In case you weren't already thankful for the TE forum...

[Catrin]

I emailed the admin at BF and all of a sudden I have access to the women's forum there... that was nice of them.

[nscrbug]

I've been a member of the BF women's forum for several years. I don't post too much, but I do read. I also peruse through a few of the other "male-dominated" forums over there. Yeah, it's true that some of the regulars (guys) can be a bit obnoxious at times. I avoid posting on topics where things get crazy and out-of-control...it's too easy to become a target or labeled as a troll over there. But I have found a lot of useful information on that forum, so it's not all "bad".

Linda

[Irulan]

IIRC, the whole BF invitation thing is old news? And so what. There are lots of forums to choose from, and many ways to do it.

I belong to a women's only ski board that requires 25 posts for full access, and if you are not female, you WILL be banned. It is not a sub forum of a different board.

I belong to a design entrepeneur board that require that you either purchase a specific book or pay a certain fee.

It's all different, and it's all good and we can all make choices. Personally I think it's bad form to
put down board on another, but that's just me.

[jessmarimba]

I can't speak for anyone else, obviously, but I don't have a problem with BF or with them doing whatever they feel like to grant entry to the women's forum.

However (and the quote is taken from one of their posters on the linked thread) the reason they have to block access is just (to me) a little sad. I don't like that there are people who are so immature and insensitive that they've driven the women into hiding.

"Some women post personal issues that they would be embarrassed about if men could read them, and some men can't control themselves from posting juvenile comments when women bring up sensitive issues. Bike Forums handles that by making the women's forum accessible only to female members and requiring a posting history on Bike Forums before access is granted."

[Irulan]

I can't speak for anyone else, obviously, but I don't have a problem with BF or with them doing whatever they feel like to grant entry to the women's forum.

However (and the quote is taken from one of their posters on the linked thread) the reason they have to block access is just (to me) a little sad. I don't like that there are people who are so immature and insensitive that they've driven the women into hiding.

"Some women post personal issues that they would be embarrassed about if men could read them, and some men can't control themselves from posting juvenile comments when women bring up sensitive issues. Bike Forums handles that by making the women's forum accessible only to female members and requiring a posting history on Bike Forums before access is granted."

The flavor of any board is determined ultimately by the admin and the guidelines given to the moderators. We don't have the above problem at mtbr, where the women's board is huge and not closed to men. The women got sick of the bs from the guys and formed a team of moderators, with the back up of admin. It took a few months, but with a zero tolerance approach to men being d**kheads, some forum guidelines posted about what behavior was acceptable, and the problem was solved. I have yet to understand why this approach isn't taken elsewhere.... the guys only do it because they can ( ie, the "the more annoyed you get the more fun it is for me" concept). All is takes is setting a standard, letting people know you mean business, a warning and then banning individuals that are pushing the limit.

In addition, this empowered the women to be in control of their own board, and it rarely takes a moderator to send a guy out of there, tail between his legs, for inappropriate posting. Women routinely discuss any biking issue, without inappropriate posts from guys, without the secret club approach.

Here's what we did, works great. I was on the moderator team that put this in place, and enforced it, for many years.

I do find the number 50 kind of ridiculous.

The Women's Lounge is a place for mountain biking women to discuss topics of their choosing. Guys are welcome, but consider yourselves guests, in this small corner of Mtbr designated for Women, specifically.

Wit and humor and being a good sport are appreciated; trolling and baiting are not. Any post that is deemed inappropriate for this forum will be deleted at the moderator's discretion without explanation.

This includes but is not limited to:

* Posts that insult women, either individually or in a group
* Posts that criticize sexual orientation
* Posters that are deemed to be harrassing female posters


We take complaints from our regular users very seriously, as they are the core of this forum.

Access to the WL may be restricted if the rules are not heeded.

Questions/concerns/complaints can be sent to the Site Manager directly: "

Thanks in advance for your compliance.

easy fix, dunno why they don't do it.

[Koronin]

My husband actually found this forum for me. We both were looking for cyling forums this summer after getting our road bikes. (My husband has been riding mountain bikes his entire life. I finally this summer for the first time got both a road bike and mountain bike that actually fit me.) So we were looking for forums to learn at. He is the one that found this one for me to join. The other forum we both are members of and check on a regular basis is Road Bike Review. They have a forum as part of their page. They do have a women's board on their forum that is open to everyone.

[Irulan]

It is not whether there is a women's board or not, the discussion is having to prove you are female through a posting history, and women's boards that have idiot men dominating them.

[oz rider]

The flavor of any board is determined ultimately by the admin and the guidelines given to the moderators.

Exactly. There's no problems from guys on BV forums, although they enjoy their photos on one thread. But Australian Cycling Forums made an awful mess of setting up its women's forum (and even a male friend mentioned last weekend they discuss their bits too much). I logged out after the women's forum debacle and won't be back. Just wish I could tell their sponsors I'll be avoiding them too. Who would have thought it's that hard?

[jobob]

The N. California regional forum on BF is quite good, with a generally helpful and supportive bunch. Just MHO.