Conference turris::womannotes-v3

	...I reach for the diagonal wire cutters.

						--D

    
    
    
    The problem with some sexual terms is that the ones that are 
    offensive to some are not offensive to others.  It's a lose/lose
    situation.  Take, for example, the words strate and straight in 
    reference to heterosexual people.  Then there are Bisexuals, who like 
    to be called "bi", but homosexuals don't like "homo" and heterosexuals
    don't like "het."
    
    It's a lose, lose situation.  I use the ones I'm most comfortable with,
    if I offend someone, it's not my intention and I would hope that they 
    would bring it to my attention.
    
    kathy

    G'Day,
    
    	I really can't see anything wrong with using shortened versions of
    the accepted terms, het for heterosexual, bi for bisexual etc
    especially when we have to type them in.  It's not as if we just pick
    on one persuasion either, there's an abbreviation for everybodies
    choice of lifestyle.  We use shortened words for just about everything
    else so what's the difference?  I can see that many people would get
    upset by the use of other terms to describe them, ie dykes, poofters
    etc (I don't mean to offend anybody by using them myself).
    
    David (Het, straight, strate - call me what you like - everybody else
           does!)
    
    

     With regard to the FMO notes issue: we comods can think of no reason 
     to encourage men-only notes in womannotes, because by definition, they 
     don't meet the standard of topics of interest to women.  We imagine 
     that some people will see this opinion as a form of censorship, but we 
     feel that to support something that has nothing to do with the purpose 
     of this file would be irresponsible of us.  We encourage men who wish 
     to have men-only discussions to propose that idea in Mennotes where the 
     focus is on male issues.
    
     However, there really are no rules for or against the idea of
     men-only notes in Womannotes, so if men choose to start FMO topics, 
     it's not against any rules, and as individuals, we would honor the 
     request for courtesy.  As moderators, however, we would have to write 
     in the FMO strings if such a moderator intervention were required.  If 
     the men and women of this community want to modify the Womannotes 
     guidelines to formally support the idea of For Men Only (FMO) notes 
     (as a request for courtesy only, though, as in the case of FWO notes), 
     someone should propose it, and the moderators will facilitate a formal 
     vote.
    
    
     Justine for the Womannotes moderators                                      

    
    "het" is the accepted abbreviation of "heterodyne"
    
    Whatever else I may be I am not heterodyne (= mixed with different
    frequencies).
    
    On the other hand there is a perfectly good word meaning "having more
    than one colour" - heterochromatic - which might also be abbreviated to
    'het'
    
    ---
    
    joking apart I object to non-specific abbreviations which are subject
    to misconstruction.
    
    /. Ian .\

   This type of Topic is as sexist and discriminatory as the FWO Topics are.

   Whether or not they are supported by the Moderators is irrelevant.

                                                    -Robert Brown III