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warspite1 -> RE: Regarding the Derby House Principles Announcement (10/3/2021 9:40:11 AM)
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So the Australian Beauties thread is no more….. As the starter of that thread I must say I am a little sad to see its demise, but fully understand this is Matrix’s forum and they can choose what is acceptable and what is not. But Matrix have left this thread open for people to post their comments and so I will take advantage of that.
Firstly I must say that the issues around diversity and inclusion being brought to the fore is a force for the good. I know from my own experience how seriously employers are taking the matter. About time too – things were changing, but not fast enough. Certain events in 2020 brought that home in stark fashion.
But I also recognise that in many areas, things are going too far and the message is being lost and distorted. This sort of nonsense, by people with their own warped agendas, simply plays into the hands of the knuckle-dragging Neanderthals who don’t want progress in the first place.
But the fact that there are problems does not mean that those with the right intentions and who are doing the right thing should not be encouraged to carry on making progress and seeking change for the good of all.
So when I saw Matrix make an announcement on the Derby House rules, my reaction was good for them – and I wish them well.
As far as the closure of the Australian Beauties thread is concerned (well done Karri) I must confess I have mixed feelings. Firstly, I can see the arguments for closing the thread; it’s in the General Discussion (GD) forum and presumably the first place new members and prospective members will see. So I take Erik’s entry room analogy and that it may be seen by some to set a certain ‘tone’.
That said, my personal opinion, on balance, is that the closure of the thread was an unfortunate decision. Threads continue if people post. If people post then there must be an interest in the subject. So there can be no denying that after almost 10 years, over 11,000 posts and almost 1.8m hits, the thread was of interest to many of the wargaming members of this community. I think most GD forumites have their own individual game site(s) they frequent, but also come to the GD forum for a bit of alternative chat – whether it be wargames in general, history, films and TV, sport, books or whatever.
In saying all that, it was clear from the number of actual posters, that it was not popular with all forumites – what thread is? But those who didn’t like it simply stayed away (or just viewed the thread and never admitted it), in the same way that they would stay away from other threads and forums that were of no interest. There are too few ladies on the forums, but those who were here didn’t appear to be turned off the forum because of that one thread. Indeed Rhonda (God rest her soul) even joined in at one point.
General Discussion is just that, and as Erik said, the Australian Beauties thread did not break any rules. How many times did moderators have to intervene in this 371 page thread? I suspect if I went back and trawled through that thread, there would be a few comments that, while not breaking any rules, would on reflection, perhaps be better suited to an all-male environment (and I can fully appreciate why that would be a problem). But we are literally talking about the odd post. Pick up any woman’s publication today. They are filled with the sort of pictures posted in that thread. The thread wasn’t meant to objectify women (I have a wife and two daughters, why on earth would I do that?) – it was a celebration of beauty. Instead of closing the thread, there could have simply been some tighter rules made on pictures and comments to ensure that nothing strayed ‘out of bounds’.
There are probably as many women involved in the Matrix forums now, as when I joined in 2008 – and that was four years before the Australian Beauties thread was started. Do Matrix really believe that the lack of women has anything to do with this one individual thread amongst the many hundreds and thousands to view? Does the fact that this thread is closed and will ultimately disappear from sight, mean women will come to the Matrix forum? No of course not, Erik and co are not stupid, but they want to do what they consider is the right thing and not turn away prospective customers.
My only request therefore is that they reconsider the closure of the thread in favour perhaps of some tighter regulation of what is posted.
But if not then, as far as the Australian Beauties page is concerned, goodbye old girl – it’s been a lot of fun. Thanks to those who supported the thread – and in particular the competitions that were held from time to time. I think a picture of one of the winners of a competition from back in 2013 is worth a post.
Winner of the Most Beautiful Old Girl Tarted Up for War (essentially WWI ships that were modernised and saw action in WWII), beating the Kongo in the final
[image]local://upfiles/28156/CCEB19F6A1114EF5A5A0F4FDFA54F8DA.jpg[/image]
But that is just my GBP £0.02 of the Queen’s sterling.
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