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Is GAF too strict?

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-COOLIO-

The Everyman
So if I said something like, "Bitch-ass pussy mods are too busy sucking dicks and fostering shitty community opinions than actually fucking moderating"
It would be ok because its in quotes, right? Help me out here gaf.

you are one ballsy junior
 

TUROK

Member
is calling a dude a """""bitch"""""" fair game?
I sometimes use "little bitch" as an insult towards dudes.

Seems like it works better.

Also, I always thought "douchebag" was the male equivalent of "bitch."

It's exhausting trying to keep up with what formerly ok word is banned or if it's only banned on a situational basis and if so, how it's ok to say it. It'd be much easier for everyone if people would keep their panties untwisted.

fake edit: oh no I said panties I must be insensitive to women.
Not all women wear panties, dude. Stop perpetuating cis stereotypes, bro.
 
So if I said something like, "Bitch-ass pussy mods are too busy sucking dicks and fostering shitty community opinions than actually fucking moderating"
It would be ok because its in quotes, right? Help me out here gaf.

You post on /v/ too? Ha, see you on the flip side bro.
 

reggie

Banned
It's exhausting trying to keep up with what formerly ok word is banned or if it's only banned on a situational basis and if so, how it's ok to say it. It'd be much easier for everyone if people would keep their panties untwisted.

fake edit: oh no I said panties I must be insensitive to women.

We prefer to use the gender neutral "underwear" around these parts. I hope the mods give you a well deserved ban.
 

DarkFlow

Banned
I think you are missing the point. That phrase implys that women are not athletic and, generally, is rather childish.
But what if I tell my 7 year old girl that? /twist


Edit: and just so know you, I know a lot of women that could kick my ass in lots of sports. So they are far From not being athletic.
 

DietRob

i've been begging for over 5 years.
It feels like GAF has devolved into a meta board obsessed with talking about itself instead of discussing the topics at hand.

I wonder if I'm the only one that feels this way. Granted I haven't been around 'forever' like some going on about 4 years. But in that time there has certainly been a shift from discussing topics to discussing GAF.

Whether it's "Your Favorite Avatar", "Your favorite poster", "Most Banned", the endless moderation comments.

I love this place and hope that Meta-GAF doesn't do too much damage.
 

Kayhan

Member
Maybe a list of currently bannable words could go in the TOS or something?

I am not even kidding, it seems a little harsh that people get banned for using words that are commonly used in network TV.....
 

Kusagari

Member
I think GAF really, really, really over thinks how many people mean certain things when using an insult.

You're giving way too many people way too much credit if you think every time they call someone a bitch, they're actually intending on referring to the guy as a girl in an offensive way.

They're actually just using whatever insult they can think of.
 

Milchjon

Member
Why do you need a single insulting word? Someone earlier in the thread said they used it because they thought the woman was foolish, irresponsible, or crazy. What's wrong with those? If anything, there are more ways to express yourself by saying what you mean instead of trying to call names.

For the same reason I need other curse words? "This fucking sucks" isn't the same as "That's mightily unpleasant" either, right?

BTW, I actually agree that retard/retarded is highly offensive.

I mainly hate the way bitch in all its forms is handled here. I think there's so many worse and more directly gendered words out there. I just can't see, from my experience with the word bitch in all kinds of environments and mediums, how it is as bad as parts of GAF make it out to be.
 
I was trying to get the gender aspect out, because the crux of the issue is "it's just an insult, except X group of people are offended by it because it's obviously meant to assault that group of people 100% of the time"

Obviously.

The issue is that the inferred subtext can be interpreted as one of general disrespect. This is a tough idea to convey succinctly, but as an example, here's something that I've heard white people I know growing up use to summarize their position on black people they don't like.

"I don't like that guy because he's a nigger. Now, I'm not saying that all black people are niggers, but that guy is. A lot of them may very well be good people, and I wouldn't levy 'nigger' at them. Ergo, I'm not racist."

Hearing this, even as a young kid, I could see that they were certainly trying not to come across as discriminatory towards a whole race, but something about it made me a bit uneasy.

Now, back to the word 'bitch', I understand that the situation is a bit different. In its case, it's used much more causally for many more circumstances. Therefore, I can understand some confusion in regard to its usage, as there's an argument to be made that it's lost a lot of its edginess. However, some of its bite still remains, and some take offense towards it. Personally, as stated earlier, I'm not all that invested one way or another about the policy the site should take, as I understand the arguments for and against.

It's a copout, but I'll just concede that it is what it is and call it a day.
 

Riggs

Banned
I think GAF really, really, really over thinks how many people mean certain things when using an insult.

You're giving way too many people way too much credit if you think every time they call someone a bitch, they're actually intending on referring to the guy as a girl in an offensive way.

They're actually just using whatever insult they can think of.

Really agree, but we have to play by the rules I suppose. Although sometimes I like to be naughty and PM EvilLore how much I hate him.
 
So you were trying to have a one word discussion, then?

I wasn't really trying to have a discussion, i was more supporting an opposing poster. He was also banned. Just goes to show the nature of moderation here. My post was simply a disagreement of another posters and for simply not agreeing with the hive I am banned? "cmon son"
 

RionaaM

Unconfirmed Member
So if I said something like, "Bitch-ass pussy mods are too busy sucking dicks and fostering shitty community opinions than actually fucking moderating"
It would be ok because its in quotes, right? Help me out here gaf.
I'd guess they could ban you for stealthily insulting them.


It feels like GAF has devolved into a meta board obsessed with talking about itself instead of discussing the topics at hand.

I wonder if I'm the only one that feels this way. Granted I haven't been around 'forever' like some going on about 4 years. But in that time there has certainly been a shift from discussing topics to discussing GAF.

Whether it's "Your Favorite Avatar", "Your favorite poster", "Most Banned", the endless moderation comments.

I love this place and hope that Meta-GAF doesn't do too much damage.
Now you're talking about Meta-Meta-GAF. GAFception?
 

Visceir

Member
I'm rather curious who proposed those words to be banned in first place. I don't really expect to get an answer but it all seems like it wasn't well thought out and now it's leading to "well, if that is banned then that should be banned too!", "and if that is banned then that should be banned too!" It is slowly getting out of hand and really ridiculous.

But of course they can't go back on it now because it would be admitting that someone made a wrong decision.
 

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
It feels like GAF has devolved into a meta board obsessed with talking about itself instead of discussing the topics at hand.

I wonder if I'm the only one that feels this way. Granted I haven't been around 'forever' like some going on about 4 years. But in that time there has certainly been a shift from discussing topics to discussing GAF.

Whether it's "Your Favorite Avatar", "Your favorite poster", "Most Banned", the endless moderation comments.

I love this place and hope that Meta-GAF doesn't do too much damage.

Yep, it's a problem that's been identified on the off topic. It's either insular megathreads or meta discussion, nothing in between. Everyone on off topic is a chronic whiner about what threads are worthy or not, so everything inevitably becomes a carefully constructed Official Thread megathread.

That will be addressed. Again.
 
I've had to refrain myself from calling someone a cunt many times, mainly in the football thread, it's probably because that word is used all the time in the UK both as an insult or in a friendly manner. Just have to change what I post, not really a big deal, although it was fine using that word until the euro thread a few months ago.
 

Riggs

Banned
Careful with those gendered compliments.

Your avatar has a large nose are you trying to say something about the Jewish community? If not I apologize. I am very sensitive to this stuff.

I've had to refrain myself from calling someone a cunt many times, mainly in the football thread, it's probably because that word is used all the time in the UK both as an insult or in a friendly manner. Just have to change what I post, not really a big deal, although it was fine using that word until the euro thread a few months ago.

You euro's! Not like you can be banned anyway, GAF would literally wither off and die.
 

Tess3ract

Banned
is calling a dude a """""bitch"""""" fair game?

No because it makes women look bad. :\
So if I said something like, "Bitch-ass pussy mods are too busy sucking dicks and fostering shitty community opinions than actually fucking moderating"
It would be ok because its in quotes, right? Help me out here gaf.
You've got some balls junior. What you're doing is Mod Sass, and most forums they punish you for it.
 

pigeon

Banned
[Clark Gable];42860940 said:
There are people on here who use the word "cis" as an insult. Ban that also. It "offends" me

This is really a perfect example of the disingenuous argument surrounding this topic. Again, the implication is that nobody is actually offended, it's an elaborate ploy to get people temporarily banned from a video game forum.
 

T.M. MacReady

NO ONE DENIES MEMBER
Careful with those gendered compliments.

tumblr_lgg5byyzWM1qfas78o1_500.gif


Bravo
 

magicstop

Member
is calling a dude a """""bitch"""""" fair game?

Nope. You're insulting the guy by effectively calling him a woman, thus implying inherent insult and negativity in being a woman. It's a gendered insult, no matter who you throw it at. It's offensive because the insult lies within a specific, feminine identity, and that's like insulting someone by referencing insult based on race or sexual orientation. It's no bueno.

devilhawk said:
As if I haven't been called a dick and threatened?
Men aren't oppressed, and their social identity isn't one that maleness is considered inherently insulting. It doesn't work the same. Just like being called "whitey" isn't the same as being referred to by any other racial slur associated with people of color. It doesn't go in reverse.

Derrick01 said:
It's exhausting trying to keep up with what formerly ok word is banned or if it's only banned on a situational basis and if so, how it's ok to say it. It'd be much easier for everyone if people would keep their panties untwisted.

fake edit: oh no I said panties I must be insensitive to women.
Poor you? Maybe you should just quit posting?
 
And now we're back to the fantasy world of privilege where white people face as much shit for being white as women do for being women.

I think I'll include "pigeon" in my collection of makeshift words. You're being such a pigeon. It's okay, though, because it's a video games forum, and nobody is actually offended by it.
 

Yaboosh

Super Sleuth
Yep, it's a problem that's been identified on the off topic. It's either insular megathreads or meta discussion, nothing in between. Everyone on off topic is a chronic whiner about what threads are worthy or not, so everything inevitably becomes a carefully constructed Official Thread megathread.

That will be addressed. Again.


Can't tell if this is sarcastic or serious. I think it is the "nothing in between" throwing me off.
 

Mumei

Member
Once more:

There is not a blanket ban on the word "bitch." There are, however, ways you can use "bitch" which could get you banned. Opiate recently addressed questions about this in another thread:

Is it contextual or zero-tolerance?

It's going to be hard not saying the b-word. Not in the offensive variety, but I mean.... There's a Batman quote with it.

Definitely contextual, always. For example, I just said all four of those words, and you'll notice I'm not banned! Generally speaking, regarding the word "bitch," if the word is clearly not intended to apply in a gender sensitive way -- if you use it as a synonym for "asshole" or "jerk" -- it will be fine.

But other uses are not fine. If you are applying it to a woman in a situation that might be even remotely gender-specific, be careful. Also, applying it to a man in such a way that you intend to emasculate them, or imply they are weak or pathetic, is also not appropriate. So, "stop being a bitch" is not appropriate, for example.


Context will always matter. While sometimes people are not moderated simply because we don't see the post (it happens), many times people complain that [Poster X] was banned for saying a bad word, but [Poster Y] was not, and people think this is unfair. As you say, however, context matters -- the same exact words can mean very different things coming from different people at different times.

This makes the rules harder to follow, I realize this. They are not hard, fast, simple rules. We are relying on your ability to be reasonable and mature, and in almost all cases you'll be fine if you do.

Again, feel free to send me PMs if you need. Thanks.

I want to be clear, however, in stating that using it as a synonym for "asshole" or "jerk" is still unacceptable when used towards another poster; it is something in practice that is available more for self-deprecation or towards a task (e.g. "This level was a bitch to get through") that is not directed towards another person.

Nearly all rules about language here are contextual. There is no list of words that you are not allowed to post; any word in the right context or in the right discussion can be acceptable. But there are words that have a heightened scrutiny around their usage, such as gendered or racist or homophobic slurs.

I apologize if this is new to anyone, but if you are arguing that those posts were not bannable, you are simply mistaken. We discussed Opiate's post internally (and my subsequent clarification on one of the points) before and after he made it and it is an accurate, though still nonexhaustive, representation of the kinds of usages of "bitch" that we find acceptable or unacceptable.

If you are wondering why words like "bitch" or "cunt" are bannable and words like "dick" are generally not, I would suggest that you click the post redirect link on the post I made above which will take you to a topic where these topics were discussed in more detail. I made posts on the subject, as did other users. I would look for them, but unfortunately - or perhaps fortunately - my grandmother's lawn is a higher priority.
 

Orayn

Member
Men aren't oppressed, and their social identity isn't one that maleness is considered inherently insulting. It doesn't work the same. Just like being called "whitey" isn't the same as being referred to by any other racial slur associated with people of color. It doesn't go in reverse.

But if a white straight man truly believes, and fakes outrage hard enough, his privilege will override reality itself. So goes the old legend, anyway.
 

notworksafe

Member
And now we're back to the fantasy world of privilege where white people face as much shit for being white as women do for being women.

So my anecdotal evidence isn't worth as much as Devolution's? Bummer. Interesting that you didn't comment on "dick" or "Jew".
 

Gisk

Banned
On a more serious note, I dislike how a this thread has dissolved into the discussion of ""curse"" words. Especially when these words can only be discussed in ""Quotation Marks"".

I'd probably be for the best if the rules thread was updated to include some of these ""bad"" words so that people are directly aware of community policy, rather than being informed through word of mouth.

dr_evil_laser.jpg
 
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