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

[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.

[Trek420]

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.

I wish I could find it, probably buried somewhere on Thread Drift but somewhere we'd designed a multiple choice quiz that proves if you're a girl.

[tulip]

A while back--a couple of years, perhaps--Bikeforums made an effort to figure out how to make people new to BF and women more comfortable posting in the general forums (duh, like it was hard to figure out!). I was asked to participate in a subcommittee of sorts, since I have a long history on BF. I found the subcommittee to be almost as bad as the regular forums, so I let my thoughts be known and left. The admins there COULD do the right thing and simply ban all the bullshit (wow, it didn't get ****--sorry to offend anyone), but they choose not to. I think their motto must be Quantity over Quality.

I do like the Women's Forum on BF, however, and continue posting there. I used to post on a regional forum, on touring, and on 50+, all of which are better than, say, Road Riding. But the Admins refuse to do their job, so I quit posting in the other areas as well.

I find very little overlap between TE and BFWF. Some, but small.

Catrin, next time I check in to the Women's Forum, I will welcome you.

[Catrin]

I wish I could find it, probably buried somewhere on Thread Drift but somewhere we'd designed a multiple choice quiz that proves if you're a girl.

Oooo, this sounds like fun, maybe it can be found sometime?

[Susan Otcenas]

I tried to get access to post there several years ago. More than once. The admin never even bothered to reply to my request.

[Trek420]

Oooo, this sounds like fun, maybe it can be found sometime?

In 14,185 posts in TE TD? I don't think so. Easier to create a new one. Remember there is no truly right answer.

You're out on a long ride, you have a flat, replace the tube and ride on, another flat, you patch it .... another! Do you:

a) Call your SO.
b) Adjust the capris, show a little calf and hope a bike dude stops.
c) Call Better World, you have the bike coverage
d) Use that Luna bar wrapper to MacGyver a patch kit to get you home

[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.

[Catrin]

The Long Distance/Randoneeuring forum is pretty good as well. It is supportive and pretty helpful.