Should men have their own “Gramps Net” ?

FannyCornforth

Jackiest I’m pretty sure that Callistemon had her tongue firmly in her cheek when she suggested the car thread.
This thread isn’t 100% serious; like most of GN (thank goodness!)

No I wasn't! ?

Jackiest -forgiven already! ?

I've only noticed men doing that recently, actually.

Regardless, I don't think anyone needs to bend to the will of the vocal minority.

The men do tend to say they are men though. That may be because it's mostly a female site.

People either announce that someone is a man, as if they are making some huge disclosure, though, or pounce on them for stating that they are men.

When I said 'if we could stop people mentioning their sex', I wasn't suggesting that we could do so. Just that it would get over a lot of the things that people have mentioned as problems.

FannyCornforth

I’m not changing my name to a gender neutral one!
I’d throw the Queen of all Flounces!

OK maybe that is taking things a bit far.

Is it OK to call you Mr. FannyCornforth.

I think better flounce off now and go and play badminton be back later when I hope you have fogiven me.

Nor I. I don't want to be thingetha or neutretha

I’m not changing my name to a gender neutral one!
I’d throw the Queen of all Flounces!

Doodledog

I shall refrain from making childish comments about male members .

If we could stop people from mentioning their sex unless it is relevant to a particular post, there would be no problem. Nobody would know if a poster is male or female, and the posts would be judged by the words on the page.

Yes and names should also not indicate gender. Unfortunatlly there are far too many people that have biased views and always want to divide things into male and female.

Just call it "Grandsnet" and respect diversity and equality. Male "Grands" enjoy chat, debate and need advice too.

I've no idea whatsoever why it would or should matter, but it seems to be important to some people.

Jackiest I’m pretty sure that Callistemon had her tongue firmly in her cheek when she suggested the car thread.
This thread isn’t 100% serious; like most of GN (thank goodness!)

MissAdventure

So they'd just try to guess?

I don't think it would occur to me, really. Maybe it's one of those things that you have to do without realising before you can be sure of your reaction - I don't know. Why should it matter?

Which is fine - I was just giving mine.

Doodledog

Lucca

Calendargirl

Sometimes words like “clique” or “flounce” are appropriate in the context of what’s been written though Lucca.

Personally, I don’t like to see the ‘f” word or similar, and I don’t think they are acceptable ever.

If others choose to use certain words, that is up to them though, and I wouldn’t say that they should stop using them.

Fair enough, just my personal view.

I think the words, ‘clique’ ‘flounce’ and ‘derail’ are quite specific words that describe some situations perfectly.

Cliques exist offline too, but it is more obvious online when a group of people make it impossible for others to join in by talking to one another instead of everyone, particularly about something that others are not privy to.

Flouncing is announcing you are going to leave (a thread or a forum) and blaming others to control the narrative. It’s quite specific to online (or ‘real life’ toddlers ). Most adults just stop posting - either on a particular thread that is annoying them, or take a break from the board while they are annoyed. It is attention seeking to announce it, and even more so to claim to have been ’hounded’. Other members can read the threads and decide for themselves if others are behaving badly.

Derailing can only happen online I think. If the conversation is about politics and people suddenly start talking about kittens they would be considered bonkers in real life. Online it is extremely rude - particularly as boards are often read asynchronously so it is easy to come to posts hours after they were written, and if someone has taken it on themselves to stop a discussion in its tracks it can be too late to have a say.

As these are particular behaviours they need particular words to describe them, I think. The alternative is to be unable to describe them/pretend they are not happening, or to have to laboriously explain them every time, instead of just using the words.

Have a flounce on me ?

I Did say it’s just my personal view…..

So they'd just try to guess?

I shall refrain from making childish comments about male members .

If we could stop people from mentioning their sex unless it is relevant to a particular post, there would be no problem. Nobody would know if a poster is male or female, and the posts would be judged by the words on the page.

I'd like to think so.
The commuters didn't seem overly impressed.

MissA ?

I think Freddie would have approved of that MissA.

Callistemon21

We could start a car thread

There are women that like cars and follow football just as there are men that knit and like cooking. We should not stereotype people and should never assume a thread is for women only or men only.

My mum's car burst into flames at the crescendo of a rousing version of "bohemian rhapsody", being belted out by mother, daughter, and me.

The bonnet flew up, and flames roared!

OPhere Thank you all for making this such an interesting thread, I have read all the responses.
I was disappointed not to have more input from our male members.

I agree we should be inclusive and am overall happy to welcome men.

In the past posts from a couple of men made me want to leave the site, however I stayed, changed my username and stopped corresponding with certain posters.

I have set my boundaries and just keep away from most spats.
I think because male members are so few and far between when one does behave badly causes more consternation!

My first car died in the middle of crossing a dual carriageway, I have never forgotten it strangely.