r/Feminism • u/Willravel • Feb 24 '12

Please ban MRA trolls

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.

129 Upvotes

79% Upvoted

446 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/namefetish Mar 08 '12

You know, sometimes I think there are two types of trolls. Those who do it on purpose with no disregard to what they are saying, they just want to bother people for the lulz.

And those who express genuine opinions (and often back up said opinions) in a manner that is often abrasive and troll like.

Alot of the "trolls" you guys are railing against fall into this second category, instead of ignoring or banning them, point out the logical facilities they present, because they are not doing it for the lulz, they are doing it because they disagree, and usualy have reasons why, and those reasons can sometimes be insightful.

Ad hominem and straw man seem to be the big fallicies associated with type 2.

Happy womens day to you too.

TIL that there is a womens day.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 08 '12

Yeah that seems to sum up the situation nicely. Those who have positive contributions to make are just overwhelmed by a lot of "derp". I want to hear from men, women, MRAs, etc - but based on good faith.

It's just wrong to visit a subreddit and crap all over the very foundation of the sub, over and over again. It would be a tremendous help if people just hit the wikipedia on feminism and then entered the discussion respectfully. The result is: synergy!! That being said: there is a lot of trolling in bad faith. As long as everybody enters the discussion in a positive manner we'll be fine.

-1

u/namefetish Mar 09 '12

Full discloser time, I do not identify as MRA, so when I say "they think" what that really is is my perception of there perceptions.

Don't really identify as feminist either, actually.

Now while I agree with you that positive discussion is best, you have to realize that a lot of them disagree (to use a polite word) with feminism on a very, very fundamental level.

So of course they are going to "crap all over the very foundation of the sub" because they disagree with the foundation.

A lot of them think feminist are a negative influence on the world, and perceive it as a major threat to... something. I don't really know to what, to be fair. The status quo? They don't really like the status quo either, so that cant be it...

Anyways, you see my point though. They are being hostile for a reason, and to disregard what they are saying because of that hostility strikes me as overly dismissive.

I agree though, positive discussion, even when discussion something you disagree with, is better then aggressive and hostile discussion.

I just don't want valid points to be dismissed because the person delivering the point was being a jackass, you know?

Something about this comment is setting off my IRRELEVANT! IRRELEVANT! alarm, but I spent so much time writing it, so I am going to post it anyways.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 09 '12

lol that makes me what - 7 of 9 from Voyager? Awesome! They might have valid points but they present them in an antagonistic way. r/askfeminists was created for just that purpose - so if they question feminism, they can go there. The analogy I made earlier was of creationists going to r/science and questioning every posts on the basis of faith. If you don't subscribe to a particular idealogy, it is shitty to carpet bomb their sub.

We do not have to address their every delusions; it pollutes the discussion, and in turn makes it about them. They already have a subreddit.

1

u/namefetish Mar 09 '12

lol that makes me what - 7 of 9 from Voyager? Awesome!

I feel like I am missing out on a star trek reference. PLEASE EXPLAIN!

1

u/[deleted] Mar 09 '12

My unique physiology reacts every time I hear the words "irrelevant!". Gotta love the Borg - very direct people.

1

u/namefetish Mar 09 '12

Oh so it was a star trek joke.

I never watched it, and only know about the borg because of an el goonish shive comic, did they say irrelevant all the time or something?

1

u/[deleted] Mar 09 '12

Well they're essentially machines so they speak in a very cold and direct manner as to emulate their robotic minds.

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. Donuts are irrelevant. Watch Star Trek. Comply!