# Lower share of female regulars. What to do? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 7, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612 "2018-06-07T16:44:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/41 "2018-06-07T20:43:40Z")
**Moderator Note** The OP is about sexism and bias on the SDMB. It is not about the Pit and how welcoming (or not) it is to newbies. If you want to discuss the Pit, please start a different thread. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/42 "2018-06-07T20:55:56Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > **Moderator Note** > > The OP is about sexism and bias on the SDMB. It is not about the Pit and how welcoming (or not) it is to newbies. If you want to discuss the Pit, please start a different thread. The OP was noting the lower share of female posters as determined by a poll and asked an open-ended and general question concerning root causes. But if you are deciding that it’s implicitly restricted to only sexist content fine. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/43 "2018-06-07T21:31:12Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > The OP was noting the lower share of female posters as determined by a poll and asked an open-ended and general question concerning root causes. No, you are wrong. If you read the whole OP you’d have come to the part where they take the word of female Dopers as a given, and then asks the question of how to address **that**. The OP does not delve into any other root causes. > [@DSeid](#): > > Let’s start with establishing the premise.[…] these polls demonstrate pretty conclusively that our female membership is trending significantly downwards over time. […] > Why has such occurred? […]there are many female Dopers stating that they find the current atmosphere to be off-putting to their enjoying spending time here.[…] > > Should acton be taken to address this trend? If so what action? > > Should more be covered under “don’t be a jerk”? […] > > Other ideas than that broader interpretation of the jerk rule? There is no “open-ended and general question concerning root causes”, only questions about possible actions. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/44 "2018-06-07T21:32:28Z")
“See girls, ya don’t understand what the real problem is!” CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/45 "2018-06-07T21:43:30Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > No, you are wrong. If you read the whole OP you’d have come to the part where they take the word of female Dopers as a given, and then asks the question of how to address **that**. The OP does not delve into any other root causes. > There is no “open-ended and general question concerning root causes”, only questions about possible actions. I stand corrected. A general question about possible actions. Thank you MrDibble. But on the perceived sexist content outside of a general prohibition on it how do you eliminate content that is of interest to a lot of folks? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/46 "2018-06-07T22:14:27Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Perhaps a relevant question is how the SDMB is doing compared to other boards. > > For instance, the Giraffe Boards are a spin-off of this one. Do they have significantly more female regulars? IIUC they are less moderated than the Dope. The Giraffe boards have led active harassment and internet stalking campaigns vs two woman here I know of. The kind of stuff which is actually,\* illegal. \* In at least one case they dragged it over here and were smacked down for it. So, I would guess, that\* no\*, they arent more female friendly. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/47 "2018-06-07T22:19:23Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Let’s start with establishing the premise. > > [Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb...lts&pollid=483) [separate](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb...ults&pollid=44) polls about eight years both showed at that time a gender distribution of about 35 to 41% female (one with various options) and male of about 57%. > > [Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=856217) [recent](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb...d.php?t=830200) polls show numbers 28ish% female, and about 70 to 72% male now. > > Understood that polls may not reflect reality but whatever bias they have is likely consistent and together these polls demonstrate pretty conclusively that our female membership is trending significantly downwards over time. That in fact surprised me but it is clearly the case. I dont think you have any real solid evidence that that has occurred. I doubt that it has. Self ID’ed polls are not good data. I post on a number of boards, and this board is pretty darn female friendly, only one other board would i say is more friendly, and that is run by females. Admittedly, in the old days, whenever a female posted “I am large chested” they’d get a number of posts like “pics or it didnt happen” and “cite”. But that has stopped, as far I can see. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/48 "2018-06-07T22:20:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The Giraffe boards have led active harassment and internet stalking campaigns vs two woman here I know of. The kind of stuff which is actually,\* illegal. \* In at least one case they dragged it over here and were smacked down for it. > > So, I would guess, that\* no\*, they arent more female friendly. Your guess is incorrect. My viewpoint has been welcomed and is shared by most of the other members. I have no knowledge of those two incidents, but reading your mischaracterization of how that board treats women, I’m certain there must be much more to them. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/49 "2018-06-07T22:23:46Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > Your guess is incorrect. My viewpoint has been welcomed and is shared by most of the other members. I have no knowledge of those two incidents, but reading your mischaracterization of how that board treats women, I’m certain there must be much more to them. Sure, anything to dump on the SDMB. If you went over and posted _anything_ bad about this board, they’d all fall all over themselves agreeing with you. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/50 "2018-06-07T22:31:36Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > But the rising activity of MRA-types on the internet in the last decade has certainly led to more threads about that ilk. There’s nothing wrong with Male Rights. Men have rights just as much as women do, and those rights need defending. Men are not second-class citizens, just as women are not second-class citizens. Equal rights means equal rights, not rights that favour one sex or the other. For instance, I read recently that about 20% of rape trials in the UK involve rape of males. Unfortunately I’ve lost the link. Those male victims need the same care and defence as female victims. > [@](#): > > Generally all of those discussions ends up dripping with misogyny, Again I beg to differ. At least on the Dope - I can’t speak for elsewhere. Here they often end up with scorn of the MRAs and a hefty dose of misandry. Actually, it all reminds me of the attitudes to women’s rights in the 70s and 80s. This board is very intolerant of dissent - any dissent - and I wonder if that is putting off women? ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/51 "2018-06-07T22:49:44Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > There’s nothing wrong with Male Rights. Men have rights just as much as women do, and those rights need defending. Men are not second-class citizens, just as women are not second-class citizens. Equal rights means equal rights, not rights that favour one sex or the other. For instance, I read recently that about 20% of rape trials in the UK involve rape of males. Unfortunately I’ve lost the link. Those male victims need the same care and defence as female victims. > > Again I beg to differ. At least on the Dope - I can’t speak for elsewhere. Here they often end up with scorn of the MRAs and a hefty dose of misandry. > > Actually, it all reminds me of the attitudes to women’s rights in the 70s and 80s. > > **This board is very intolerant of dissent - any dissent - and I wonder if that is putting off women?** To what I’ve bolded: No. I think you’ll find that most of us are just as concerned about male rape as well as female rape. I agree that it needs more attention. I also think that because of the rules of masculinity that box you in, men are afraid to come forward if it happens to them. I really wish that would change. But as for your comments about men’s rights…You’re the dominant group. Your rights are the ones that already take precedence over women’s _by default_. You seem to be taking the position that because we’re talking about ours, it diminishes yours somehow. It doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/52 "2018-06-07T22:51:04Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Sure, anything to dump on the SDMB. If you went over and posted _anything_ bad about this board, they’d all fall all over themselves agreeing with you. I don’t agree with this. I know that a number of people who post here are held in very high regard. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/53 "2018-06-07T22:59:29Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > There’s nothing wrong with Male Rights. Men have rights just as much as women do, and those rights need defending. Men are not second-class citizens, just as women are not second-class citizens. Equal rights means equal rights, not rights that favour one sex or the other. For instance, I read recently that about 20% of rape trials in the UK involve rape of males. Unfortunately I’ve lost the link. Those male victims need the same care and defence as female victims. > > Again I beg to differ. At least on the Dope - I can’t speak for elsewhere. Here they often end up with scorn of the MRAs and a hefty dose of misandry. > > Actually, it all reminds me of the attitudes to women’s rights in the 70s and 80s. > > This board is very intolerant of dissent - any dissent - and I wonder if that is putting off women? You could wonder, or pay attention to what we have been saying we find off putting. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/54 "2018-06-07T23:00:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The Giraffe boards have led active harassment and internet stalking campaigns vs two woman here I know of. The kind of stuff which is actually,\* illegal. \* In at least one case they dragged it over here and were smacked down for it. > > So, I would guess, that\* no\*, they arent more female friendly. Do you have an cite for either of these? ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/55 "2018-06-07T23:07:05Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > Do you have an cite for either of these? I’d like a cite, too, please. At least for the one you say was dragged over here, since otherwise it might run afoul of drama staying where it belongs. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/56 "2018-06-07T23:11:25Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > I’d like a cite, too, please. At least for the one you say was dragged over here, since otherwise it might run afoul of drama staying where it belongs. Let me just say it was about a poster who claimed (in jest, I think) that her husband got a unusual burn on his rear-end, due to a accident with a outdoor BBQ appliance. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/57 "2018-06-07T23:17:44Z")
[https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752278&highlight=broomstick+giraffe&page=3](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752278&highlight=broomstick+giraffe&page=3) engineer\_comp\_geek Quote: “There was an issue of cyber-bullying that was going on. There was a group of people that kept posting in Broomstick’s threads, which is basically cyber-stalking. This was discussed in the mod loop, at least one warning was issued that I know of, and as far as I am aware, that problem has been dealt with. As I said earlier, we don’t tolerate cyber-bullying.” ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/58 "2018-06-07T23:23:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Sure, anything to dump on the SDMB. If you went over and posted _anything_ bad about this board, they’d all fall all over themselves agreeing with you. You sound bitter. Who hurt you? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/59 "2018-06-07T23:27:39Z")
> [@expectopatronum](#): > > You sound bitter. Who hurt you? If you want to say I am “white knighting”, maybe that is a fair cop. But -Aren’t we getting far from the OP? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612/60 "2018-06-07T23:32:37Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > This board is very intolerant of dissent - any dissent - and I wonder if that is putting off women? This board is prone to dogpiling by the like minded, which makes other people uncomfortable about posting in that thread. I can think of a couple of occasions where this has been happening and someone has stepped in to make an opposing point at which more people felt comfortable kicking the dogpile. Of course, where we’re generally intolerant as a whole is when people post incredibly ignorant ‘facts’ or make provocative claims not supported by evidence. Those people are going to be shouted down by actual facts and demands for proofs of their position. Good people look at the facts and change their minds. We’ve seen plenty of this on the dope. Other people walk away huffing about unfriendly this board is, or continue to work the process until they get banned by their own words. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-share-of-female-regulars-what-to-do/815612.md?page=4)