What ever happened to the Ms Magazine boards?

[StellaBlue]

Those were great. Used to read 'em all the time.

Poof! Gone.

[femrap]

1. I remember this very, very well.

Right after the March for Women's Lives in DC in April of 2004, the Boards were gone. PUFF! Maybe two weeks after, if I remember correctly.

First they said that the boards were under construction and would come back in a new form....then a few days later, it was said 'no more boards.'

I never did find out why....but my guess was that a major donor to Ms. said they had to go.

There was A LOT of fighting and insults on the Boards....A LOT. I was shocked to see that. I was embarrassed to see women at each other's throats, but there it was. Lots of cliques and feuding.

But there was some great info and some great writing. I think it's a shame that all of those women's words have been thrown away....I don't see why we can't have access to the archives....I'd be happy with just selective treads. But nothing.

[StellaBlue]

2. It was somewhat divisive

But when I came across it, I was living in the UK and was in an emotionally abusive relationship with a very anti-feminist man, and those boards kept me sne for almost three years. I miss it. It was like DU, only totally feminist.

Granted, NO ONE was EVER radical enough. haha

[femrap]

3. The Ms. Boards were a great help to women....

glad you're out of that relationship. I still have friends that I met on those Boards. Have you checked out I Blame the Patriarchy....I find it offers feminist sanity as well.

I still subscribe to Ms. Magazine. Gloria Steinem visited Ohio during the Kerry Campaign of '04. She grew up in Toledo, Ohio. I went to her private reception in Cincinnati....I can't find the words to describe what a fabulously brave and courageous woman she is. I got her autograph....and she said 'Now I want yours...I'm no more important than you, you know.' Is that cool or what? She is totally anti-hierararchy.

[StellaBlue]

6. I Blame the Patriarchy is Good Stuff

Read it almost every day. She's wonderful. And an Austinite, to boot. So I can go have tacos at those places she talks about. In fact, I was thinking of going over to the taco stand for lunch.

MMMMMM

[femrap]

7. Lucky you....I hear

Austin is very different from the rest of Texas....is that right? That they pride themselves on being true individuals and embrace tolerance.

[Ayesha]

4. I used to post there

They just vanished one day; not that it was a huge surprise. It was a vicious place. There was tons of infighting and trolls invaded on a regular basis.

Most of the good women's boards are gone now. EstroNet, ChickClick, Hissyfit, others I've now forgotten...my site She-Net is about the only one left, and it's pretty quiet there too. It's sad. I don't know how to account for this loss, but now in this time of attacks on choice and our rights, they're needed more than ever!

[MountainLaurel]

5. My first e-mail account was on ChickClick

I remember being on Hissyfit on 9-11; one of the members lost her fiancee. And the great sites on Estronet.

:cry:

[Branjor]

8. Yep...

I remember the Ms board. It was a vicious place and I was not surprised when it was pulled either.

It is a shame as there was also some pretty good feminist writing on it.

[BlueIris]

9. Doesn't Feminista have discussion boards now?

I love Feminista.

[politicat]

10. One of the problems with the Ms boards, IIRC...

is that high post count posters were given more benefit of the doubt than newbies. (Sound familiar?)

It lead to this gang warfare type atmosphere of turfing that was just crazy. I remember that radfems had a hell of a time surviving that board.

I observed for a few weeks, read some of the forums, and went back to Usenet. It was safer, cleaner and less cruel.