Just to say

It seems it’s perfectly fine to insult a man in the public eye, but you face the wrath of the sisterhood if you dare insult a woman. I am not, and never have been, a member of the sisterhood. A person is a person. Women are not entitled to immunity from criticism.

Well said, joseann. I seem to remember there were quite a lot of diversionary posts too after things got "heated".

I used the term 'bashers' advisedly.

I was not talking about normal, intelligent debate stemming from differences in political opinions.

There have been very brutal remarks on GN, not long ago, about celebrities' children being overweight and being fed snacks. About royal children with wonky eyes, or having autistic tendencies. Those comments I have and will report, but adults posting remarks about a female politician's "frightful" appearance doesn't merit a full on ding dong for me. That is why, the trousers thread went random and reached 1000 posts, 90+% of which were about choices of clothing anyway.

Agree , some remarks were brutal

The line is where attacks are personal, whether about a Gransnetter or a person in the public eye

That says it for me casdon some of the vitriolic, totally unacceptable remarks ( not about her clothes) came from posters now posting on this thread and defending their remarks
It doesn’t need money or position to know where the line should be drawn and some posters went way over it and still are and it’s nothing about left or right it’s about being a human being with an ounce of thoughtfulness

The line is where attacks are personal, whether about a Gransnetter or a person in the public eye.

‘Gransnet Forums aren’t pre-moderated; we don’t read and approve comments before they appear. Our policy is to keep intervention to a minimum and let the conversation flow.
That said, we will remove posts we believe to be obscene, racist, homophobic, contain personal attacks or break the law once they are brought to our attention.’

Call me self righteous or a leftie if you like, but I, and most people, whatever their political persuasion don’t cross that line whoever is being discussed. This thread did cross that line, and the posters who did so know they did.

Surely, we are all allowed an opinion on everything and I am happy to discuss with friends and acquaintances.

I'm waving to Catherine too.

Germanshepherdsmum

We are getting some very self-righteous posts on here. It seems freedom of speech is only allowed if the listener is of the same view as the speaker.

The leftie bashers are just as self-righteous as the right wing bashers. Both seem to want one rule for them and another for the opposite side.

Harpies are harpies.

Primrose53

Casdon

Germanshepherdsmum

We are getting some very self-righteous posts on here. It seems freedom of speech is only allowed if the listener is of the same view as the speaker.

It is not self righteous to recognise where the line is and not cross it. Freedom of speech does not include hate speech.

You mean like Catherine Bennett describing Boris - “Glutton meets vagrant outlandishness” ?

That's what I meant about fat-shaming which is a no-no on here.

Casdon

Germanshepherdsmum

We are getting some very self-righteous posts on here. It seems freedom of speech is only allowed if the listener is of the same view as the speaker.

It is not self righteous to recognise where the line is and not cross it. Freedom of speech does not include hate speech.

You mean like Catherine Bennett describing Boris - “Glutton meets vagrant outlandishness” ?

Who sets the line Casdon, apart from GN?

Casdon it was fair play then when those on the Left spent years making fun of how Boris looked, how he behaved, Theresa May’s choice of shoes and necklaces, Nadine Dorries et al?

Germanshepherdsmum

We are getting some very self-righteous posts on here. It seems freedom of speech is only allowed if the listener is of the same view as the speaker.

It is not self righteous to recognise where the line is and not cross it. Freedom of speech does not include hate speech.

OldFrill

Siope

I doubt the press scans Gransnet. They do routinely check Mumsnet, so I assume the vitriol from here was picked up because it was quoted there.

For others who may not have been aware, not only is this a public forum, but I expect (I’ve never checked the T&C) any content we post becomes the property of Mumsnet to use as they wish. That’s certainly the case for most forums.

Posts and comments on Gransnet show in Google (and the like) searches so no requirement to scan Gransnet or be a member.
There was massive media reaction to the trousers suit and the Gransnet post currently comes up in the top ten of searches.

We're famous!!

Lots of us love talking about clothes, but please can we just stick to the clothes only in future?

I think most of us did and thst was ignored by Bennett, Casdon but, of course, that does not make sensational journalism!

We are getting some very self-righteous posts on here. It seems freedom of speech is only allowed if the listener is of the same view as the speaker.

Siope

I doubt the press scans Gransnet. They do routinely check Mumsnet, so I assume the vitriol from here was picked up because it was quoted there.

For others who may not have been aware, not only is this a public forum, but I expect (I’ve never checked the T&C) any content we post becomes the property of Mumsnet to use as they wish. That’s certainly the case for most forums.

Posts and comments on Gransnet show in Google (and the like) searches so no requirement to scan Gransnet or be a member.
There was massive media reaction to the trousers suit and the Gransnet post currently comes up in the top ten of searches.

Pretty sure also that while I doubt Guardian/other journalists scan GN they’ll have Google alerts set up for their own names, so any posted here would be flagged to them.

Hi, Catherine, if I’m correct.

I don’t like being tainted with the same brush as people who can’t recognise when a line has been crossed and who therefore get Gransnet mentioned in the press. It’s just a good job that no journalists picked up on the thread before the worst comments were deleted, or it wouldn’t just have been the Guardian reporting on that thread.
Lots of us love talking about clothes, but please can we just stick to the clothes only in future?

I doubt the press scans Gransnet. They do routinely check Mumsnet, so I assume the vitriol from here was picked up because it was quoted there.

For others who may not have been aware, not only is this a public forum, but I expect (I’ve never checked the T&C) any content we post becomes the property of Mumsnet to use as they wish. That’s certainly the case for most forums.

eazybee

The fact remains, Angela Rayner looked a mess.

The pretentious article by C. Bennett reminded me why I never read the Guardian.

Nicely summed up Eazybee.

CB would say that since she is writing for the most leftwing paper. I notice she did not stand up for ARs horrible trouser suit - presumably because there was nothing to stand up for. 😉

To those who are saying they would like to see what GNpeople wear just remember, we are not Deputy Prime Minister.

Many on GN are or have been professional people and would never have dreamt of writing down what they actually thought about people but kept their views private.

However much you dislike someone for their politics criticising their looks, clothes, accent or anything else personal to them should not be posted on a public forum.

Just to say: "Free speech and freely" is what's important.

Always.

Currently reading the excellent book Free Speech: a global history from Socrates to social media by Jacob Mchangama. Try it before listening to people who say "you shouldn't say that".

eazybee

Absolutely right, Callistemon; Boris Johnson wore appropriate clothes, suit shirt, tie, for work,but always looked a mess, whether deliberately or naturally I couldn't say, and was much criticised from all quarters for his appearance.
Professionals need to dress smartly to instil confidence, for example nurses, air hostesses, lawyers are usually immaculate, whereas doctors, teachers and pharmacists increasingly affect the disordered look.

Whether or not Bennett's piece was deliberately ironic is difficult to ascertain.

Her piece in the Guardian was just as bad as some of the comments on GN. 😁

Apparently Boris cultivates the wild hair look. I don't have to try myself, mine's naturally wild.