Adding misogyny to Fark moderator guidelines.

Adam Savage once described to me the problem this way: if the Internet was a dude, we'd all agree that dude has a serious problem with women.

We've actually been tightening up moderation style along these lines for awhile now, but as of today, the FArQ will be updated with new rules reminding you all that we don't want to be the He Man Woman Hater's Club.  This represents enough of a departure from pretty much how every other large internet community operates that I figure an announcement is necessary.

There are lots of examples of highly misogynistic language in pop culture, and Fark has used those plenty over the years. From SNL's "Jane, you ignorant slut" to Blazing Saddles' multiple casual references to rape, there are a lot of instances where views are made extreme to parody them. On Fark, we have a tendency to use pop culture references as a type of referential shorthand with one another.

On SNL and in a comedy movie, though, the context is clear. On the Internet, it's impossible to know the difference between a person with hateful views and a person lampooning hateful views to make a point. The mods try to be reasonable, and context often matters. We will try and determine what you meant, but that's not always a pass. If your post can be taken one of two ways, and one of those ways can be interpreted as misogynistic, the mods may delete it -- even if that wasn't your intent.

Things that aren't acceptable:

- Rape jokes
- Calling women as a group "whores" or "sluts" or similar demeaning terminology
- Jokes suggesting that a woman who suffered a crime was somehow asking for it

Obviously, these are just a few examples and shouldn't be taken as the full gospel, but to give you a few examples of what will always be over the line. Trying to anticipate every situation and every conversation in every thread would be ridiculous, so consider these guidelines and post accordingly.  I recommend that when encountering grey areas, instead of trying to figure out where the actual line is, the best strategy would be to stay out of the grey area entirely.

As one of the folks who picks headlines, I can also say with some certainty that we're not going to get everything right all the time on our end either.  I've been trying to keep an eye toward these guidelines for a couple months now and I still make mistakes and/or miss problem taglines completely.  We're trying to make the Fark community a better place, and hopefully this will be a few steps in the right direction.

good.

although rape jokes, i'll miss you most of all

Should be some busy times in the Jezebel-hate threads.

Stampeding Cattle through the Vatican still OK, though?

You said ra...er.. nevermind.

As long as it's still OK to make fun of the mentally handicapped and tea partiers, I'll get over it.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: Stampeding Cattle through the Vatican still OK, though?

yup that's cool

Good news!

Thanks to Drew and the Mod team.

Drew: Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: Stampeding Cattle through the Vatican still OK, though?

yup that's cool

Do I get a badge?

reillan: medius: good.

although rape jokes, i'll miss you most of all

What about man-on-man prison rape jokes.  Those are still cool, right?

/only one that's gotten me into the HOTY contest so far...

Nope. Rape jokes in general are out now. Thanks for giving us a chance to clarify though.

This headline could be interpreted as meaning that misogyny is now a requirement.

I think we're going to need a ruling on "Your mom" jokes.

SirDigbyChickenCaesar: What if it's guy on guy rape?  That still cool?

Not at all. Rape jokes are no longer allowed, it doesn't matter who the victim is.

Pocket Ninja: This headline could be interpreted as meaning that misogyny is now a requirement.

Yeah, I thought they were now making sure all moderators hate women.

Imokwiththis.jpg

So Number 6 Dances are no longer cool on Fark?

JerseyTim: Pocket Ninja: This headline could be interpreted as meaning that misogyny is now a requirement.

Yeah, I thought they were now making sure all moderators hate women.

We tossed the idea around but half of them are women so it wasn't practical

But Black Dynamite, I provide ignorant sluts to the community.

Is this Drew endorsing Hilary 16'?

reillan: What about man-on-man prison rape jokes.  Those are still cool, right?

only one way to find out...

one of us (not me) should get convicted of a felony and then post about our experience in prison, but add a ;-) at the end so they know you're being tongue in cheeks

Drew: He Man Woman Hater's Haters Club

Fixed.