Our Word July 12, 2005 Lauren Out of the dKos pie fight comes a new political community geared for women. I already see some familiar names.
Don’t need to be segregated by the guys, we do such a good job ourselves. Should we buy an island somewhere and all just move to it? (Sorry Lauren, I read a comment elsewhere that has me so angry I’m actually crying. And I never cry.)
I’m sorry to hear you’re upset, Shelley. The new blog isn’t gender-exclusive. Says so in the mission statement. Though I wonder if that’s a) the best choice, and 2) going to last long.
Thank you so much for noticing our 3 day old start up Lauren! Shelley, i’m sorry you are so close to tears. I don’t see Our Word so much as segregating women as giving women a haven where they know they’re words will be respected. We still go out and venture forth into the co-ed world. But i’ve just always felt there was something wonderful about having a place to hang out that was “all about the girls” so to speak. Anyway, thanks again Lauren!
I’m really sorry you’re upset, Shelley. I don’t think there’s anything weird or illiberal or discriminatory about having a women-only space, & it’s sometimes the best option (or so I’ve been told). I was baffled and rather depressed by Blogher’s tone on this one even before all this recent stuff – “Well of course it’s open to men! Like, duh!”. Having said that, I think the new blog probably has to leave the door open to men, if only because some men can’t see a women’s space without wanting to enter it. (That could probably have been better phrased.) Declare it women-only and, a couple of months down the line, regular contributor lilith would whip off the mask and reveal that she was a he and you’d never spotted him, had you? Thus proving… I’m not sure what it would prove, but I’m sure some guy out there would want to prove it. Trolls do get bored and do go away. But being trolled from a position of power – that can get wearing.
If OurWords had been born as an exclusive “womens only site”, I would not have been very interested in participating in it, because I want to learn from voices of all genders. I DO see a huge need for more places where women’s voices can be more clearly and easily heard, (along with mens.) The larger, male-run liberal political blogs often set up roar of male voices that simply, by sheer numbers, overpower the voices of women, even before factoring in issues of sexism, etc. A more level playing field will benefit all of us, so I am glad to be a part of making more space for womens voices, too.