# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/81 "2013-05-06T18:11:04Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > We already had a rule against that. So, what’s your beef with the logical expansion of that rule to sexist bullshit comments, which most of us can agree is pretty jerkish? That’s all that’s happening here. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/82 "2013-05-06T18:12:24Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m just wondering in general if it is still the standard that a snipe against a group is not counted as a snipe against any particular member of this board, unless the snipe is specifically against members of that group that are also members of this board. For example, if someone says something nasty about the Roman Catholic Church, can a poster report that as a personal insult because she/he happens to be Roman Catholic? I take this question seriously. IMO, it’s “insult by proxy”. However, in the “Why does this board lean left Democrat?”, I get the impression that you are fine with insulting conservatives as a group. (Indeed, some of the comments by other posters in that thread parrallel those given in the misogyny thread. “Don’t like it? Use the ignore feature, grow thicker skin, or leave”.) While Republicans and Catholics can change their affiliation with those groups, it’s much harder to change gender or race, so I won’t go as far as to say these situations are equivalent. But, IMO, it’s still insulting by proxy, staying within the board rules as we know them. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/83 "2013-05-06T18:12:24Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > No, what the post actually said was “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.” My apologies for the misread. > [@](#): > > So, to make sure I understand, calling a group of people “easily offended” not okay, but \*\*accusing \*\*someone of making crude sexual jokes against women, _when they haven’t_, is okay. Me, in my first post to this thread: > [@Marley23](#): > > let’s steer this thread away from comments about _who and what is disgusting_ (because _it’s sexist_ or because it’s no fun) - there has been way too much of that kind of stuff in the last half-dozen threads about sexism/misogyny. We’re trying to have a useful discussion about the issue and how we can handle it. This applied to everybody. That was the whole point. So you can drop the complaint about the unfairness of my only modding one side now, right? ---
**Author:** ![liquorinthefront](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/22d042/32.png) [@liquorinthefront](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liquorinthefront)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/84 "2013-05-06T18:17:11Z")
So how many feminists _does_ it take to screw in a lightbulb? ---
**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 6, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/85 "2013-05-06T18:17:28Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Yeah, it is something close to the virtual equivalent. Namely, it’s a private establishment welcome to kick anyone out for nearly any reason, run by proprietors who would like to establish a certain tone. If you wouldn’t object to the restaurant attempting to establish that tone, complaining about “censorship” when a board tries to establish that tone is silly. Likening the board to a romantic restaurant is not only silly but a little creepy as well. At least, I’m not here for the romance, anyway. It would be similar if the restaurant allowed anyone at all to come and sit at your table and join in the conversation anonymously. See, this is a message board, not a place to woo partners. Not everyone is going to be happy with what everyone else has to say. If the purpose was the dining and romantic pleasure of you and your partner, you would be on the right track. If the purpose is to have an open discussion with hundreds of different people anonymously, you’ll have to find a different model to work from. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/86 "2013-05-06T18:18:38Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > My apologies for the misread. > > Me, in my first post to this thread: > > This applied to everybody. That was the whole point. So you can drop the complaint about the unfairness of my only modding one side now, right? Which was still addressing me and one other poster, and not the false accusation, which it makes no reference to. You apologized for the misread, but you still haven’t done anything to moderate it. So no, it’s still unfair. ---
**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 6, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/87 "2013-05-06T18:20:30Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > So, what’s your beef with the logical expansion of that rule to sexist bullshit comments, which most of us can agree is pretty jerkish? That’s all that’s happening here. Personally, I think the new rule is fine. I think your apparent interpretation of it is far more broad, and I would have concerns about it if your views on it were how it were implemented. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/88 "2013-05-06T18:21:16Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Likening the board to a romantic restaurant is not only silly but a little creepy as well. At least, I’m not here for the romance, anyway. Plus there’s the whole tipping thing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/89 "2013-05-06T18:21:36Z")
> [@liquorinthefront](#): > > So how many feminists _does_ it take to screw in a lightbulb? Feminists don’t screw anywhere, all sexual intercourse is rape. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/90 "2013-05-06T18:23:18Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Righto, but you understand why that logic is particularly worrisome to many on the board, right? Granted, I doubt many of our posters are walking around pantsless with a crucifix Brazilian, but I think it’s reasonable to understand why the “she’s asking for the comments through her slutty behavior” stuff is going to be extrapolated out to the rest of our experiences. And when it does get extrapolated to your experiences on this message board, then it will be modded, and nobody seems to have a problem with that. > [@](#): > > I once had someone tell me I was “asking for it”— I was 14 and “it” was a teacher trying to sexually assault me. My crime? Wearing a low cut shirt. Oh, and the person lecturing me? A school councilor. That’s terrible. What does it have to do with half-naked grown women wearing Pope hats? > [@](#): > > This attitude you’re displaying permeates far deeper into society than you think and that is why many of us would like to see it moderated when it can be. I think the problem is that the attitude I am displaying has very little to do with harassing teen-agers, and a lot more to do with making crude jokes about grown women who expose themselves in public wearing silly hats and hand out condoms. How far do you want to take this slippery slope? > [@](#): > > If a woman’s reproductive organs are visible or mentioned, the implication is that everyone has a right to do or say whatever they want, even if it violates her. No, there was no such implication, and the pantsless woman was not violated in any way. What is being argued is that women (or men) who expose themselves in ridiculous ways are subject to being ridiculed. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![liquorinthefront](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/22d042/32.png) [@liquorinthefront](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liquorinthefront)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/91 "2013-05-06T18:23:20Z")
> [@tripolar](#): > > feminists don’t screw anywhere, all sexual intercourse is rape. that’s not funny ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/92 "2013-05-06T18:25:27Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Feminists don’t screw anywhere, all sexual intercourse is rape. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/93 "2013-05-06T18:27:59Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I think the problem is that the attitude I am displaying has very little to do with harassing teen-agers, and a lot more to do with making crude jokes about grown women who expose themselves in public wearing silly hats and hand out condoms. Claiming that the extent of the damage isn’t felt because she isn’t a poster here is sort of being willfully ignorant to the harmful culture it creates in the first place. The culture the rest of us experience every single day. Which was the point in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/94 "2013-05-06T18:30:41Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > You apologized for the misread, but you still haven’t done anything to moderate it. So no, it’s still unfair. You’re right. I modded some other posts to make the same point, but I didn’t mod that post. I’ll try to be a little more careful, but I hope there’s not going be too much more of this nonsense in any form. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Feminists don’t screw anywhere, all sexual intercourse is rape. Knock it off. Not because it’s sexist or sexual, but because it’s dumb and kind of a threadshit. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/95 "2013-05-06T18:32:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > This is all a mistake. Any real problems could have been handled with the existing rules about insult, hijack, and don’t be a jerk rules. So, the board staff tries to use the existing rules about hijacking, insults, and don’t be a jerk to become a bit more strict on the issue of sexism and/or misogyny, and they get hammered by ATMB protests about “changing the rules” and “not announcing the rules changes”. So they sit down to craft a statement of intent so they can provide new guidelines on this closer scrutiny, and they get hammered that the existing rules were sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/96 "2013-05-06T18:37:15Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > So, the board staff tries to use the existing rules about hijacking, insults, and don’t be a jerk to become a bit more strict on the issue of sexism and/or misogyny, and they get hammered by ATMB protests about “changing the rules” and “not announcing the rules changes”. > > So they sit down to craft a statement of intent so they can provide new guidelines on this closer scrutiny, and they get hammered that the existing rules were sufficient. You’re not the only one who noticed that. It’s not a problem if people wanted more insight and more specifics in how we were going to look at these posts and how we were going to handle them. But it’s all ‘being a jerk,’ so it’s not some entirely new concept. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/97 "2013-05-06T18:38:54Z")
I don’t think the great majority of us came here to offend anyone. Personally, my curiosity is piqued, and I’d like to see what it’s like being as asexual and apolitical here as I am at my workplace. It’s served me well there, and if there’s an actual need here there’s plenty of better-skilled snarksmiths to keep the craft alive. But for God’s sake, please don’t ever censor Slug’s drawings! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/98 "2013-05-06T18:44:42Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > So, the board staff tries to use the existing rules about hijacking, insults, and don’t be a jerk to become a bit more strict on the issue of sexism and/or misogyny, and they get hammered by ATMB protests about “changing the rules” and “not announcing the rules changes”. > > So they sit down to craft a statement of intent so they can provide new guidelines on this closer scrutiny, and they get hammered that the existing rules were sufficient. The point being they were wrong to do the moderating they did in the sorority girl and pantless protestor threads, and they are wrong to come up with this new policy. It’s a solution looking for a problem, with certain mods falling over themselves to out-liberal each other. Woohoo…look at sensitive and politically correct we are. Watch us pat ourselves on the back. Oh it is so hard to be a mod…poor little us…you posters are sooo mean. :rolleyes: ---
**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 6, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/99 "2013-05-06T18:45:44Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Likening the board to a romantic restaurant is not only silly but a little creepy as well. At least, I’m not here for the romance, anyway. Back to Analogies 101 with you, if you think the “romance” was the relevant part of the analogy. I’ve already explained what was relevant. But anyway: > [@](#): > > It would be similar if the restaurant allowed anyone at all to come and sit at your table and join in the conversation anonymously. So, like a bar? Like the kind of bar where a guy can get welcomed into the conversation if he says something interesting, but if he keeps jumping into conversations to say something nasty, the bouncer can kick him out? Oh noes, censorship! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626/100 "2013-05-06T18:46:48Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Here’s the thing … I’m a generally couth individual. I wouldn’t pop into a thread about breast cancer so I can quip, “nice yabo’s,” but I got a minor slap-down for responding to a description of a hot girl in a micro-mini-skirt and a shear top by saying, jokingly, “I’ll need to see pictures.” > > Is that the sort of vapors-inducing offence that you just can’t stomach at the Dope anymore? Because if it is, I’ve got sour news for you. I’m still gonna post shit like that. You know why? Because, in \*\*Diosa’s \*\*words, it’s appropriate to. > > See – I get to decide what’s appropriate just like you do. Nitpick: At no point in the trying-to-get-fired thread did I say inappropriately-dressed young woman was hot. Just inappropriately dressed, and young. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-inappropriate-sexual-commentary/657626.md?page=6)