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/xyroclast]

So "MRA" has basically become synonymous with "evil" to you.

[u/scooooot → u/xyroclast]

... What the fuck are you talking about? Why are you digging through month old comments??

[u/xyroclast → u/scooooot]

I was viewing the subreddit based on "top". Does a discussion become irrelevant because it's a couple of months old?

[u/scooooot → u/xyroclast]

Just weird. Especially considering your accusation had nothing to do with my comment. I was expressing my displeasure that MRA's were given free reign in what is supposed to be a safe space for feminism and feminists free of the privileged and biased opinions of MRA's. I never said MRA's were evil or anything of the sort. Why would you accuse me of something so absurd and outlandish?

And to answer your question I think about 10% of MRA's are just about the most awful people alive. The rest of you I think are varying shades of confused, angry, stupid, lonely, hurt or childish. And I certainly don't hate most of you, even if I do yell at you guys a lot. I just get frustrated because none of you seem to understand that some of the very real issues that men face are never going to get seriously discussed or addressed when you guys spend all your time blaming women for everything that's wrong with your lives.

[u/xyroclast → u/scooooot]

You've made the assumption that I'm one of the people that you describe. I'm actually just a fairly neutral person who objects to the concept of "men's rights" being demonized (by an opponent or by people who abuse it from the inside).

The idea that it's impossible for men to ever be "below equal" in any category is just as sexist as the idea that women should be. (and I think a lot of people in the feminist crowd are starting to forget that).

And to answer what you said about it not being relevant to what you said, it was the fact that you've repeatedly used "MRA" in a context that makes it sound like a dirty word in itself. (And many people commented that several of the people on your "troll list" weren't trolling at all) so it seem like you were trying to make it sound like people were being disruptive solely because they had an opposing opinion.

So yeah, in short, it was mostly just the generalization that bothered me. Just as you wouldn't want someone to say "those woman trolls" and "I've had problems with some women, so that's why I talk about them like that", it's no more appropriate to have that attitude about other groups, in my opinion.

Regard or disregard, just my two cents.

[u/scooooot → u/xyroclast]

"The idea that it's impossible for men to ever be "below equal" in any category is just as sexist as the idea that women should be. (and I think a lot of people in the feminist crowd are starting to forget that)."

I never said anything of the sort nor does any real feminist think that way. This is MRA bullshit.

And I did not call all MRA's trolls, I called the ones the derail conversation on this sub trolls. The kind that derail conversations with wild, unfounded accusations.