How hard is it to say something like this on the trans issue?

[hlthe2b]

21. I don't know if you were here years ago during the all-out anti-feminist wars days...

That led to multiple feminist subgroups being formed (which were then infiltrated by the same posters who had been attacking women's rights and making obscenely nasty comments toward women in general and, yes, also IN General Discussion. It was a horrible period, and the hosts of those multiple forums (myself included) were told to "be patient and educate." The worst of those posters ended up demanding a men's group--which, although it did include some appropriate discussion of men's health and related men-specific topics, soon became another place for those banned from the feminist forums to copy posts they didn't like and attack us there. Few were banned for any of this behavior- even when they brought this same behavior in GD threads- until their behavior spilled into overt racism, defense of the Confederacy, homophobia, overt RW talking points, etc.- rarely for specifically anti-women-directed posts.

So, no. Those of us left who were here throughout that time and tried to defend women in general and the women of DU specifically--(as well as the LGBTQ community who were often similarly aligned with our issues) remember being scolded by admins to be "patient" and "educate" and be "tolerant of those who simply need to be 'brought along.'

We tried. We probably succeeded with some who were educable and able to break from previous patterns of thinking and peer pressure and willing to become informed. But the differences in approach now is remarkable. I can assure you that the women of DU were equally pained by much that was overtly (and sometimes hatefully) expressed by some at the time. To suggest those issues could not be civilly and respectfully discussed, however, was never something that would have been considered--either by administrators or even by those of us directly attacked and deeply affected. Is the current approach better? I don't know. I tend to believe in the power of educating- even when it is painful... Not my call, but I do wonder... I hope for the best now and in the future.