# Should we ban misogynism in the Pit? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 9, 2020, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329 "2020-06-09T23:03:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329/41 "2020-06-15T02:52:15Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Would you apply your same argument towards racism? Why or why not? > [@Max\_S](#): > > Yes, I would. I see misogyny as being to women like racism is to minority races. > > ~Max Ooh, neat. When may we expect a companion thread where you argue against banning racism in the Pit? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329/42 "2020-06-16T19:10:07Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Attacking people because of their membership in a class that’s traditionally been the subjects of violence and oppression unrelated to their own acts is a real shitty thing to do, way beyond calling someone a dillweed or goat-felcher. There’s a little ambiguity here. Are you saying, It is real shitty to attack someone for membership in a protected class (a protected class is a class of people who have traditionally been subjects of violence and oppression unrelated to their own acts); i.e. it is shitty to attack someone for being in a protected class because the class is protected. OR It is real shitty to attack someone for membership in a protected class (a class of people traditionally subjected to violence and oppression) because being a member of a protected class is unrelated to one’s own acts; i.e. it’s shitty to attack someone for being in a protected class because it is not their fault. I strongly disagree with the former statement, and I strongly agree with the latter statement. I hope you (and others) agree with me on this point, if not we can go back and discuss our reasoning. I have put some thought into this angle, but I keep ending up choosing between hypocrisy and an absurd amount of censorship. I’ll show you what I mean. Think about this statement and underlying sentiment, “Millenials, by their nature, think they are entitled.” We have agreed, or at least I have agreed with myself, that it is wrong to attack someone because of their membership in a group when they are not at fault for being a member of that group. Millenials don’t choose to be millenials. Therefore it is shitty to attack a millenial for being a millenial. At the same time, I have trouble imaginging a Pit where it is forbidden to say, “damn millenials think they’re so entitled”. Contrast with, “Women, by their nature, think they are entitled.” “Damn women think they’re so entitled.” Why should we ban the latter statements about women but not the former about millenials? It’s a conundrum, to me at least. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Turn this around on you: why shouldn’t we ban misogyny in the Pit? I don’t normally consider myself a free-speech nut, but my reasoning here is pretty much that of a free-speech nut. I am starting from the position that all content is/should be acceptible unless good reasons are given as to why something should not be acceptible. As I see it, the purpose of this message board is to fight ignorance. You previously implied that misogyny is _irrational_ and/or based on ignorance. It then follows that, ideally, this message board should be a place where misogyny is faught. That is not to say we should encourage misogyny - certainly not. This argument I just made is only to support my default position, not to answer the OP. There may or may not be good reasons to ban misogyny, the above paragraph is simply my rationale for shifting the burden of proof. (Aside: I actually suspect there are certain belief systems where misogyny is rational, but given my personal beliefs it is not.) There is a second reason, which you and others may find more applicable. Simply put, there is no existing rule against misogyny in the Pit (hate speech excepted), therefore the burden is upon those who favor such a rule. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329/43 "2020-06-16T19:14:19Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, the OP is right. This idea is that racism is bad- except in the Pit. That bullying and Cyberstalking is Ok- if in the Pit. (It’s not, it is totally illegal). That Misogyny is ok- in the Pit. Etc etc etc-\* is just wrong. \* > > So= let us abolish the Pit \*as a place with special rules. \*The Pit should have the exact same rules as the rest of the board. It should be a place of rants, not racism, Misogyny, bullying or yes- not even personal insults. Maybe it can be the one place where a POST being “trolling” could be discussed- or maybe that should be ATMB. I am sympathetic to this opinion, and if such a rule change were put to the vote, I would abstain (I have no particular love or hatred for the Pit). I disagree with your proposed restriction on trolling as being contained within a post, but that’s another subject. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329/44 "2020-06-16T19:21:37Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > Max S. just didn’t feel like his posts in the still-active misogyny thread were getting sufficient attention. I made this thread because I felt that it asks a different question than the other active thread. The other thread, as I saw it, was about whether certain words were hate speech. I draw a distinction between hate speech and misogyny, but if you don’t I would point you to the other thread. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329/45 "2020-06-16T19:56:57Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > \*\*Max S. \*\*, once again, your ham-fisted and bizarre positions on what constitutes racism and misogyny leave me perplexed as to what you are trying to accomplish. My position is that racism and sexism have no place on the board. I’m approaching the questions from the opposite direction. If it’s not explicitly clear from my post #42, my default position is that misogyny/racism/sexism/homophobia/transphobia/pedophilia should _all_ be allowed, just like any other position on any other issue, unless a good reason is given otherwise. If you are saying mysogyny is simply _beyond the pale_, and your argument goes no further than _petitio principii_, then there isn’t anything else to say between us. I recognize that you have your opinion, I will agree to abide by a rule change/clarification if the mods so decree one, but I personally disagree, and if put to a vote I would vote against. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329/46 "2020-06-16T20:06:45Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Ooh, neat. When may we expect a companion thread where you argue against banning racism in the Pit? I’m not planning to make one any time soon. Can you take some measure of comfort in my admission that most arguments in favor of banning racism apply equally to misogyny, and vice versa? If the one succeeds, presumably the other should. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329/47 "2020-06-16T21:51:36Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > At least this one starts out where all the other ones end up. Max S. just didn’t feel like his posts in the still-active misogyny thread were getting sufficient attention. Two separate issues: Ban the C-word and the B-word. Ban misogyny and other rude shit that is allowed here only in the Pit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-ban-misogynism-in-the-pit/855329.md?page=2)