birding-aus

The Decline of BA

To: John Leonard <>
Subject: The Decline of BA
From: Jenny Spry <>
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2016 00:43:29 +0000
Hi  John and B-A,

In the context of this discussion I think the phrase "robust responses"
could have something to do with the problem. Maybe it is all in the
interpretation, and how the receiver feels about getting "robust
responses". Oh, and please don't read any of the following as a general
comment on the 99% of wonderful and very interesting B-A contributors, the
people currently in this thread - this is for the 1% who do act as trolls,
and so far they have not joined in.

If I am sent a "robust response" in public I am unlikely to make another
post so as to avoid a second such response. When it is sent to me in
private I feel especially threatened; I had one case where I replied to the
sender requesting that he never contact me again and his reply was that
that was not possible because he sent so many emails he would never be able
to remember who had asked him not to send emails; and that was when I
dropped out of B-A. Sigh.

In general it is interesting to me that "sledging" and "robust
communication" are now seen as being acceptable forms of communication. And
I do think that there is a gender difference (not "sexist") in how
communications are sent and received. Male to male "sledging" and "robust
communication" seems, to me anyway, to be a form of verbal jousting, a
challenge to be met and engaged with. When it is male to female, for me
anyway, it is an attack. When it is female to male it seems, to me anyway
that, by the "trolls", the woman will be branded as a "F***king Witch".

Maybe you are right, maybe trolls do only attack women, or perhaps when the
trolls attack men it is read as just "robust communication" or "sledging".
Who knows. So much in communication styles have changed and possibly
(probably) over the decades I have not changed with them.

I will try putting up a few trip reports again but should I get a
"sledging" or "robust communication" in private I will post the offending
email on B-A and drop out again.

I am going to drop out of the thread now before I attract a troll (smile).

cheers

Jenny



On 5 January 2016 at 10:44, John Leonard <> wrote:

> Hi Jenny
>
> I am astonished and saddened to hear of your BA experiences.
>
> I have been a reader and contributor to BA for 20 years, and in that time
> have made my views known on a number of topics,  but during all that time I
> have not received a single email of an abusive nature. (There have been a
> few robust responses to my contributions, but only sent to the group as a
> whole).
>
> Is it that trolls only target women?
>
> Anyway, I'm sorry we do not now have your contributions because of his
> harassment.
>
>
> John Leonard
>
>
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