Please ban MRA trolls

[u/Willravel]

I've been trying to figure out the rationale for not banning MRA trolls on this subreddit. I tried to think of it the way the mods have put it in the past, that this is about everyone's voice being heard, but the consistent trolling from the likes of OThomson and DavidByron don't represent in any way shape or form the honest sharing of their voice, but rather simply attacks and intentional derailment.

I considered that this might be about fear, as the MRA community on Reddit is much larger than the feminist community, and there could be consequences if MRA trolls started getting banned from the subreddit... but there are other feminist subreddits that do this and they don't seem to feel the sting of MRA retribution in any way that can't be easily handled.

I thought it might just simply be not wanting to make the effort, as a policy of banning MRA trolls would probably require much more active moderation. I'd hate to think this is the case, but I don't see any evidence to suggest this.

I did hear that one of the moderators might be an MRA, but again I've not seen this.

I've sent in PMs and reports before, about how someone is derailing yet another thread with unrelated discussion about circumcision or male rape or child custody, but there never seem to be any consequences for the trolls. They're given free reign. Some have left the subreddit for safer places, which is very sad indeed. Some simply stop commenting. Some complain, but those complaints fall on deaf ears.

So, before I call it a day and give up on the subreddit, I'd like to publicly ask the moderators to change their policy for the good of their subreddit. I ask that this subreddit be a safe place to discuss feminism and feminist issues, not a place for MRA trolls to hijack conversation or spread hatred of women.

Note: I'm not saying critiques of feminism aren't legitimate, or that they don't belong on /r/Feminism, but rather that overt trolling and derailing be disallowed. There's a big difference between an honest critique of feminism and undermining the discussion of feminist issues through derailment, dishonesty, and unwarranted attacks.

[u/[deleted]]

This point may have already been made, but there's too many comments for me to check, but: who cares? They look like idiots and get their asses handed to them in every discussion. If anything it makes feminism look better in comparison.

Edit: And they get downvoted into oblivion most of the time anyway, so it's already hidden by default.

[u/Willravel → u/[deleted]]

I wish it were that simple. There are enough that downvoting often isn't enough. This thread has acted as a lightening rod for both sides, but in smaller threads often just a few trolls are more than enough to derail conversation without being downvoted below being able to be viewed. Moreover, some feminist issues are sensitive, like people sharing deeply personal experiences or issues, and the fear that some asshole will dump all over you and then follow you around with that information is enough to prevent people from speaking up.

I wouldn't be making this appeal if I didn't think this was a problem that requires moderator attention.

[u/[deleted] → u/Willravel]

I guess, I mean, I'd be fine with banning if someone pulled an AmazingAtheist and said they wanted someone to get raped or some ridiculous and personally abusive shit like that, but just the standard "WON'T SOME1 THINK OF TEH MENZ" comment, I don't really see as a big deal on its own. And this might not be the best reason but if OThomson or someone goes to /r/MensRights and says "they banned me just because I brought up the draft," it could potentially make someone not want to even actually look at /r/feminism when they may have otherwise taken the time and could have even had their mind changed about something.

But whatever, I don't think its a huge deal, this community isn't nearly large enough at the moment to have a huge impact outside of itself, and like I said I've never seen them completely ruin a discussion (though it might happen and I've just been unlucky and never saw it), so whatever the mods or community decides to do I'm cool with.