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Diversity

(297 Posts)
Alea Sun 13-Dec-15 07:44:17

Soontobe has made a point that there should be more diversity on GN.
What do others think?
It is a tricky one because first of all GN is open to all who choose to contribute, but obviously self-selecting to a degree just by the site name and target group.
It is also hard to establish the degree of diversity among members as we retain anonymity and are under no obligation to reveal or even refer to ethnic background, religious affiliation, physical or any other disability, political inclination ( well some people are very clear on that, but not necessarily all) education, age, colour or shoe size.
So who's to say?
Does it really matter?
tchconfused

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 15-Dec-15 15:33:11

And hey! Why hasn't this been deemed to be a thread about a thread, beginning as it does Soontobe has said... hmm

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 15-Dec-15 15:29:06

the worst possible way

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 15-Dec-15 15:28:32

Some people take others' comments in the worst possible just to be unpleasant.

I find it hard to be a naive person.

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 15-Dec-15 15:25:53

It must be obvious to everyone that soon has no malice, or deviousness, in her at all.

I say again, it would be great to see a few profiles proclaiming "I am a Muslim gran", or "I am an Afro-Caribbean gran". Or just have it mentioned on posts.

You can't get away from the fact that ethnicity goes towards making us who we are.

Katek Tue 15-Dec-15 15:23:03

That's meant to say Yep....sorry! Yip open to misinterpretation. Going to stop digging hole now...I was exasperated.

Galen Tue 15-Dec-15 15:23:01

Can I be described as normally moderate?
My darling daughter wouldn't agree.

Galen Tue 15-Dec-15 15:22:09

I was, and willingly admit it!

Katek Tue 15-Dec-15 15:21:10

Yip.

petra Tue 15-Dec-15 15:16:10

If people care to read all through that thread they will see that even some of the most moderate posters were completely exasperated by someone else's contribution.

Alea Tue 15-Dec-15 15:12:12

And of course nobody else got heated, lost patience, or expressed their frustrations did they??

Alea Tue 15-Dec-15 15:09:40

Why does it always have to be aimed at me petallus???
Perhaps you would like to quote the relevant posts (in full) and then have a look at the many others who lost patience.
You started off by distrusting my motivation in starting this thread and again perhaps you would be so good as to say precisely why given that many others as well as GNHQ don't appear to share your view (unless it was intended to cause trouble dissent.)
angry

petra Tue 15-Dec-15 15:01:15

I too believe Ale started this thread in good faith. Unfortunately, I think Alea fired the bullets that somebody else made.

I made comments on the Katie Hopkins thread in relation to another poster and that was because I started to feel uncomfortable in regards to somebody looking at my profile ( and others)

Anniebach Tue 15-Dec-15 14:22:44

Two men looked out of prison bars, one saw mud and one saw stars

Can't remember where I read this, it just came into mind

petallus Tue 15-Dec-15 14:11:14

Alea I've just reread page 1 and 2 posts from you addressed to soon are pretty challenging given that you say you started the thread in all innocence.

However, as has often been remarked on GN, it is easy to give the wrong impression in online communication.

LucyGransnet (GNHQ) Tue 15-Dec-15 11:37:40

Morning, just popping by say that we believe this thread was started in good faith and to ask that everyone bear in mind our guidelines when posting - try to post with respect for each other, regardless of inevitable differences in opinion. Thanks.

Eloethan Tue 15-Dec-15 11:28:13

I had mentioned on the Trump/Hopkins thread that possibly there was a lack of diversity on Gransnet which might account for some assumptions being made that people from a less mainstream background might take issue with. My remark, and subsequently this thread, appear to have caused some unpleasantness. It was certainly not my intention and I don't think it was Alea's intention either.

rosesarered Tue 15-Dec-15 11:04:08

Of course Alea started the thread in good faith, but some threads take on a life of their own thereafter, and not always a good one.

TriciaF Tue 15-Dec-15 10:41:00

ps but I don't want to drag this on further.

TriciaF Tue 15-Dec-15 10:39:35

I got the impression too, Alea, that you started the thread in good faith.
In fact I only posted once, and it was to point out, as you did, that there's a conflict between forum privacy, and having more diversity - the "diverse" person would need to reveal personal details.

Anniebach Tue 15-Dec-15 10:13:54

There were fourteen posts , no problem, then posts 15 and 16 kicks it off again .

Alea Tue 15-Dec-15 10:02:52

Thanks rosequartz but what I don't get is why I am being held responsible for the direction the thread took. I have reread it and there were initially some excellent and insightful posts, as indeed there were yesterday.
The reason I "picked it up and ran with it" was because the initial observation was on the Katie Hopkns thread which was getting very , well toxic, and I wanted to distance this discussion from anything about Donald Trump, Katie Hopkins, etc.
I thought that reasonable at the time and having checked what I wrote do not see why there is this malign intent attached to it. confused
IMHO Nobody owns a thread or should be held responsible for what others say, unless the OP is in itself contentious.
Feeling not a little battered.

rosequartz Tue 15-Dec-15 09:48:57

I am sure you started the thread with good intentions alea. However it did become most peculiar for want of a more apt word, and, not having seen the thread from which the OP arose, perhaps I am not the best person to comment.

I was surprised that GN did not delete it.

Anniebach Tue 15-Dec-15 09:47:48

And I wouldn't dream of posting some things you have said in posts jingle , so realy we all have our own views on what is bullying, mocking, patronising, insulting, ill mannered, kind, helpful, supportive

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 15-Dec-15 09:38:29

I would never dream of saying some of the things that have been said on this thread. ie Telling a poster she can clear of as soon as she likes, just to start off with. And "No more soon". How patronising is that?

soon has been bullied.

Alea Tue 15-Dec-15 09:28:23

No Jingl, the thread was started in an attempt to find out whether or not we feel GN is lacking in diversity, if so, or if not, whether we feel that is important.
S2B's observation on another thread had set me thinking and whatever your cynical, unjustified, outraged opinion, it was started in good faith.

It started to go toxic at the suggestion of an overly preoccupation with "logging" personal details.
Now do you mind leaving off handbagging me please?