat** mentioned being surprised that you made a nasty remark, and you responded by suggesting that you had no obligation to be positive. I agree that you had no obligation to be positive, but **CheshireKat** made no such suggestion. A number of posters have expressed disagreement and even unhappiness without being nasty. I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that. Look, I could have made a positive remark, a neutral remark, no remark, or a negative remark. The first two would have been lies, which seems reason enough not to choose them. There are four pages of postings here. Why should I keep _my_ opinion to myself? I didn’t choose to participate in this prank, but since I was chosen, I feel like expressing my opinion. Which is what it is… You see it as “nasty,” but I disagree. I described the situation as I see it. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519/200 "2015-04-03T02:53:15Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > It did…a few times; and those ones I not only did not include, but also messaged the people back to immediately say it was a joke and that I felt kind of bad now. So when you messaged me back and told me I had the best reply, you actually said that to all the guys? You _bitch!!!_ I knew I couldn’t trust you after concealing your gender for so long!1! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-really-a-girl-april-1st-prank-pm/716519.md?page=11)