# Moderation of inappropriate sexual commentary **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 6, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626 "2013-05-06T15:55:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/381 "2013-05-07T04:47:42Z")
> [@Tequila\_Party](#): > > So, you think it’s easier for the moderators to deal with an increased amount of reported posts, by a large amount of people continuously, than to simply make a basic rule to get others to cut that sort of behavior out? This is similar to the argument that everyone should just use the ignore feature. It addresses the symptoms, not the problem. It’s similar but different. I think if they saw a lot of reports they would have been able to come up with this judgement themselves. I’d bet that most of those types of posts were not reported and thats why this whole thing has blown up in our collective faces. Really, the onus is on us. We should be calling out those posters on their B.S. and/or reporting them. I don’t think the Mod’s should go out of their way to make a judgement call unless it’s been reported by the posters in the thread. Do you think that’s reasonable? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/382 "2013-05-07T04:52:35Z")
> [@panaccione](#): > > It’s similar but different. I think if they saw a lot of reports they would have been able to come up with this judgement themselves. I’d bet that most of those types of posts were not reported and thats why this whole thing has blown up in our collective faces. > > Really, the onus is on us. We should be calling out those posters on their B.S. and/or reporting them. I don’t think the Mod’s should go out of their way to make a judgement call unless it’s been reported by the posters in the thread. > > Do you think that’s reasonable? But there have been situations recently where mods have been enforcing this rule (which everyone seems to agree is a legitimate policy) and people complained that nobody had made it clear what would be considered offensive. So this thread is the response - this is where they make it clear what is considered jerkish behavior. ---
**Author:** ![colander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@colander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colander)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/383 "2013-05-07T04:52:36Z")
> [@panaccione](#): > > Really, the onus is on us. We should be calling out those posters on their B.S. and/or reporting them. I don’t think the Mod’s should go out of their way to make a judgement call unless it’s been reported by the posters in the thread. > > Do you think that’s reasonable? It’s what’s been _happening._ ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/384 "2013-05-07T05:25:30Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’m not trying to make this a “tit for tat” type argument. Reported for saying “tit” in a non-sexual, serious thread! 😉 > [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > IThese rules will now be applied to posts like those **Enginerd** found. That’s it. That’s what’s going on. If that is all that was going on, you wouldn’t be seeing nearly as much pushback. > [@](#): > > I agree that the threads about the pantsless pope protestor and the cunt-punting sorority girl were poorly modded and probably an over-reaction to all the brouhaha. What’s really going on is that we’ve had multiple mods come in and say that they would have modded those threads the same way under the new rules. That’s the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/385 "2013-05-07T05:35:55Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > There’s currently a thread asking people to post dirty jokes - I doubt anyone will get modded there. I just posted a _“Pics or it didn’t happen!”_ there. We shall see. :o ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/386 "2013-05-07T06:31:06Z")
Clearly, this is the end of the world. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/387 "2013-05-07T07:05:59Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > [QUOTE=Larry Borgia] > These rules will now be applied to posts like those Enginerd found. That’s it. That’s what’s going on. If that is all that was going on, you wouldn’t be seeing nearly as much pushback. [/QUOTE] Were those links posted anywhere in threads on this subject previously? I’ve been avoiding this whole matter until now, so I don’t know. If they had been, I think the discussion would’ve been a lot shorter and a lot less acrimonious. Hmm. > [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > There are more than a dozen such conversations happening behind every post, in every thread on this topic between people participating and people not participating who feel too bullied to come out and say that it’s a problem and they don’t like it. Hmm. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/388 "2013-05-07T10:20:04Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I think you’ve missed \*my \*point. Read this thread. I’m talking about posts in this thread. That’s my evidence. Accusing men of jacking off while posting comments, accusing men of sexual assaulting women through their posts, calling people they disagree with “obnoxious douchebags,” etc. People have been saying this shit right here in this thread. These are posts directed at actual posters, which it seems to me, violates Guideline #1. Jacking off, sexual assault…these are accusations sexual in nature, directed at SDMB posters. I agree that such accusations are not okay. Have they actually happened in this thread? I don’t think they have; I think you’ve misinterpreted posts to read them that way. Maybe I’m wrong, and if I am you have my apologies, but if you could tell us which posts specifically read that way to you, that’d be helpful. And **Hentor** , not sure what’s confusing about my hostile attitude toward your deliberate mischaracterization and infantilization of my position. If you want to play that way, expect your behavior to be considered contemptible. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/389 "2013-05-07T10:32:31Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I agree that such accusations are not okay. Have they actually happened in this thread? I don’t think they have; I think you’ve misinterpreted posts to read them that way. Oh come on, this thread has many examples of such. For many posters, it seems that if you aren’t posting to support these new rules, then you must be posting to try and fight for a right to post lewd comments and harass women for nude pictures. The reality is that many of the people posting in this thread have never made and probably will never make any such comments. I certainly have never done so, why on earth would I want to leer at some random on the internet? Its quite annoying in a way. I think its ridiculous that anybody wants to increase censorship on here, but having that view apparently means I actively want to make disgusting comments to women. News to me. ---
**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:** [May 7, 2013, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/390 "2013-05-07T10:35:14Z")
IMHO, this is a great addition to the ruleset and I generally trust the mods to enforce it in an acceptable manner. Just adding - for those saying religious or conservative topics don’t get modded the same way, that’s not true, I’ve been modded in the past for that sort of thing and I’ve seen it happen to others too. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/391 "2013-05-07T10:40:08Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > And **Hentor** , not sure what’s confusing about my hostile attitude toward your deliberate mischaracterization and infantilization of my position. If you want to play that way, expect your behavior to be considered contemptible. Mischaracterization and infantilization? Those were your words. You also made your point clear about asking people to refrain from gross jokes, no? So, it’s fair to suggest your view abut what this board should be as one end, or at least outlying point, along a spectrum. Why that gives you the right to malign my intelligence I have no idea. Rather than all the discussion about misogyny and gross jokes, what’s wrong with just making a clear statement against the unwanted comments to other posters about their pink bits? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/392 "2013-05-07T10:40:58Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > People are spinning elaborate scenarios about what’s going to happen, what these new guidelines mean. > > Instead of getting all Chicken Little about it, why not see what happens? It’s possible none of these scenarios will come true. We’ve already seen what will happen. We’ve seen three threads that were moderated egregiously badly. Members rise up in protest. Mods say, “OK, maybe we overreacted; we’ll talk about it.” New guidelines appear. Mods say egregiously bad moderating would have been exactly the same in those threads under the new guidelines. I’m uncertain as to why you think I need to spin a scenario to be able to judge the ultimate result; it’s already been shown. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/393 "2013-05-07T10:54:33Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Mischaracterization and infantilization? Those were your words. You also made your point clear about asking people to refrain from gross jokes, no? So, it’s fair to suggest your view abut what this board should be as one end, or at least outlying point, along a spectrum. That’s fine. The “romantic restaurant” bullshit is your insistence on mischaracterizing me well past the point of cuteness. I notice that you don’t suggest I think people are getting modded for yodeling, so you do understand the analogy. > [@](#): > > Why that gives you the right to malign my intelligence I have no idea. Of course you don’t. > [@](#): > > Rather than all the discussion about misogyny and gross jokes, what’s wrong with just making a clear statement against the unwanted comments to other posters about their pink bits? Because I think it’s more than that, that’s why, and I’ve explained why at great length. > [@bucketybuck](#): > > Oh come on, this thread has many examples of such. Give us a single example to discuss rather than a general gestalt of the thread, and our discussion can be productive. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/394 "2013-05-07T11:01:52Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Give us a single example to discuss rather than a general gestalt of the thread, and our discussion can be productive. :rolleyes: From the very first page. > [@](#): > > If you guys get offended that you can’t joke about sexually assaulting us (unwanted physical attention, etc), then your rights are being violated, etc etc. > [@](#): > > So you have put yourself in the position of defending your crude sexual jokes and comments against women, because that is a Right you must have. There are numerous other examples from later pages, I think they are easy to see if you want to see them. Don’t worry about discussion though, productive or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/395 "2013-05-07T11:11:20Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Of course you don’t. So you do have the right to malign my intelligence? Look, I don’t pretend to understand your motivation for insinuating yourself as the spokesman on behalf of women. But at some level, your mind went to romantic conversation as the way to describe your goals. I understand that’s embarrassing and you want to move away from it. Fine. You’re chivalrous and I’m just arguing on behalf of crude jokes about half naked popes that I probably would never make anyway. Just spare me your thoughts on how dumb I am. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/396 "2013-05-07T11:14:00Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Look, I don’t pretend to understand your motivation for insinuating yourself as the spokesman on behalf of women. But at some level, your mind went to romantic conversation as the way to describe your goals. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/397 "2013-05-07T12:12:10Z")
> [@panaccione](#): > > See, I agree with **Rick.** I think that’s the kind of “over”-modding people don’t want to see. Those jokes are funny. No. This is factually incorrect. They may or may not be offensive, but they are definitely not funny. They are boring, tired, and annoying. Tip: if the entire premise of your joke is “LOL she’s naked” then come up with a better joke. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/398 "2013-05-07T12:19:45Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I don’t think I’ve spun any elaborate scenarios. I’ve asked about concrete examples of past board activity. My remark wasn’t addressed to you specifically: it was a general comment. And we’re not going to review previous rulings, since the new guidelines were not in place when those rulings were made. > [@Fenris](#): > > Because Twickster and Ellen both have said that the new guidelines would lead to the exact same outcome in the Popehattie McNopants thread. That’s not what I said. I said that I wasn’t going to go back and reread that thread to see how I would rule, but that it’s possible I would. Again, we’re not going to address hypotheticals, and we’re not going to remoderate old threads under the new guidelines. > [@panaccione](#): > > Really, the onus is on us. We should be calling out those posters on their B.S. and/or reporting them. I don’t think the Mod’s should go out of their way to make a judgement call unless it’s been reported by the posters in the thread. > > Do you think that’s reasonable? > [@colander](#): > > It’s what’s been _happening._ No, **colander** , actually it hasn’t been happening – that’s what’s led to the current blow-up. People _haven’t_ been reporting those posts. It is the staff’s hope that now that we’ve clarified what behavior is okay and what isn’t, people _will_ start reporting these posts, knowing that they’re against the “don’t be a jerk” rule. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/399 "2013-05-07T12:47:26Z")
If I wanted to start a thread about my breasts and wanted serious answers, I just do not believe I would title the thread: “will xxx make my boobs bigger”. “Boobs” is not a serious name for MY body parts and I would not expect anyone to reply to that thread in a serious way. Come on! I hate the trivializing of serious matters as much as anyone but I believe the way to avoid it is to use a non-trivial thread title and OP. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/400 "2013-05-07T13:08:08Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > No. This is factually incorrect. They may or may not be offensive, but they are definitely not funny. They are boring, tired, and annoying. Tip: if the entire premise of your joke is “LOL she’s naked” then come up with a better joke. Sorry–I hate ending up on panaccione’s side on anything, but on the Popehat McShavedcrotch one, he’s right. When the woman’s entire argument is “I’m not wearing pants and I’ve got my crotchhair shaved like a cross, so the Pope is a poopyhead and I’m right because my hooch is visible to everyone”, there’s really not a lot more to say than “Lol–she’s naked and really, _really_ stupid”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626.md?page=21)