I wanted to add a little bit more background to this as well as the conversation that pap and I had. I think one thing that concerns pap - as well as many of the pilgrims that stepped ashore from the Mayflower last month, is that if content appears here and stays here without moderation, it looks as though pap and the founding fathers * endorse it.
Now some of the humour that has migrated here from the other place touches on areas of homophobia, and, well lots of homophobia in fact, plus the odd bit of chauvenism.
I indulge in this sort of content too, and in the cold light of day I can’t really justify the use of some of the language I use to describe, well Bear, Toke and Lou mainly.
However, I’m content that I’m being ironic in my use of gay as perjorative, and in flirting with Lou and asking her to iron some garment or other. In the real world, I have gay friends (yes, I did just use that old chestnut) of both persuasions, and I wouldn’t dream of talking to my wife and female friends in the way I ‘talk’ to Lou.
Debate with me on these issues, meet me in the real world, and you’ll know where I stand, which is why I hope it’s obvious that I use certain language here ironically.
The reason that I’m happy to enter into what I see as banter is that I feel among friends and, rightly or wrongly, I believe that Bear, Toke, Ohio, Goat and others that regularly step over the line, also see the world the way I do. We’re all wearing masks, we’re all being people that we aren’t in the real world.
Now I’m only too aware that ironic or not, it still means that I’m using issues such as sexuality and chauvenism for the basis of humour. This is impossible for me to defend if I were to offend someone by it. This isn’t a problem for those that have emigrated from the other place because I feel they ‘know’, but for new visitors who don’t understand the clique, it gives me a problem. Which is why I was keen to place disclaimers around content in the Monkey Tennis forum that warns new visitors.
If this community grows as it could, it’s important for me to make it clear that the content in Monkey Tennis is like a night out with Frankie Boyle. Anything could and probably will be said, but you have to make the assumption that it is being used to shock for the humour value, and not because it is intended to offend. That it might offend is a by-product. If it does offend, those offended might chose to a) not visit Monkey Tennis, b) downvote offending content or c) debate with the individuals concerned, but they shouldn’t necessarily assume that the ‘offenders’ were setting out to cause offence or that they hold these views in the ‘real’ world.
Taking Monkey Tennis out of the front page latest posts timeline was a suggestion to allow new visitors to not feel that this was a homophobic, biggoted, male-dominated free for all.
* and founding mothers (I think I just overstepped a line again, Lou).
